"How ugly!" groaned the Captain. Gulf Stream Log Excerpt

Gulf Stream   March 11, 2006   (Excerpt from P. Wash to Florida Log)

After fairly extensive provisioning and preparation, two nights ago we left Dinner Key anchorage, on the high tide, to cross Biscayne Bay and anchor in the lee of Key Biscayne so that we could slip onto the Atlantic and cross the Gulf Stream early yesterday morning.  It is approx. 50 nautical miles to North Rock, on the Bahama banks relatively shallow water, just north of Bimini, where we planned to anchor for the night.

We had waited a couple of days for the wind to come around to the southeast and the waves to lie down a bit.  Predictions were for 3-5 foot waves but we found 4-6, and some 8’s as we crossed into deep water.  The boat was handling the conditions well but the gulf stream moves north at as much as 2-3 knots so we had to steer to the south quite a bit to hold a course for Bimini.  This southerly heading caused us to have to steer into the waves which made for slow going and some hobby horsing.    At 40 miles out I dropped the birds into the briny (poles were already deployed) as we began to roll.  To do this I idled the starboard engine to reduce speed, keeping port engine at 1800 to maintain generator output of 118 volts.  When I put stbd engine back in gear, we heard several substantial bangs and thumps below.  Turns out the engine/transmission unit had come loose from its mounting bolts, causing the propeller shaft coupling bolts to shear off and rip open like a sardine can the thick mounting plate which attached the transmission to the engine.  Ugly!

We were so close to Bimini it was tempting to continue on under one engine.  For sure there are repair facilities in Nassau, a couple of day’s run further, but finding spare parts or dealing with customs did not appeal to me.  So, back we went.  While it took us only five hours to reach the turning point, now with only one engine and dragging a 28 inch four-bladed prop, we arrived back at Key Biscayne at 2230 hrs, 10.5 hours or 4 knots and less speed over the ground.  Had to hand steer as the autopilot was out since it’s hydraulic pump is powered by the starboard engine.  Long day – but they come with the job.