Troubles at Viner Sound

Viner Sound, a fjord-like area

We headed northeast up Hornet Passage after departing Echo Bay Marina. Turning east off of Hornet Passage, we entered Viner Sound to check out the mooring buoys located part way up the sound.

We discovered boats tied to the two buoys in a little cove on the north side approximately two miles up the sound. Across from this cove on the south side are two more buoys, however, they look quite old and may not be as well secured to the bottom.

Although cloudy that morning, the fjord-like channel of Viner Sound was impressive.

While slowly motoring around the area, we suddenly heard a strange sound. Searching through the boat for its source, I opened the engine room door; the squealing sound was louder and smoke came pouring out from the opened door. The coolant pump on the starboard engine had failed and the serpentine belt had gotten hot and had started smoking. Leonard immediately shut down the starboard engine and assessed the situation. We would need a new pump and other parts, so the decision was made to motor to Port McNeill on one engine where we could order parts or rent a car to drive home and pick up parts.

While I motored us from Viner Sound through Retreat Passage and out across Queen Charlotte Strait to Port McNeill, Leonard started the process of removing the belt guard to assess the damage and figure out what replacement parts would be needed. The coolant that had drained out also needed to be collected in a container.

The Coolant Pump

When we had cell phone reception, Leonard called Greg’s Diesel (John Deere dealership) in Anacortes to get a list of needed parts on order. Next was finding moorage at Port McNeill. Being a Friday night, North Island Marina was full and so were the docks at the town’s Port McNeill Harbour. 

Looking towards Port McNeill

Anchorage can be taken, however, behind a peninsula north of the docks, so we spent the night on the hook. When talking to staff at the Port McNeill Harbour docks, they kindly put us on a list of contacts to let us know when space was available at the docks. In the morning as boats departed the Harbour, we received a call from the Harbour staff letting us know that space was available. We so much appreciated their efforts and communication with boaters in need of moorage.

Leonard spent the day in the engine room cleaning the pullies. The rubber serpentine belt that had started to melt on the pullies, meant that all the pullies needed to be cleaned before a new pump and belt could be added. We also noted that the bilge pump, intended to pump out water in the engine room during water intrusion, seemed not to be working. The bilge in our engine room is kept dry and Leonard periodically tests the bilge pump to make sure it’s working; we dump a bucket or two of water into the bilge and then test the pump. We realized that the pump was working but the water wasn’t being discharged. It turned out to be a plugged discharge hose, which we were able to clear. One less pump to buy, at least for now.

Saturday Market above the Port McNeill Harbour Docks

Coincidently, friends from our yacht club had just arrived and saw our boat. They came over to say hello and invite us to their boat for drinks; it was a nice break after a long day. We ended up going out to dinner together and had a nice visit. Sunday was laundry day and other chores. Monday would be decision day.

Do we rent a car and drive down to Sidney BC, where we walk on the ferry to Anacortes? Our home is within easy walking distance of the ferry dock in Anacortes; we could get our car and go pick up the parts, then reverse the route back to Port McNeill. Another option is the airport near Port McNeill or going home by float plane. Or perhaps our friend that’s planning to fly into Port McNeill on Wednesday could bring the parts to us; but would this pose problems with customs and the payment of duty? We would need to do some more research. Perhaps we should motor all the way home on one engine?

Remember the long list of maintenance items completed for our 5,000 hours (see the “Shakedown Cruise” blog dated May 4, 2019)? Well replacing the coolant pumps was something Leonard thought should be done; but according to MER (John Deere dealers in Seattle) they thought the pump and belts looked fine and didn’t need to be replaced. We wished that we had stuck with our gut instinct and had them replaced. Stay tuned for the rest of the saga.