Strange engine noise

For the past week Jan has been mentioning a strange engine noise.  My hearing isn’t nearly as acute and it wasn’t until yesterday that I also heard an additional “ticking” sound.  My initial thought was it was something around the propeller but then Jan mentioned the last time she heard a similar sound was when the large alternator belt failed.

This morning I went into the garden shed to look at the Beta’s main Agal.  It was just starting to fray, hence the ticking sound.

Damned camera wouldn’t focus on the belt!

After the first belt failed we purchased a set of spare belts.  So it was a case of replacing the failed belt with the spare.  I’ve done it before, apart from the difficulty of caressing fondling groping the engine and avoiding dirtying the spotlessly clean engine floor it’s not a difficult task.

The three marked bolts are loosened allowing the 175A alternator to drop.  This allows removal and replacement of the belt.  You can see the alternator has been modified (red arrow marked A).  This is for the Sterling PDAR which forces the alternator to generate more power.

Looking down over the end of the of the engine it is possible to see the dust from the last failed belt.

It’s all caught in the absorbent matting under the engine.  I’ll need to check and re-tension the new belt after a few hours of running because it will have stretched.  Now all we need to do is purchase a replacement spare.

Daniel took me for walkies just before lunch.  It seemed to be a loonngg walk to Aldi and then he decided to walk back to the town market for bread, veg and a pork pie.  I was knackered by the time we returned to Waiouru.

Personal domestic battery bank recharged, I made a start on the preparation for the repainting of the starboard gunwales.  The port side was done before Christmas but the starboard side hasn’t been touched since 2012.  Last week a boater hit us attempting to moor.  Then he ground his way down the side of Waiouru (no attempt to push off) before deciding he didn’t want to moor after all.  Today nb Halcyon hit us on the port side.  One assumes he felt it wasn’t sufficiently hard enough because he hit us a second time… and then a third before disappearing into the distance without looking back or offering an apology.  Why do they hit the side I’ve repainted?  Stupid question!

When I started sanding back below the starboard gunwale to the rubbing strake I thought “I’ll never finish this today!”  Well to my surprise I did……. and then I went on to give the bare metal a touch of primer.  Tomorrow will probably see me giving it a light sand and a first coat of gloss black.

Meanwhile Jan has been busy inside the boat on he hands and knees scrubbing the Flotek carpet.   It’s come up rather well, although the water she used doesn’t look that healthy.  Daniel had another driving lesson in the afternoon so wasn’t available to assist either of us.  He must have realised his predicament because he quickly disappeared on to return with cold alcoholic beverages for his elderly parents.  So pleased that all that early training is finally coming to fruition!