CruiseNews #6
Date:  7/10/99
Port of Call:  Newport, Rhode Island
Subject:  Newport, Newport, Newport

There are many maxims about boating that we have discovered over the years.  I think we have already mentioned the one that says "cruising is nothing more than working on your boat in exotic places".  There is also one that says, "a boat is a hole in the water that you must fill up with money".  Knowing these things doesn't make accepting them any easier.  All of this is a round- about way of saying that we have been stuck in Newport, RI since July 1 with an inoperative engine.

When we were coming into Block Island (it's hard to believe that was in June), one of the engine alarms came on intermittently.  We traced the problem to an oil leak, but we decided not to do anything about it at the time (other than put some more oil in the engine).  However, after leaving Block Island, the leak got quickly worse, and we were forced to go to Newport and try and make repairs.

Glyn helps with the oil cooler
Our greatest frustration is that parts for our BMW engine are essentially unavailable.  We have been forced to adopt "unconventional" methods of repair.  If it hadn't been for the tireless help of friends Glyn & Jen on "Wandering Star", we probably would have given up after the first day of repairs. The more we worked on the engine, the more we found wrong.  At each stage Glyn had an idea of something else to try.  While we haven't licked the problem yet, we are still hopeful that there will be some solution short of the ultimate one:  replacing the engine.

We have been so busy with this that we haven't had time to write. But don't worry; all you're missing is dirty hands and bruised knuckles...

Smooth sailing?

Jim and Cathy