Stuck in Belhaven for a few days…

/ shellerina

We experienced a bad electrical smell after securing on the hook in the southern end of the Alligator River. We had successfully transited the Albermarle Sound and the Alligator River in great weather conditions… without a problem until we STOPPED and dropped the hook?!?!

The smart shunt indicated that there was 76 Amps of draw from the main lead acid bank.

The failed component was this relay in the CAT’s electrical box atop the rear part of the engine.
Fortunately, I had a spare relay on the boat!

Unfortunately, the engine would still not start. The mechanics here at River Forest Marina suspect a failed 130 amp circuit breaker in the same circuit. The starter may also be faulty as one thing I tried was to jump the starter solenoid with a wrench, and the starter turned, but the Bendix Gear did not engage the engine’s flywheel.

UPDATED paragraph:

The starter is less than a year old, so it was covered by CAT’s warrantee. No cash had to be exchanged for a new starter. CAT accepted the 11 month starter giving full credit…

Everyone here at River Forest Marina has been great with their help. TowBoat US took care of the tow through the Alligator-Pungo Canal to get me here.

This is one of our favorite towns on the Loop and ICW. So, we could be holed up in worst places!

The third ownership transition in as many years just took place this month here. More details on that will soon follow!

Search our blog for:

Grand Manor Marina

River Forest Marina

Belhaven NC

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ADDENDUM Wed Oct 16

130A Circuit Breaker showed up this morning
Scott finishes up the job. You can see the residue (and imagine the smell) of charred electric components on the cover on the top of the electrical box.

Our engine starts again!

Bill was reasonable.

This electrical box is fortunately easy to get to, right on top of the CAT 3126.
Scott Cutler, our mechanic and Axsom Smith III, general manager just hauled out this baby with twin Volvo Penta IPS drives. The port side one doesn’t look as good as this starboard one. Thus the haul out this morning.
This yard just closed on the purchase of Grand Manor Marina a week ago; the name is changing back to River Forest Marina. The boat yard is less than a mile from the marina. It is a family owned operation.

This family owned the marina and mansion years ago before Henry Boyd and the other local business people.

Belhaven: Oct 11,12,13,14,15

Today:

We crossed Pamlico River and anchored at Goose Creek aka Eastham Creek anchorage ICW mm 153.5.

611 sm to go … to Ortega Landing.

Our mechanic, Scott Cutler & Shelly
B-Dock at River Forest. ((If you need a pump-out, ask for A-Dock! They can do it at the slip.))

Everything is good here except it can be a bit “rolly” depending upon the wind.

The Grand Manor mansion on premises is a popular wedding venue, for people who get married a lot. There were two weddings during our tenure this week.

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