[Editor's note: as we add more of the story, you'll be able to follow along by clicking on the links. Also, I know the story happened some 20 years ago, but like me, there is an archive of photos and personal history that could be added. Please feel free to send photos to me and add your comments along the way.
That being said, some tall ships are coming to Chicago this summer. One for sure is planning to follow George's route south saving many days going back through the Erie Canal, Carp willing. ]
Saturday, Sept. 22nd departed Starved Rock Marina at 0640, passed through the Starved Rocks Locks at 0730 uneventfully, 18.7' drop. Two hours later Carl noticed some water laying atop the integral tank lid below the engine, and also some smoke and fumes entering the rear cabin. Upon checking, discovered that the bracket holding he aux. alternator onto the engine had broken a stud holding an end plate on the water-cooled exhaust manifold, and sea water was dripping out at this point. Nothing disastrous. The smoke and fumes were from the glue holding the duct tape to the insulation (fiberglass) around the SS exhaust line from the engine, under the rear cabin slole and out a pipe on the aft deck. The glue was melting and fuming. The temperature of the exhaust gases was on the order of 700 f.
I elected to press on the Chillicothe, IL. where we entered Hamm's Marina and secured at the end of a covered dock at 1445. This is a very nice marina, owned and operated by Dick and Karen Hamm, who are very nice people.
I blew the entrance to the marina, which was about 35' wide and about a 100 yards in from the main channel. If the channel would have been buoyed as indicated there would have been no problem, but the buoys were removed, and I guessed wrong! Stuck in the mud. Happily a motor boat came by, created a wake, and I was able to free myself. Dick Hamm came to my rescue by coming out of the fuel dock at the entrance and talked me into the harbor with his hand-held radio. This is the last marina on the Illinois River that could accept my boat. It's all that clean living!
What with those problems that needed attention and the fact that my ankle was hurting considerably, and the swelling up quite a bit; I called the crew together and announced that I was calling the expedition off for perhaps a month, explaining that while the broken stud problem was minor, the basic cause required some investigation. I felt that the stud broke due to excessive vibration fatiguing the metal. Also a change in the exhaust line insulation or rerouting, probably both, had to be undertaken to correct the fuming. Lastly, I threw in the towel on my ankle, and said I had go back home and have it looked at.
Hot to get home? Called Jay Brule and as luck would have it, he was available to drive down and get us, which is what he and his son, Todd did. So Camilla and Carl went on their way home; and I checked into the hospital for x-rays the next day. The x-rays showed the ankle bone had a crack in it. While I was there, a nurse wandered by, looked at the foot, and asked when this happened. I told her last Monday. She looked at me and asked why I came in today - was I bored? I thought this was a pretty good line. The upshot of the whole thing was a walking cast which could be removed Nov. 4, 1990. Annoying, but at least it allowed me to ambulate around.
Called Jim Forsman, a friend from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, who had arranged to join the boat sometime later for the trip and advised him of the change in plans. Nothing would do but he decided to drive up and help me get the thing fixed, which he did. He stayed with another friend, Ed Hausman, who also want to to make of the trip with me - but sadly this was not to be.
Jim and Ed and I drove out to Chillicothe, and started repairs. Both of them are excellent mechanics. We disconnected the drive line which I thought was the cause of the vibration, took the universal shaft back to the place in Melrose Park who put it together for me originally, and had it rebalanced. Also during this time I pulled all the exhaust line, stripped the insulation off and rerouted it out the side of the vessel (port side) adjacent to the engine room. Obtained more proper insulation from J.J. Moroney, and that cleared up that problem. Ed also fixed up some annoying plumbing leaks in the galley sink, and fitted the gasket on the exhaust manifold.
Jim and I then worked over the gear shift mechanism. The builder's instructions left quite a bit to be desired. So we went back to basics, determined when the clutch released exactly, and then adjusted the shifting levers. This should have been indicated in the beginning. That sound a little testy. Just a difference in interpretation between the manual writer and this reader, probably. The engine and gear shift units are superb; not one seconds trouble from that time on. The engine is an English one, a BMC (I think British Motors Corp.) put together by a firm called NEWAGE, at least it was before they changed their name to TEMPEST. 4 cylinder, diesel, compression start, which never cranks more than one revolution before starting up. Great engine!
After the universal shaft was reworked adn reinstalled, an intermediate shaft bearing was installed due to some instance by Jay. This was installed between the thrust bearing and the stuffing box for extra support. After the installation, we checked the runout fo the intermediate shaft which indicated a .001", so it isn't going to strain the bearing at all. Harold Clarida, a machinist and neighbor, and I performed this task.
A further word about the stuffing box: I felt after discussion with Jim that the clearance was still not enough around the prop shaft, so we again dismounted it and had Ricky Gibbs have it bored out to allow 1/16" clearance.
After buttoning everything back together, took it out for a test run on the river with Jay and a friend of his, John Clegg. This was on Oct. 18th, 1990. Everything seemed O.K.
More to follow: Part 4
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