Before I start my technical update, I'd like to thank you all for your continuing support. Your messages of cheer make us more determined to succeed.

So for all you techies out there...

We've been faced with many problems on this trip, some of which you couldn't even imagine. The main one has been the continuing loss of power as we head south. No, this isn't an engine problem, this is just nature, and something boaters back home don't have to worry about too much.

Any modern high-revving engine needs good quality fuel, but all diesel is not the same. We have had to be particularly careful when taking on bunkering in harbours that the fuel quality meets a minimum Cetane rating of 45 - the ideal fuel grade being 2-D, meeting ASTM standard D975. Anything less than this, and the fuel won't detonate properly, resulting in a high carbon build-up in the engine and fuel injectors. Most bunkered fuel is only one step up from paraffin, so to boost the Cetane rating to an acceptable level, we have been mixing a touch of engine oil and a good dose of Soltron, which appears to sort the problem out.

The next problem is the air and water temperature. Hot water is a lot heavier and more difficult to move, and in the relatively calm conditions we have been experiencing, sometimes it feels like driving a car with the handbrake on. In the extreme heat of the day, we run the boat with the engine box partly open to get extra air circulating. It makes the boat a bit noisier, but we can maintain its unique performance and fuel efficiency.

So remember, all diesel is not diesel. The best diesel for your engine is automotive quality, and the worst diesel is heating fuel. It's cheaper to buy the proper stuff than keep rebuilding your engine.

Enough of the boring bits - I'm going to do the navigation for Kota Kinabalu.

Alan Priddy

Copyright Alan Priddy ©2002
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