“Houston, we have a problem…”
29 Jul 2026
Things started out as expected. Launching from the slip was uneventful. As I cleared the docks and made the turn into the channel, it started. The engine temperature began climbing—far too quickly for how little time it had been running.. As I assessed the situation, I felt I was too far into the channel to make the turn back to even the fuel dock under power. I had no choice but to put up the main sail ASAP and shut the motor down and head out into the York River.
At that point, it was clear that the intended mission was not possible. The plan was to sail well down the York and into Mobjack Bay as a precursor to a 3-day trip I have planned for August 10-13. That plan was now scrubbed. Now, it was a matter of just getting all the way back to the marina. (Drama! Cue the Apollo 13 soundtrack!)
I put up the jib and headed out to well open water so I would have the time and distance to figure out what I was dealing with. Once clear of every possible hazard and traffic, either hoveto or on autopilot, I could investigate my situation. First check was the engine inlet seacock. Had I left it closed when inspecting the strainer? Nope. Next I had to check the engine coolant level. That is a procedure. I have to remove the companionway stairs and take off the engine cover box. In that state, I cannot get back into the cockpit so I would have a real problem if an emergency arose.
I took off the coolant cap and found… NOTHING. Well that was the issue. I filled it up (about a quart), closed everything up and took the helm again.
I did not want to risk a long motor back. I had no idea if I could make it all the way to the slip under power so I decided to sail as far into the channel as possible before furling and starting the engine. I sailed as close to the outer marker as I felt comfortable. The plan was to furl the jib and sail in the channel on the main, very slowly.
Ah, but my Apollo 13 adventure included another wrinkle. The jib furling line jammed in the roller furler. A problem I thought I'd fixed had returned at exactly the wrong moment. That meant that I would have to sail into the channel on the jib, not the main. And when the time came, I would have to lower it onto the foredeck while under way.
I furled in the main and headed down the channel. Luckily, traffic coming out of the marina was light and could easily pass me. I must have looked odd sailing into the channel like that. Not a typical thing to do with a boat this size.
When I was close enough to the marina, I started the engine, put it in forward idle under autopilot, and dropped the jib onto the deck. I kept the RPM low and watched the temperature gauge like a hawk. Thankfully, the engine behaved perfectly the rest of the way. A few minutes later, La Diosa Mar was safely back in her slip. Only then did my pulse return to something resembling normal.
The roller-furler problem turned out to be straightforward. One of the tines guiding the furling line had bent, and the lead angle into the drum needed adjustment. Both have now been corrected.
The coolant loss is still under investigation. My leading suspect is the original 25-year-old heat exchanger. If it has developed an internal leak, coolant could be finding its way into the raw-water side and disappearing out the exhaust. Time—and a mechanic—will tell.
