Island Bound 2007 !!
Well I finally have a little time to sit down and get some writing done to send out to you all . It’s been quite a trip so far sailing around Lake Michigan and down the Lake Huron coast. The weather has been like most Michigan weather unpredictable. I must say though that it’s been warm most of the trip. We sailed in 90 degree temps just yesterday and have finished sailing today with 50 degree temps, yuk the fun meter is right at its lowest with 50 degree temps and water temp of 60 degrees, hell the water is warmer than the air today that’s Michigan though.
The trip started off with little wind but picked up with 50 mph winds in Frankfort Michigan and waves of 14 feet which we didn’t really realize till we got into the harbor and the other boaters were trying to call us on our radio to see if we were ok out there and coming in. That night it was gale force winds and we sat till 3pm the next day till the winds settled down. It was fun though surfing down the waves of such height. The waves were higher than the boat many times. We could do nothing except sail till we were able to go into the Frankfort port. We left Frankfort at 3pm and sailed with beautiful winds all night till we reached Leland harbor, caught some sleep and sailed off the next day keeping the bow pointed to the bridge. The engine was giving us trouble it would start smoking a little; than it would quite and we would have to wait to start it a few hours later which made it very hard when we would come into port for the night or to catch some sleep. We sailed up to Charlevoix and anchored there in the bay for the night catching some sleep. The ramen noodle company is our best friend, we should have stock in because we eat the hell out of them. We have gone through 6 cases of them so far. Pasta in a plastic bag yum yum. We sailed into the night again coming around the point of the mackinaw bridge at 2am in the morning with great winds and believe it or not 75 degree temps at 2 am. We had a storm coming in from the west so we anchored in a small bay till 6 am and proceeded to go through the straits under the bridge with a wonderful sunrise it was spectacular to say the least. The thunder and lightning storm the night before was also beautiful but scary with us being out in the bay with a sail boat and a 35 foot aluminum lightning rod stuck in the air. We stopped at Mackinaw City and worked on the engine changing the oil and pulling all the old gas out putting fresh in and a set of new spark plugs. The trip continued with nice winds down the east side of Michigan to Harrisville Michigan were again the engine gave us trouble replacing the fuel pump this time. I’m becoming and expert on the ATOMIC 4 ENGINE by the way. This engine was built in 1932 40 thousand of them for WWII to put them in military boats small crafts. They didn’t us them all and the boating industry picked these up and placed them in sail boats. There nickname is the ATOM BOMB they are tough and I think somewhat easy to work on. I prefer not to work on them but I do what I can to save hundreds of dollars on a boat mechanic. Well we are off again with a new fuel pump and headed down to cross the Saginaw bay area to Port Huron. We sail all night again because the weather is great temps in the 70s again we pull into port Austin at 2 am and go to sleep. Up again at 7am sailing with great winds going to Sanilac Michigan and yes again the engine it giving us trouble again. We pull into Harbor beach and it is here I’m now working on putting and new head gasket in and a new thermostat and plug wires. I will put this in on Thursday and we will give it another go. I hope this time I have the problem solved. We keep getting water in our oil crank case which would indicate head gasket. I have talked with many Mechanics and they come to the same conclusion. So I have the engine all tore apart waiting new parts first thing in the morning. All that said I still would rather be doing nothing else right now. The trip is new and exciting each and every day. The people we have met are great and friendly the scenery is spectacular and the sailing is fantastic. I will write more again soon we will be getting to Detroit by Saturday Night should be a pretty scene with all the lights of Detroit from the water.
The trip started off with little wind but picked up with 50 mph winds in Frankfort Michigan and waves of 14 feet which we didn’t really realize till we got into the harbor and the other boaters were trying to call us on our radio to see if we were ok out there and coming in. That night it was gale force winds and we sat till 3pm the next day till the winds settled down. It was fun though surfing down the waves of such height. The waves were higher than the boat many times. We could do nothing except sail till we were able to go into the Frankfort port. We left Frankfort at 3pm and sailed with beautiful winds all night till we reached Leland harbor, caught some sleep and sailed off the next day keeping the bow pointed to the bridge. The engine was giving us trouble it would start smoking a little; than it would quite and we would have to wait to start it a few hours later which made it very hard when we would come into port for the night or to catch some sleep. We sailed up to Charlevoix and anchored there in the bay for the night catching some sleep. The ramen noodle company is our best friend, we should have stock in because we eat the hell out of them. We have gone through 6 cases of them so far. Pasta in a plastic bag yum yum. We sailed into the night again coming around the point of the mackinaw bridge at 2am in the morning with great winds and believe it or not 75 degree temps at 2 am. We had a storm coming in from the west so we anchored in a small bay till 6 am and proceeded to go through the straits under the bridge with a wonderful sunrise it was spectacular to say the least. The thunder and lightning storm the night before was also beautiful but scary with us being out in the bay with a sail boat and a 35 foot aluminum lightning rod stuck in the air. We stopped at Mackinaw City and worked on the engine changing the oil and pulling all the old gas out putting fresh in and a set of new spark plugs. The trip continued with nice winds down the east side of Michigan to Harrisville Michigan were again the engine gave us trouble replacing the fuel pump this time. I’m becoming and expert on the ATOMIC 4 ENGINE by the way. This engine was built in 1932 40 thousand of them for WWII to put them in military boats small crafts. They didn’t us them all and the boating industry picked these up and placed them in sail boats. There nickname is the ATOM BOMB they are tough and I think somewhat easy to work on. I prefer not to work on them but I do what I can to save hundreds of dollars on a boat mechanic. Well we are off again with a new fuel pump and headed down to cross the Saginaw bay area to Port Huron. We sail all night again because the weather is great temps in the 70s again we pull into port Austin at 2 am and go to sleep. Up again at 7am sailing with great winds going to Sanilac Michigan and yes again the engine it giving us trouble again. We pull into Harbor beach and it is here I’m now working on putting and new head gasket in and a new thermostat and plug wires. I will put this in on Thursday and we will give it another go. I hope this time I have the problem solved. We keep getting water in our oil crank case which would indicate head gasket. I have talked with many Mechanics and they come to the same conclusion. So I have the engine all tore apart waiting new parts first thing in the morning. All that said I still would rather be doing nothing else right now. The trip is new and exciting each and every day. The people we have met are great and friendly the scenery is spectacular and the sailing is fantastic. I will write more again soon we will be getting to Detroit by Saturday Night should be a pretty scene with all the lights of Detroit from the water.
