Went down to Pwllheli Easter Monday for maiden voyage. While boat was still on the trailer, dipped the prop and turned engine over, all okay. Assembled troops (family, including the mini stig) on board and made our way across the marina to where my mate was moored. Just passed the fuel pontoon and engine tune changed, felt uneven as if it was missing or starving of fuel, then cut out leaving us drifting towards the moored boats. Tried several times to start the engine which came back in but still sounded and felt a bit lumpy. Being in the marina couldn't really open her up to see if problem would clear. Top Banana played safety boat and followed me out of the harbour, opened her up and she wouldn't pull the skin off a rice puddin
Made our way back to the floating pontoon, removed the fuel priming bulb and fitted another new one to no avail.
Que PBS. Jono checked all fuel lines followed us back out, tried his own portable fuel tank direct to engine, still no joy. Easter Monday maiden voyage turns out to be a flop. Recovered the rib, and followed Jono to his place where he connected the laptop and carried out a diagnostic check (in freezing conditions I might add), his mate Andy turned up, and between them they obviously were not prepared to let me go until they had solved the problem. After removing plugs and HT leads, they eventually traced the problem to a faulty HT coil on No 2 cylinder. Replaced the coil for me under warranty, engine was sweet,
Easter weekend salvaged. Took her out on the Tuesday morning, well impressed with the engine, and the Humber Destroyer handled superbly.
This is becoming a habit. Big thank you to Jono of PBS for dropping everything to get me sorted out, his mate Andy, Ian who was on the end of the phone constantly, and Top Banana off Ribnet. Swell bunch of guys.
Cheers,
Tony.
