18 months ago we’d arrived at Porto Santo with a broken engine. Since then we’d ridden a rollercoaster ride of emotions as we’d attempted to fix and rebuild it. At last we’d reached our moment of reward, setting off for new horizons. Or had we…

We just had some Coppercoat repairs to complete before choosing a date to launch Emerald. We were feeling a swirling mix of emotions – excitement to be afloat again tempered with the fear of something going wrong. And there were many things that could go wrong!

We had one big boat job left to do to be able to escape the boatyard, but the weather had other ideas. It was another lesson in how patience is a good trait to have to make the sailing life go smoothly…

Perhaps you were wondering where we were at with our boat engine rebuild? And why did we think we had a dose of the commentator’s curse? Click the link to find out.

Our hydraulic autopilot developed an oil leak. As it’s an old model, servicing support was no longer available, so we took on the task ourselves. Here we share our experiences and tips for servicing a hydraulic autopilot

With our rebuilt engine back in the boat, the next big step was to test it. But before we could do that, we needed to reconnect the ancillary systems. And of course there was an expected issue…

Gaskets have been one of our biggest issues during the engine rebuild. First there was the tear in the timing case gasket, then having remedied that, the oil sump leaked oil from all around its new gasket.

With the cleaning complete, we were ready to begin the next step in our engine rebuild adventures. We had an overhaul kit for our water damaged Volvo Penta D2-75 engine that contained new gaskets, bearings and pistons. Some things went well, others, not well at all.

We decided to attempt to repair our water damaged boat engine. With the engine out of the boat, we could begin dismantling to uncover the extent of the damage. After than it was cleaning, replace and repair.

Having got as far as we could with repairing the engine in-situ, the next step was for it to be lifted out. This has allowed us to strip it of components to access the damage. What are our options for repair or replacement?

The likely explanation for our broken engine was a hydrolock – water had got into the cylinders of the engine block. With limited resources on the island, we set out to try and fix it ourselves.

Following a boisterous sail from Portugal, our engine failed nearing Porto Santo, necessitating a tow into the harbour. Tests indicated we had salt water in the engine, causing major corrosion. We were left contemplating difficult decisions regarding repairs, resources, and our future in sailing amidst this unforeseen misfortune.

On a sunny Saturday morning, we raised the main, and turned away from mainland Portugal. Our destination: Porto Santo, part of the Madeira archipelago, 435nm away. We initially had stronger wind than expected with a lively sea, but by day 2 this began to settle and enjoy the passage.

The passage report from day two of our sail from Portugal to Porto Santo. We were finding our groove as conditions eased, allowing us to enjoy, rather than endure, the experience.

All was well on the first day one of our passage from Portugal to Porto Santo as we settled into sailing life