Buggered in Büdelsdorf

Position: 54°18’45.7″N 9°40’03.4″E

On Aleta we believe in redundancy. Let me say that again, on Aleta we believe in redundancy. One method of doing something always deserves a second one. As a sailboat we use sails for propulsion whenever we can. Aleta also has an inboard diesel engine for propulsion when the wind fails. Combining the two methods is called motorsailing (and they say sailing lingo is complicated – ed.).

Having made it to Germany, we expected the 61-mile transition of the Kiel Canal would take two days, with an overnight pause at the Büdelsdorfer Yacht Club. The BYC sits in a pool to the west of the canal near the city of Rendsburg. Rendsburg is mostly famous for being the western end of a high railway bridge built in 1913 that is still in service today. Back then there were a couple of iron smelters and lots of light industry. Today it’s cleaner and quieter, but several shipwrights and repair facilities still call it home.

Verdampfer!

Just as we were pulling into our berth, the gearbox suddenly gave out. No forward motion. No backward motion. Simply dead in the water. The motor turned over just fine and revved nicely when we pushed the throttle. Having replaced the gearbox five years ago, that was unlikely to be the culprit. Perhaps the verdamte dampfer plate? That, I reasoned, might explain the pinging noise we’d heard earlier, and why the bell housing sounded like a tumble dryer filled with loose change.

As mishaps go our timing couldn’t have been better. Another captain, Roland, saw our predicament and immediately understood what was going on. Leaping into his dinghy, he motored as fast as four horsepower would take him to our rescue. He grabbed a bow line and slowly tugged us towards our slip. Other sailors lined the dock ready to grab lines and in short order we were snugged up safe and sound. By coincidence, Roland works on the big tugboats at Kiel Canals southern locks.

High Season

Germans value their holidays. That’s why they have so much of it. When I worked in Böblingen near Stuttgart back in the 1980s my annual holidays never came to less than 10 weeks. The head of our division regularly took four weeks off in the summer and was unreachable. While my American counterparts struggled with ten days holiday and five flexible days off a year, I struggled with how I was going to meet my generous quota. Not for long mind you. I soon fell in with the crowd. When in Swabia, do as the Swabians, eh?

Thus it was in Büdelsdorf and Rendsburg. At the height of boating season every motor technician and engineer in a 200km radius was on holiday. Finally, we tracked down a diesel mechanic, with no gearbox experience. He did however have a long extension on his ratchet, a powerful impact driver and an endoscope. With these tools we confirmed the damper plate was in pieces and needed replacing. That meant ordering parts, at which point our mechanic left for his vacation.

The upshot is, it is now the end of August and the window for crossing the Bay of Biscay is closed. September onwards rarely has enough settled days for a safe passage, and we are at least two weeks sail from turning the corner south. (Even if Aleta were working that’s optimistic.) Taking stock of the situation we decided it will be safer leaving her where she is and returning to her next year. Then we’ll decide which direction to head in. Could be north. Could be south. Either way, it will ultimately be westwards.

Winter is Coming

The last time we sat out a harsh winter was in Charleston, South Carolina in the early days of our adventures. This time we’re leaving Aleta in the hands of our new-found friends here in Germany. We’re filling her pipes to the brim with antifreeze. I’ve learned all about antifreeze in the last couple of days. If you’re a chemical engineer, the next few lines might be interesting. If you’re not and you’re squeamish about what goes into your food, skip forward to the next heading.

Anti-freeze comes in two forms. The popular stuff used in your car is commonly based on ethylene glycol. Nasty stuff and not fit for human consumption. A dose of four fluid ounces would probably kill me, but not before my brain and kidneys gave out. That’s a couple of sips of beer. Trouble is it has a sweet taste that’s attractive for kids and cheapskate pharmaceutical companies. Propylene glycol is its less toxic cousin and is approved by the FDA as a food additive. PG metabolises into lactic acid. That means a couple of gulps of the stuff will make you feel like you had a good workout. Needless to say, we’re filling Aleta with the safer stuff.

Silver(back) Linings

Meanwhile, having just put the sails up, it’s time to take them back down and store them. Then we’ll stuff everything into plastic bags, seal up the hatches and hit the road in search of adventure. I’d tell you what we’re doing next, but that would spoil the surprise. Suffice it to say it will include an ear piercing and, with luck, a skeleton or two.

Before we leave, I thought I’d share some photos of a fantastic art museum about a mile from where Aleta is docked. The Kunstwerk Carlshûtte was a joyful surprise for us. From major works by Chinese artists to rows of five-metre-high gorillas, the blend of two- and three-dimensional art was nothing short of inspiring. I am told if you mention Büdelsdorf to Germans from anywhere else in the country, they will recognize it from their visit to the museum. With huge indoor and outdoor installations, we spent a pleasant half day wandering around having our minds expanded. If you’re in the area, don’t miss it!

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