Meandering Eider and New Problems

What started as a wonderful continuation of our journey unfortunately ended with a major setback. But let's start at the beginning!

Meanderen over de EIder

After our adventures on the Wadden Sea, we thoroughly enjoyed a few days meandering along the Eider River. The river meandered beautifully through a truly stunning natural setting. It was a wonderful respite, far from the hustle and bustle, just what we needed. We found a peaceful spot in Lexfahre.

Tussen het riet, in alle rust

to catch our breath before we dared to tackle the next stage: the North-East Canal towards the East.

Disaster Strikes: White Smoke!

Once on the Northeast Canal, everything seemed to be going well. The sun was shining, and Zina glided steadily through the water.

Glijden door het Noord-Oost kanaal

But after a few hours, the drama began: the engine started emitting white smoke. And it only got worse and worse. Panic! This was clearly not a good sign.

After the lock we decided to sail as carefully as possible to the port of Laboe.

In de sluis van Kiel

Why Laboe? Because we knew there was a well-equipped shipyard there. A smart move, as it turned out. The friendly harbormaster welcomed us and made sure we had a spacious berth. He assured us we didn't have to worry about mooring while we waited for the repairs. That saved us a lot of stress!

Veilig in Baltic Bay Marina, Laboe

A Bitter Pill: Incorrect Installation

After three long weeks in Laboe, with tests and adjustments, including the complete disassembly of the cylinder head, the report finally arrived: the engine cooling system had failed due to seawater backflow into the exhaust manifold. All cylinders were affected, and cylinder 1 was dead. And the cause? It turned out to be due to incorrect installation during engine installation.

helemaal weggevreten

I'd almost given up hope, and even started doubting myself. Did I make the right material choices? Did I install the wrong parts? A dead engine after only 150 hours? But thankfully, that wasn't the problem. It wasn't due to poor materials at all, but to poor technical guidance from the people who worked on the engine.

De Craftsman Marine is wel degelijk een goede keuze geweest

And that hurts. We trusted everyone, and now this. We worked and saved for five years to make this four-month trip possible. The financial damage will hopefully be covered by the insurance of the parties involved, but what about our losses? The lost time, the shattered dream right now...

We're now waiting for the importer's decision on how to proceed. It's uncertain, and continuing our trip is out of the question for now. Will you join us in keeping our hopes up?