23 February 2006

Against the ropes

by Mike, onboard the Esperanza

The last cage of ship's provisions was being lifted on board using the forward stores crane when the ship's agent arrived on the quayside, and handed me a brown paper package tied up in string. It was a small package and light, I held it by the string as I read the postmarks, "from Prague!" Off I went across the decks and down to the Engine room to find 'Mr. Turbocharger'. "I have a shipment from Prague," I announced. Michelle’s face lit up when he saw the Czech Republic stamp. He had waited three days for the aluminium bushes (parts for the turbo-charger) to arrive.

"Mike, can we put a load on the starboard engine?" asked Bent, at seven thirty in the evening, we are ready to test the turbo. I called Eddy and Nadia together to discuss the plan. Andrew, the web editor lent a hand as we ran out three extra stern lines and two additional springs up forward. On the bridge I put a steering pump on and Nadia went down to the steering-flat to visually inspect the position of the rudder against the helm indicator. The gangway came up and the engine rev's increased. The phone rang, Kirsten was telling me about the power failures throughout the country, South Africa’s Nuclear power station is in trouble – lot's of problems.

"You can go ahead Mike," called Bent when the engine had warmed up and reached 750 rpm. I moved the lever forward on the consol, the ship thrust ahead. Weight came onto all the mooring ropes holding us in position, I increased the load on the engine gradually, all the time receiving feed back from aft and watching the springs forward. Slowly I kept increasing the pitch until the forward springs started to sing, they were bar tight, we were just below half ahead on one engine. Still the engineers wanted more load, I pushed the levers a little further, the ropes sounded like a chiropractic back cracking, I called for Nadia to stand clear of the ropes, this was my limit.

"O.K. Mike, we are finished, you can bring her down now", it was a welcome call from the engine room. The test had been a success and the Esperanza may be one knot faster than before. She’s ready to go out to sea, she’s restless and tonight she tugged at her moorings, in an attempt to get under way.

   

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Posted by: echo at February 23, 2006 4:05 PM

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