Fish Under Sailvideo
We Almost Lost Our Engine in Mexico! - Hydrolocked! Sailing 18
24 May 2026 · 26 min · 1K views · Chiapas
What this video covers
A 30,000-pound sailboat suffered a severe engine hydrolock after a mud dauber nest blocked the exhaust telltale, causing saltwater to backflow into the engine while the vessel was moored.20:49 The owners discovered the failure during a pre-haulout check when the engine refused to turn over.14:47 After manually clearing the cylinders and draining the crankcase, they found the oil heavily emulsified with saltwater.17:48 To prevent permanent damage, the crew hauled the boat out and performed a series of repeated oil flushes, running the engine on a freshwater bucket feed to circulate and remove residual moisture.19:16 The process required multiple oil changes and filter replacements to clear the system.24:21 Additionally, the owners identified a leaking fuel tank previously patched with epoxy and contaminated freshwater tanks requiring full sanitization.10:07 The engine remained functional after the repeated flushing cycles.24:16 Regular inspection of exhaust telltales prevents saltwater backflow and catastrophic engine hydrolock.22:02
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