SheHelms Sailingvideo
Kaye Coyne - Marine Diesel Engines
11 October 2026 · 32 min · 89 views
What this video covers
JoJo Pickering interviews Kaye Coyne, a self-employed marine engineer with 10 years of engineering experience and 13–14 years in the industry, on marine diesel engine basics for sailors.5:23 Coyne trained at Southampton and completed her apprenticeship under her father, also a marine engineer.4:18 The conversation covers pre-departure engine checks: confirming raw water flow through the seacock and impeller, monitoring temperature gauges and exhaust water output, listening for rattling or knocking, checking oil pressure, and verifying the alternator belt.11:10 Coyne explains diesel bug — a yeast and mould contamination that grows in the water layer at the bottom of a fuel tank — tracing it to contaminated fuel docks and recommending primary and secondary fuel filters, tank draining, and fuel polishing.20:02 She describes impeller failure and exhaust elbow coking as common overheating causes, the latter typically from infrequent running.17:29 On electric and hybrid propulsion, she notes that UK solar panels are unreliable for roughly four months of the year and that marina charging infrastructure remains inadequate.26:46 Coyne recommends the RYA one-day marine diesel engine course and identifies learning to bleed a fuel filter as the single most practical skill a sailor can acquire.31:03 The core message: a sailor confident enough to go offshore is capable of learning basic engine maintenance.Watch
More from SheHelms Sailing
From SheHelms Sailing — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.