Light Wind Trip Cape Fear to Cape Cod Westsail 32 August 2025
August 14, 2025 · 12 min · 814 views · Martha's Vineyard
What this video covers
The crew of the Westsail 32 *Mighty Sparrow* transits approximately 700 miles from Cape Fear, North Carolina, to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, encountering a mix of light-wind motoring and heavy-weather sailing. After departing Cape Fear Inlet, the vessel motors through calm conditions until a front brings sloppy six-to-eight-foot seas, necessitating a triple-reefed main and staysail.4:59 During the extended motoring segments, the Perkins 4-108 engine begins surging and losing power every five minutes.8:16 The owner identifies the issue as air entering the fuel system between the fuel tank and the lift pump.10:37 By manually operating the lift pump, the engine runs temporarily, but the problem persists until the crew tightens all hose clamps and inspects fuel lines for pinhole leaks or chafing.10:38 This maintenance resolves the fuel starvation issue, allowing the vessel to complete the passage to the Nantucket area. The experience confirms that intermittent engine surging often indicates a suction-side air leak in the fuel delivery system.
Boats in this video
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