Troubleshoot Caframo fans

Saturday 25 Apr, KY day 42: Glen hits the fan (as opposed to something else hitting it!)

Very lazy start to the day. We don’t do anything but play on our phones till midday. Well, it is the weekend right? The wind is again pretty strong from SSE and the swell is really rolling into the anchorage perpendicular to the wind direction. We have our stern bridle to the mooring buoy, putting Cloudy side-on to the wind with her bow pointing into the incoming swell. So it’s not too uncomfortable. All the other yachts seem to have copied our technique, except for the British Amel moored behind us. They are still connected to the buoy conventionally and they are looking like Olympic champions in the rocking event! We are really not sure how they can put up with that? Maybe they are practicing for their return to the Mediterranean?

Today I want to work out why one of our (relatively) new Caframo Sirocco II fans in the bow cabin has stopped working. First off, I discover the socket for that particular fan is wired the wrong way and seems to have been like that since new… a little slap to HR’s hand needed. But, even with that sorted, the fan still doesn’t work. Swapping fans around from the other cabins proves it’s definitely the fan itself that’s the issue. Now, here is where normal and sensible people would just order a new fan and throw this one away. Sadly, not me. I use the electronic parts from a good fan to find out which bit of the bad fan is the problem. Long story short, at a certain point in my trouble shooting, there is a small bang, a large spark and a puff of smoke from the motor. And the situation ends with both fans not working. Bugger!Supremely annoyed with myself I go look up how long the warrantee is for. 2 yrs…. perfect, we just squeeze in. So an email is sent to Caframo in Canada, asking for “advice”.

Next job is to change the fresh water filter in the engine room. Thankfully that simple task goes without a hitch. And after that I call it a day with regards to jobs and get back into the weekend relaxed mode – far less frustrating. Especially with our cocktails in the cockpit, lovely cooling air passing through as a new moon sets onto the sea.