POOH BEAR REPORT - 27 October 2002 
 
My Mistake, the Engine was not Fixed! 
 
This is just a mini report to update those who have been calling and e-
mailing wondering where we have got to.  The answer is: No where! 
 
My last Cruising Report was made on day 19 in Whitby.  It reported the 
engine was fixed and we needed only a break in the weather.  Well, we 
are now day 25 and I must report; I was wrong.  The engine was not 
fixed.  After five days more of work, the engine is still very 
difficult to start after sitting for 12 hours.  It is, without a doubt, 
a fuel problem and air is getting in the line.  Steve, and I believe he 
is quite a competent mechanic, is at his wits end.  I worked on it a 
bit Saturday and have some new ideas for Steve to check in the morning. 
 
However, even if the engine had been fixed, the weather was not and we 
would still be in Whitby.  There has been an endless procession of lows 
moving into the North Sea every two days.  Yesterday turned off crystal 
clear, but during the night, the wind began to howl and weather on TV 
reported winds to more than 70 mph across parts of England.  Today, the 
Navtex weather receiver is filled with things such as "Northerly severe 
gale force 9 backing northwesterly and increasing to storm force 10 
soon".  This means 45 knot winds (52 mph) picking up to 53 knots (61 
mph).  That is a lot of wind.  But the low is moving very fast and the 
dreadful wind and rain of this morning improved as the day went on, 
ending up with clear skies and very cold northwest winds around twenty 
knots here in the harbour.   
 
Tonight's forecast for Tuesday through Thursday is looking pretty good 
and if it really materializes, we will leave for Lowestoft even if I 
must row Pooh Bear through the breakwater!  If the weather holds, we 
may keep going for a second night all the way to Queenborough.  In any 
case, it is trip we dread as the temperatures are quite cold (30s to 
low 50s at the best) and only 9-1/2 hours of daylight now. 
 
I hope the next report is from London and backtracks to cover the 
Classic Malts Cruise. 
 
End of  "Another Schedule Change" 
 
 
Bob & Judy  (aboard s/v Pooh Bear in Whitby, England) 
 
P.S. You can check our latest "reported" position (usually updated each 
night when traveling) at the following URL: 
http://www.aprs.net/cgi-bin/winlink.cgi?W5TFY  and
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?call=W5TFY