Ensenada, Mexico Nov 2004-July 2005

Christmas in Ensenada

After purchasing S/V Blue Sky, we berthed her at the Coral Marina in Ensenada, Mexico, as part of what was then known as the “90-day yacht club” workaround. At the time, boat owners could take a vessel out of the country for 90 days to avoid paying California state tax. What we expected to be a short stay, however, turned into nearly a year.

In December 2004, Emma’s family joined us at the Hotel Coral to see the boat and spend the holidays together. We celebrated Christmas there, traditional British style with Christmas crackers and paper crowns.

The following day, December 26th, the mood shifted dramatically as we watched the news in disbelief, witnessing the devastating tsunami that struck Thailand and much of the surrounding region.

William Byrne-Quinn, Justin and George Wilson, Maggie and

Katie Byrne-Quinn, Drake and Phoebe Mather

One afternoon, we took the whole family out for a day sail in the bay. From left to right:

Sarah Byrne-Quinn at the helm and Ruth (Mom, aka Granny), William BQ, Granny and Grandpa, the family, George Wilson at the helm and Blue Sky. With the bow sprit, Blue Sky is much longer than 45'. Our berth was for a 40-45' boat, which made it difficult to navigate into and out of. As we were learning how to manuever her, we experienced some bumps. In the future we opted for larger slips to make docking easier.

As we eased back into the slip, an alarm suddenly went off onboard. Still getting to know the boat’s systems, none of us knew what to make of it. The moment we shut down the engine, the alarm stopped, and we shrugged it off as one of those “new boat mysteries.”

The next morning, we packed up and headed home, leaving the unanswered beeps behind for another day.

The First Real Test

The drive from Redondo Beach to Ensenada typically took about four hours, but the return trip could stretch anywhere from six to eight hours with the border crossing. We made a habit of heading down on weekends to work on Blue Sky and check on her.

Two weeks later, when we returned, we discovered saltwater pooled beneath the engine. Thankfully, the boat hadn’t sunk. The culprit turned out to be a failed heat exchanger, and the damage meant the engine was a total loss. In hindsight, it was a blessing in disguise.

After researching our options, we purchased a new Perkins M92 from a dealer in Seattle. It was lighter and more efficient than the old Perkins 4-326, making it a much better fit for the long journey we had planned. In a twist of good fortune, the failure happened before our circumnavigation, giving us the chance to upgrade.

The new engine was shipped to Jim’s office, and from there, we loaded it into our 1982 VW Vanagon. Covered with boogie boards and camping gear to keep things low-key, Jim drove it across the border without raising any suspicion.

Fortunately, an ex-pat living aboard his boat at The Coral Marina happened to be an experienced engine mechanic. With his help, we had Blue Sky towed over to Baja Naval, where she could be hauled out for a full engine replacement. Renting a crane to remove the old Perkins and install the new one.

While she was in the yard, we took the opportunity to tackle a long list of important projects:

• Applied new anti-fouling paint

• Serviced or replaced all thru hulls

• Stripped and oiled the teak toe rail, choosing a low-maintenance finish over varnish for long-term cruising

• Removed the feathering Max-Prop and shipped it to PYI in Seattle for a full rebuild

• Replaced the cutlass bearing (Chubb size, made by Morse) and the shaft mid-bearing

• Installed an exterior zinc plate to properly bond the boat and reduce corrosion

• Added a “guest” galvanic isolator to the shore power system to minimize electrolysis

• Removed the original embedded side navigation lights and patched the openings

• Installed a new navigation light on the bow sprit for improved visibility