A BREAKDOWN, fantastic meals, and an unexpected night cruise, just another day on the Great Loop!

[@ClassXIRoads]

You were well prepared for your breakdown, not everyone out there would be able to drop the hook, diagnose the issue, pull out their spare belt, and replace it while stuffed in next to a hot engine. don't short yourself on not knowing how to get things done.. your A+ in that department. Just because you have never done it doesn't mean you can't. Oh and I second the need for an over temp alarm. Thank you for the time you put into giving us a video every day that is awesome.

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks James! Definitely will be looking at adding an over temp alarm!

[@chrism1164]

Elliot to the rescue! Great save! Nice to see you safely anchored for the night. ❤

[@TurdsAreOrganic]

Tip😉 to defrost the fridge / freezer, remove everything, boil a pot of water and place it in the refrigerator, close the door and leave it for about 20 minutes. It will melt enough of everything if not everything so that you can just go in and wipe it up with a sponge. Hope that helps.

[@SchoandJo]

Oh nice! Thanks for the tip Richard! Sounds like that will speed it up!

[@khoatran9482]

I don't have a boat (yet) but I do have an RV, I gotta try this!

[@TakeATripTogether]

Wow, we're impressed that you hadn't ever made that repair before but you dove in and figured it out. "We don't always get to choose when we get to practice." Love it!!!

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks so much! Was definitely high stress but staying cool, calm, and collected was the difference! Cheers!

[@TakeATripTogether]

@@SchoandJo Definitely!!! Always easier said than done but you did a great job setting a good example with that.

[@snowgoose9322]

Tach to zero - broken belt. On that engine the tach is electrical from the alternator. No tach, no belt, no water! Welcome to cruising.

[@SchoandJo]

Exactly right! Thanks for watching!

[@mvperseverance]

Great job on the belt fix... Makes we want to keep a spare on my boat. And as far as dropping the camera in the tacos... Gives a new meaning to the term "seafood". (I'll see myself out).

[@SchoandJo]

haha!

[@cmichaelhaugh8517]

A really lovely day - with that single major exception! Every time you have to shoehorn yourself into that engine compartment, I’m glad it’s you and not my 78 year old self!

[@SchoandJo]

haha!

[@steveandereggen3182]

An Alaskan cruiser on boat belts: After replacing belt, check tension after a few hours, then a couple of days then a week. Belts take time to stretch out. Carry at least TWO of each belt for you engine, generator, etc. Don't go cheap on belts, I always used the best belt, at the time Caterpillar belts were made in USA and top rated. No Chinese belts!!! Other boat friends might have more up to date makes for good quality engine belts. Last, when you store them in "spare parts" mark container as to where it goes. Organize spare parts like for main engine, generator, etc., easier to find fast what you need. Don't go "cheap" on water pump impellers, belts, plugs, electrical components. Not worth it. Hope this helps you down the road.

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks Steve! Totally agree, no point trying to save a few dollars on a part that, when it fails, can cause thousands in damages! Aloha!

[@garycolemanml]

@@SchoandJo have you considered converting to serpentine belts? They are more available now

[@SchoandJo]

@@garycolemanml Yes, if Pivot was our forever boat we would do the conversion. Its not too expensive but it would be a new challenge for me!

[@AdventuresofAplusK]

“I’m allergic to boat projects” 😂😂😂😂 So impressed by how quickly and calmly you figured it out! And Jenn, absolutely loved your excitement about being back in Georgia! ❤️

[@SchoandJo]

Haha I was surprised too, the excitement was on another level 😂

[@TheSirUno]

With respect to dredges, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” was the saying we used in Rules of the Road school in the Navy. There are all kinds of easy to remember sayings like that to help remember the COLREGS. Still, when in doubt it’s always appreciated when you simply call them up and ask just to be sure. Good times! 😉👍🏼

[@SchoandJo]

Good point! Never a bad idea to reach out to the dredge - more info and good communication is always a good thing!

[@cnev3824]

remember to get a replacement belt and put it in your parts bin ,you got lucky this time

[@SchoandJo]

We have 2 more, but will definitely get a third! Cheers

[@hawaiianpool]

Happy Dancers, “Feeling Good is your business and Business Is Good”. Whew,,,Good job fixing the belt . Maybe, Grab a roll of Rescue Tape to put in your spare’s, sold everywhere very handy. Enjoyed your video

[@SchoandJo]

Great idea! Thanks for watching Denny!

[@jaideedave]

Please keep doing the bloopers . Last night watching the episode I laughed out loud . lol home alone..

[@SchoandJo]

Haha! Sometimes the bloopers are better than others, this was no exception! Cheers

[@finnishmeof]

I am beyond impressed by how good you guys are at just sorting stuff out. Insanely cool :)

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks!! Stressful but works out eventually! 😁

[@randyputnam1056]

You handled that belt replacement calmly even with pollen eyes and hot engine room yoga! 👍

[@SchoandJo]

Add it to the list of life experiences 😁

[@jpechie]

Started watching last week. Out of Florida. 🎉 This had been great to watch. Thanks for sharing your trip. The filming and commentary really paints a great picture.

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks!

[@COPPER71]

Definitely want to install an overheat alarm.. I lost a belt on my boat (thumbnail pic) while i was towing another boat that had engine trouble through Kent Narrows MD. I didn't have an alarm on mine at the time but i do now👍 Also i run at night a lot and installed a light bar on my cabin roof that really illuminates the water for crab pots and other floating debris. One time it illuminated a giant black rubber floating ship bumper that would have caused damage if we had hit it. It had broken free and was just out in the Bay drifting

[@frankrice5364]

Like the way you guy,s smell the roses

[@jeanbailliez6199]

Minimum check list before to start the engine in the morning . Look around the engine if anything abnormal Check oil level,coolant level, belts tensionning This will let you know what the engine behavior is,and make it run a long way, if you also change oil and filter as recommended

[@SchoandJo]

Our checklist is oil, transmission oil, and fuel (less frequently coolant) - will add belt tensioning to the list! Thanks for watching Jean!

[@EricUdell]

Hey, Folks. In a few of your videos, I've heard ( and seen ) what looks like your bimini top straps humming in the wind. tip: if you unclip them, give them a twist and reclip them, they'll mostly stop making noise. Regarding your belt failure ( I've got the same Lehman super135 in Terrapin ): It was the fresh water pump that wasn't spinning when the belt broke, the raw water pump is gear driven off the starboard side of the motor. You would have had water coming out of the exhaust the whole time, the antifreeze wasn't circulating inside the motor. If the motor gets too hot, you should have the alarm buzzer come on and alart you. The temperature sensor switch that runs the alarm and the temp sensor that drives the gauges are completely separate systems. Keep an eye out for belt dust near the belt and check the alignment of the belt visually. The alternator should have bolts you can adjust to try to align the pulley with the ones on the motor. Good job with the belt fix. Adapt and overcome!

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks so much Eric! I didn't know that the raw water would have continued to work, that's good at least! Totally agree on the alarm, will add that to the boat project list. Cheers!

[@ldirk58601]

This is an older video but someone may see this. Wind can really make you tired. As a motorcyclist we use earplugs or have noise canceling headphones on. I think you might not get as tired if you can block the wind from your ears.

[@SchoandJo]

Hmm that’s an interesting idea, we’ll give it a try! Thanks!

[@tmac709]

The bloopers were fun! 😁

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks T Mac 😂

[@scotthall3816]

Awesome thanks for this one 😊

[@RBLVentures]

SO One good thing to do before next belt is to install a RIB belt instead of V belt Makes all work better

[@SchoandJo]

Are RIB belts the same as serpentine belts? I've seen a serpentine conversion kit but for $500 and 10 hrs of work its hard to fit it in 😁

[@hueandsteve1989]

So great you could fix the problem, good planning to have a spare belt with you. Nice job, new belt at the next available stop!! I’m slowly catching up on your videos & comments.

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks Steve! For sure - gotta restock the backups!

[@DreweZanki]

Taco blooper was the best :P

[@SchoandJo]

haha!

[@pap91rt50]

WOW!!! Had the same problem on our boat....spun the idler pulley right off!! Dropped the hook and waited for BoatUS... Really good that you have a parts dept on board. Saved the day!! Great job!!

[@SchoandJo]

Oh wow! Sounds like you noticed it very quickly and got it resolved ASAP!

[@AquaCultured]

Nice job on a well put together video. And kudos for staying calm, cool, and collected while working through the fix.

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks so much! It was a tough day, I just kept thinking, shoot, hopefully we didn’t blow a gasket by running without coolant for too long or even something else that would require serious engine work! All seems good though, a few weeks later with continuous use. Thanks for watching!

[@AquaCultured]

@@SchoandJo I know the feeling! Glad you had no resultant issues.

[@tomreid5184]

I love your videos! It's so raw. That's what new/future cruisers need to see. Some sites sugarcoat their videos and then we are surprised when things go wrong. So thanks again for being so honest. Even the bleeps help make it real. Safe travels. I live about 15 miles from Solomons Island if you need a ride when you get into this area.

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks so much Tom! That's all we can do, is keep it real and honest - glad you like it!

[@suzanneaydelotte801]

Oh sorry about the broken belt but I was happy to see you were able to fix it rather quickly. That sunset was gorgeous…that was a nice treat after the repair! I love your dance moves! Safe travels!

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks so much Suzanne! The broken belt was just a blip in the day, were happy it was smooth cruising afterwards 😁

[@Prototheria]

Since unsolicited advice is just lecturing, I say this in hopes to help, not ridicule. I would like to suggest you add an over temp buzzer at both helms; I'm actually surprised there isn't one already and/or the existing buzzer isn't a general alarm covering both oil pressure and coolant temp. This will help if you lapse in your gauge scans. Relying on the tach going out to indicate an overheat condition or an impending one only covers half the coolings system because all that belt does is turn the fresh water circulation pump and alternator. Had you shredded the raw water impeller, you'd never know if you weren't looking at the temp gauge. Speaking of the raw water pump, it's gear driven, so no worries about the exhaust overheating in this case. Additionally, a pre or post use ER check would probably have caught that belt either the night before or the morning of. Or maybe sooner if you're super anal about preventative maintenance. But now that you know, add that box to your daily ER checklist. Finally, you guys are killing it with dropping daily videos of such high quality. Not that I follow everyone with a gopro and a boat, but I don't think I've come across another channel that does daily videos.

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks for the tips as always! You know, that was one of the things I was surprised too - that we didn't have a high temp alarm considering we have a working low oil pressure alarm.... Going to add the belt to the checklist - what do you look for when checking the belt? Thanks for watching!

[@Prototheria]

@@SchoandJo Man, I totally forgot to get back to you. Sorry about that. When inspecting the belt, look for cracks on the inside of the belt and fraying on the outside. There's not too much to it, really. One way to double the life of the belt while adding redundancy would be to find an alternator pulley that has two grooves on it so you can run two belts. In my garage, I write on the cardboard what vehicle the belt is for so I don't have to look up part numbers or guess based on size. Not that you have six different belts to keep track of, but it may help ease the frustration in the heat of the moment.

[@MrHunkyTony]

Oh wow! So glad you had the right belt and knew how to swap it out!!

[@SchoandJo]

Always learning! Thanks for watching!

[@buckpowers4837]

Wow what an exciting day and expert planning by carrying so many replacement items and being able to repair your engine. Long day and still having fun. Enjoy

[@SchoandJo]

Gotta find enjoyment with the long days with the short - breakdowns with the smooth sailing! Thanks for watching Buck!

[@barelyafloatwithsteve3975]

Hi Guys, I always enjoy your videos, very uplifting. I felt terrible for you when your belt broke, but you faced adversity and you beat it ... Great Job‼️ Stay Safe out there ‼️🙂

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks Steve! Never get tired of the adventure haha - ups AND downs 😁

[@timharrison9060]

a good list to start... excel spreedsheet... spare parts on hand, location and part number...stay safe, Tim and Cat

[@SchoandJo]

Not a bad idea! Thanks y’all!

[@machtrebel2317]

Good to see you laughing ... keep on rockin!

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks so much!

[@Jessicabollingercom]

I love the Love Crunch cereal! Eat it all the time. Ditto what was said about your capabilities!! Great job figuring it out! Pup is a good dancer!

[@SchoandJo]

I'll tell Ollie you said she was a good dancer - maybe she will do it some more 😁

[@krishearst]

Forgive me if I do not remember correctly, but I thought you all had upgraded your alternator for extra battery charging. Be aware that this does increase the load on the belt, and it might wear out more frequently. Also, most V style belts need about 1/2 of deflection in them for proper operation. I agree, buy only high quality belts. I suggest Gates brand. Also, belt alignment is critical. Hope to see you all further north, but you might be moving too fast for us, and we won't be north from the Bahamas until end of May. Give Ollie a pet for us.

[@SchoandJo]

I think you hit the nail on the head Kris! Maybe you will catch up, we were just passed by our boat neighbors in Vero even though they left 2 weeks later 😁 Cheers, giving Ollie all the good pets!

[@brianbavington4665]

get your engine buzzer/alarm hooked to over heat water temp same buzzer can do both. yep tack stops check belt asp way to learn

[@SchoandJo]

For sure! Moving to the top of the boat projects list 😁

[@russelloakes4852]

Good job y'all. Way to think quickly.

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks Russell... there is a saying "nothing happens quickly on a boat" and we take that to mean take a breath, calmly assess, i.e. try not to make the problem worse by rushing!

[@timgreen4137]

To defrost my fridge, I use a hair dryer, or my heat gun on high. Takes about ten minutes.

[@SchoandJo]

Hmm we do have a heat gun on board, that’s a good idea!

[@jacktyler7599]

Nicely done. Yet another notch on the cruising belt. And as James (below) mentioned, it's impressive that you manage to video & then produce as much as you do while making miles. (Notes to Self: Get a replacement belt...and slide fingers along belts each time the morning engine check is done. Eyes rarely see a bad belt until it's too late).

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks Jack! Definitely adding it to my morning checklist 🤙

[@ronniebowers1241]

My God man a simple fan belt which could be done in my sleep

[@SchoandJo]

Sounds like you have some experience!

[@ronniebowers1241]

@@SchoandJo man you are doing are great job for someone that knows nothing

[@bradcraig10]

Thanks for your videos.I cruised that part of Florida in the 90's and is nice to see it again! Keep up your great work.

[@SchoandJo]

Nice! Thanks for watching!

[@royyoung3456]

Thank goodness you have a closed cooling system. that way the engine didn't run dry. Things could have been a lot worse. Have you cleaned the sea strainer regularly? How often do you replace the impeller? With the mast and boom could you put up a sail?

[@SchoandJo]

Definitely could have been worse! We do the sea strainer probably every few months, we just replaced our impeller so will either do it again at 6 months or in a year! We could put up a sail, maybe in a future video we will! Don't think it will give us any propulsion but should be a great stabilizer!

[@timgreen4137]

@@SchoandJo I believe that the mast was designed to hold a sail...for stabilization.

[@mickeydecann3183]

Luv the taco clip

[@SchoandJo]

🌮 💯

[@grantpeachey6908]

awesome job on the belt replacement you can add another chapter to your rezamay as for the frig check the door seals for leakage

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks Grant!

[@davidingraham1989]

Oh the Down Under restaurant. Many an hour in that place. Turn right just pass the bridge is Amelia Island Yacht Basin. Good people. Thanks. D.

[@SchoandJo]

Oh cool! Thanks for watching David!

[@frankrice5364]

A water pressure gage will give you early warning .on the water coming from the outside

[@bobmiller1973]

Jen looks like a great cook and makes very attractive meals. The only problem for me is she doesn't put any meat in anything. But I guess I could get used to that.

[@SchoandJo]

The best thing is they taste even better than they look 😄

[@TheSirUno]

Nice job on the belt replacement. Just for kicks, a pantyhose/stockings make for an excellent emergency belt replacement in a pinch. So if you ever wonder why all those sailors in silly old movies seem to be hoarding stockings when the world is ending, now you know. Even the show “The X-Files” made a quick reference to that once. I almost fell over in laughter. Haha! 🤣

[@SchoandJo]

Haha wow!! Not sure if Jen has any pantyhose but might need to keep one to back up the back up 😂

[@patrickowings9070]

Great recovery y'all! I'm always amazed at the detail you both have given to coming to this adventure prepared. Of course I'm watching your progress, because, I too, wish to make this trip one day. Where did you all anchor in St. Mary's? I'm paying close attention to your anchorage spots for future reference. Keep up the great work producing such entertaining and informative videos. It take a lot of effort I'm sure, but the production values are great. If you both takes turn editing and producing videos, you do a great job with seemless continuity.

[@SchoandJo]

We'll have to somehow compile our list of anchorages and share them at the end of our Loop 😁 We anchored just North West of the town dock! Plenty of room and depth!

[@russgaulke1364]

Plan on picking up another belt for a spare. Good thing you had that spare.

[@SchoandJo]

For sure! We have a big list of spares to order for our stay in Myrtle Beach.. I think we have two more for the time being. Very happy we had one onboard! Thanks for watching Russ!

[@RBLVentures]

Tomorrow BEFORE you start the engine Check the water level in the engine and you are good to go .Diesel tahes more abuse than gas energies

[@SchoandJo]

Definitely! Did that and a more thorough checklist than normal. Not to spoil too much but it looked great!

[@haroldconnell2973]

Love the videos, keep up the great work and thank you 😊

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks Harold!

[@michaeltackett9328]

POLLEN allergies are the worst-- I nearly had to move to a different area due to this. May I suggest using a nasal rinse that changed my life?? It is called Alkalol and I mix it 50/50 with water and the saline packets that come with the NeilMed sinus rinse package. It burned like crazy for the first few days of use as it cleared the rawness, then improved slowly over about a month. The short of it is that I have no issues with allergies now. I use it faithfully and it keeps my sinuses pollen free! Hope it helps.

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[@curtwarolin5664]

You guys! Just love your vids!

[@SchoandJo]

Hey thanks Curt!

[@Godofthemoon1]

You would be surprised how long stuff last. Living off grid kinda like what your basically doing you will quickly see most people waste food it is still edible after the normal time frame people think on some items

[@SchoandJo]

Great point! We are always trying to maximize how long it will all last!

[@budsbustbi6339]

your RPMs come from your alternator so if that stops working no RPMs

[@mariastockman533]

Thanks for keeping the adventure real! My hubby and I are probably 2 years away from looping (we are currently waiting for our survey report for a possible new-to-us boat)! When you moored in St A to visit family, did you take your dingy with you or is it safe tied up at a dock for several days?

[@SchoandJo]

Always gotta keep it real 😁 Thats exciting! We left the dinghy and motor on the dock, locked up. There's a lot of eyes around the marina with staff on premises 24/7 so we weren't too worried.

[@TERMIN8TOR99]

Try to check out submarine museum at St Mary's, I was a submariner in the Navy.

[@SchoandJo]

We've stopped by before! Have you been to the St Mary's Submarine Base before? Its really neat seeing the area, we saw a sub last year transiting the area!

[@TERMIN8TOR99]

@@SchoandJo I was based out of Charleston SC, but I did have to drive someone down there to report to a boat down there and I toured one of the Trident submarine's, my submarine was a little smaller than the Trident.

[@dannyvz2738]

Pollen? If you know anything about ATL, then you know we are in the Yellow Season here….I’d give anything to have the pollen count your experiencing there versus ATL. It’s already brutal and we haven’t even hit the peak yet.

[@SchoandJo]

ATL pollen is no joke... We keep saying that we are literally tracking spring North and we won't get a break until Summer.. Not fun haha

[@donbaker9715]

I was a boat owner for 40 years but they were not as large as yours. I had an eighteen foot bass boats. I discovered a boat is just a hole in the water that you put money into.

[@SchoandJo]

Absolutely...

[@johngoncalves]

Good guideline for cruising plans is where or when but never both :-\

[@SchoandJo]

So true!

[@billmead5052]

Great trouble shooting skills!

[@SchoandJo]

Thanks Bill! All just part of boating!

[@peterinsyracuse7056]

Good planning to have a spare belt. I hope you also carry a spare impeller. Does the engine panel not have a high temp alarm?

[@SchoandJo]

Yep we have a few spares of both! Apparently not! It was one of the post mortems... "shouldn't it have set off the alarm?" We have one for low oil pressure but need to apply one for high temperature!

[@seadog6351]

Quick question .... what is the popsickle stick by the helm that has read and green "paint" on either end?

[@karlbass7895]

Quick reference for whether you should have red buoys on your port or starboard... same for green.

[@SchoandJo]

It was given to us by a fellow looper we met, they make them and hand them out. As Karl mentioned, they are a way to keep track of the marker orientation. Although we don't use it because we'd probably forget to switch it 😁 Just decoration for now!

[@russellclarke6855]

Hi from Australia Scho and Jo, I'm wondering why your engine hours (in the middle of the tacho) don't seem to change ? Perhaps your trip is filmed in a Hollywood studio set and there is no boat, no Great Loop and no cute little dog ! Spielberg had me believing the Dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were still alive, so it's possible ! Only joking, I enjoy your videos, great work.

[@SchoandJo]

Hah you've figured it out!! (Don't tell anyone else 😂) In all realness, I presume the tachometer supplied by Lehman doesn't last long... we have a separate one on the side of the gauge block that we 😁use to track hours . Currently at around 1660

[@russellclarke6855]

@@SchoandJo Great, so the seperate hour meter was probably fitted after the original died and your engine has done over 3000 hours. That's getting up a bit but keep her well maintained and there's plenty of life in the old girl yet. Happy cruising :-)

[@robcatterton8244]

Do you have a working auto-helm?

[@SchoandJo]

Nope, but "supposedly' it's just the display unit's LCD that is broken. We should be ordering a replacement soon!

[@MuahMan]

Parents financing this trip, how do you get money for such an awesome trip?

[@SchoandJo]

A combination of being frugal (i.e. buying and working on an old boat) and working while traveling! You can see our expense reports for exactly how much the entire loop costed us at schoandjo.com

[@kimsalmon7593]

Hello, Curious to know Ollie's breed?

[@SchoandJo]

Ollie is a mutt but we think she is primarily a terrier and beagle!

[@ronniebowers1241]

Wow so this how rich people live wow can some very rich person buy a dying man a boat like this my life would be complete

[@SchoandJo]

It's all perspective - ours couldn't be done without much hard work!

[@frankrice5364]

Grits bacon and eggs would be better....

[@garydaigneault8241]

New viewer to your channel. You are so fresh and new!

[@SchoandJo]

Hey thanks for watching Gary!!