Solo Sailing to Barcelona

[@livingsimplytosimplylive6817]

It really aggravates me that they charged you, even though they couldn’t accommodate you. What a wonderful Vlog all the same.

[@benjaminmoulden7829]

"Marina Vela Barcelona" leave a review. I would like to know something like this could happen.

[@user-cq1hf2eb4g]

@@HipDancerGirl23 You do realise everywhere in 'europe' is very different right?

[@jamesbuckwell9052]

@@HipDancerGirl23what a stupid comment

[@tyrotrainer765]

Barcelona, as a city, is a ghetto compared with the rest of Spain, vastly overrated. I lived in Spain for 3 years and adored it, many happy memories; beautiful people and a gorgeous country - except Barcelona. Wife and I went there for a week, within 2 hours of landing she was robbed whilst browsing clothes in a high end shop. The thieves were picked up inside an hour, thanks to CCTV, and my wife gave a positive ID on all 3. However the police refused to press charges because they were illegal immigrants and it was against city policy to prosecute them. Aside from that we found the city to be sterile and over priced; not at all like the rest of Spain.

[@hanspecans]

@@HipDancerGirl23you’re condemning a huge chunk of the world due to some moronic bias. I’m sure you’re a real fun and nice person.

[@Useless_Knowledge07]

Your smile is bigger when Norway Crew arrive! 😊

[@gbr562]

I'm a boat builder in the UK. I've done a lot of Lead acid/Lithium setups on small yachts. The issue is the alternator can't cope with the amount of demand the lithium battery has when charging. An analogy is that, you push electric into the lead acid battery, whilst the lithium battery will suck the electric from the alternator. The alternator can't cope and overheats. The easy solution is to leave the engine as is, so the engine charges the lead acid as normal but you fit a "DC to DC" charger, which charges the Lithium from the lead acid. So end result is Engine charges lead acid, dc to dc charger charges lithium.

[@Roxon321]

Omgosh, i just checked the reviews for Marina Vela Barcelona, they are getting hammered lol!

[@ghostpines]

Good. They deserve it.

[@pontoonrob7948]

I am a marine mechanic. The black stuff is belt dust. The cause Is bad pulley surfaces, or too much load from an driven pulley, or a misaligned pulley. Usually it's the alternator being asked for too much power because folks don't properly regulate the field windings when they switch to lithium.

[@samholmessailing]

Ok thanks for the tip. My alternator is never connected to the lithium battery so I’ll look at the pulleys

[@stefflus08]

Is it more common that boat engines has the old type of alternator with excited stator? Do you retard it somehow to limit the output? This is not done by internal regulator?

[@tomhurley3938]

Fair winds, Sam On the belts use a straight edge and check the alignment of pulleys on the engine and the alternator. The alternator is often twisted out of alignment by the torque of the engine. The issue is multiplied by the distance the alternator pully sits from the engine center. What I did to fix: shimmed the back of the lower alternator bolt to realign with the belt travel of engine under load, and changed to a slightly shorter belt. All the best!

[@dooleyfussle8634]

Wow, the amount of knowledge needed tokeep a single handed cruiser alive is staggering! Electrical engineering, biochemistry, mechanic, chef, lothario, etc. etc.

[@T25de]

6:33 the right thing to do would be flood their reviews with this report of extortion 😅

[@ruudsmith3836]

great to have the Lady back on board! wonderful person to associate with. your screwdriver/solenoid bit reminds me of laying on my back under a split window VW bus with a screwdriver startup protocol of checking 4-5 times that the tranny was in neutral...always indecisive..1970's BS.....

[@williamallen3715]

Sam…. I’ve been onboard at maybe 9k. My friend…. You’re awesome. I knew from the first episode I saw. Thank you for showing me the world.

[@samholmessailing]

You bet! Thanks

[@1minutecomicswalahollywood648]

"Tom Cruise, is that you?" First thought that came in to my mind then i realized i was wrong.

[@SVSeaChange]

Sam, I had a massive problem with the black dust off my belt on my Yanmar, much worse than yours. Turned out that the PO had replaced the alternator, and it came with a slightly narrower V in the pulley, 9mm versus 11mm if I recall correctly, so the alternator pulley was chewing up the belt until it got narrow enough to fit that pulley, but then it did not fit the main pulley properly. Solution was a replacement pulley for the alternator, although I had to have a machinist work on the back of it to fit, and a decent width belt that extends slightly higher than the edge of the pulleys. I am also amazed you lived with only one battery for so long, that risks running it down so far you cannot start your engine. Far better to have engine and house batteries separated. If you can hook up a separate, even small, solar panel (if small enough you don't even need a controller) to the engine battery it will keep that topped up even if you are on a long passage and not using the engine.

[@Tb0n3]

He's got two solar panels keeping things charged up.

[@ghostpines]

Yay! Adalina joins again! I love her! Great attitude and great crew mate! Can’t wait for three weeks of adventures! Fair winds sailors!

[@karlsteingall6832]

Adalina is way cool! Great attitude and asset to have on board. Hope you enjoy the three weeks. Can’t wait to see the episodes with you two sailing together!!

[@oschonrock]

The problem is not the starter. This is very common with Yanmars (and many others too). It's the circuit that activates the solenoid. Long wires and many junctions from the engine (fat red cable) to the panel and back to the solenoid coil (white wire on yours). There are some bad connections on that circuit somewhere. There is also a "cheat way" to fix this. Use an automotive relay and mounted next to the starter, then get the panel circuit to switch the coil on that relay and the contacts of the relay switch the coil circuit of the solenoid. Kind "a relay in cascade with the solenoid". This means the current running to the panel and back is much much smaller and the whole thing is not so sensitive to bad connections (which always come back on a boat obviously). I don't think moving that cable fixed your problem.. it will come back.. then see above.

[@samholmessailing]

Yes youre right it didn’t fix it. I will try to add an extra wire to the solenoid

[@John-Nada]

It's often the ground wire from the starter on an auto. I agree there's a corroded connection somewhere.

[@oschonrock]

@@John-Nada Can be ground as well, but then the screwdriver start trick doesn't work either.

[@deboerkanna1]

Its an old boat, just replace it. Safety first...

[@oschonrock]

@@deboerkanna1 That so not how this works.

[@red_ben3487]

i hope you paid with a credit card and filed a charge back at the first marina, thats fucking ridiculous. the part of me that loves chaos would have let them call the police

[@daveegan4554]

It's great to follow your adventures Sam. I have the same engine with the same problem regarding the black powder from the belts. I also put a starter button next to the engine so I can use that one while I'm working on it. Fair winds mate

[@chrisbullock9652]

It would be great to hear and see more of your friend.

[@k2smd]

An isolated DC-DC charger (like a Victron) will allow you to keep the batteries separated but still charge both.

[@projectseahorsesailing]

Hey Sam! If you don’t already have any- get yourself a tube of dielectric grease and use it for all electrical connections- coat the connection inside and out. Great for corrosion protection and keeping water out. Also, keep a spray bottle or can of “Corrosion-X”. It’s great for just about anything metal, including electronics (even circuit boards).

[@Tb0n3]

On tractor trailers which run through corrosive environments regularly they use a more viscous waxy dielectric. You can always just use literal wax too. Melt a candle over your battery terminals

[@MrSychnant]

Your channel and videos are such an inspiration, being made for sailors and covering all the wind and sea states and sail conditions as required. So many "sailing" channels (wind hippy excluded) are more about repairs and maintainance ,mostly on the hard too. Keep up the good work !

[@technopirate5050]

Love it bro keep it simple and show the cruising life legend

[@jasoneyes01]

Always love watching your adventures. Lightly tapping on the starter can buy you more time. Brushes can stick in your conditions.

[@ewanwiebe]

Love your videos dude! Would be cool if you included more footage of how you rig yoir sails for different wind conditions. Keep it up!

[@robertcalifornia4821]

Sounds like a Ransome

[@RelaxThinkGrow]

Wow Barcelona awesome😮

[@timbyford8777]

Hi Sam, You might be able to add a washer on the back of the alternator bracket to bring the alternator slightly forward (if that is the direction of misalignment). Hold a steel rules between the pairs of pulleys to check the alignment. Good luck. Tim

[@rickhalstead8990]

Black belt dust: keeping correct tension on the belt will reduce the dust but I have never found a way to eliminate it completely on a Yanmar. Lithium iron phosphate batteries can indeed take a lot of current and there in lies the problem. If you connect your alternator directly to that battery the current draw will burn the alternator up straight away. Therefore, you need a voltage regulator that is set up to deal with the voltage draw of a lithium iron phosphate battery.

[@samholmessailing]

Ah ok. Thanks for the explanation. I will look into that!

[@dan711g]

God bless you and your adventures Sam. Keep on smiling! 🙏

[@enriquelaroche5370]

Most Boat alternators are in the 50-75 amp capacity. Lithium will overload your alternator if not current limited.(resistor)

[@geraldinepluyms5935]

The beautiful thing I just thought of, is you are a young man totally being and living as you are and filming it all. well most probably. its so lovely to see you, and then one compares you to yourself and you see joy

[@alkempton1512]

Cool video, keep up the good work

[@robm7543]

Great video and seeing the buildings in Barcelona is a treat.

[@stefanandersson5604]

Thanks for the great video, and sightseeing in Barcelona. Good for you to have some kompani on the boat! 😊❤

[@VictorRogers-x3z]

God bless you and your adventures Sam. Keep on smiling! . God bless you and your adventures Sam. Keep on smiling! .

[@WallStreetPanda]

You totally need to visit the north of the Costa Brava. You'll love it!

[@robgilmore3707]

With the belts its important to make sure they are the correct profile for the pulley, the starter could be tested and it might have just been the solenoid , sometimes just cleaning up the connections works wonders, its hard to diagnose without seeing it trying to work , a dying battery can also cause issues on the starter that seem like a dying starter. Bench testing the starter (on the floor with your foot on it) will soon tell you what the problem is.

[@cyanbloodbane1]

Wish i had discovered when i still had my sail boat. I was always intimidated with the boat work.

[@anthonyvespia6662]

Sam, I would definitely look into having your engine cleaned. Or at least, have someone take a look at it. Spain is beautiful bro. It has that beautiful mid evil look, all original. I'm glad you have company, it makes sailing that much better. Can't wait for the next part of your adventure. You guys please stay safe. 🙏 🌊 ⛵

[@richardlevitt8540]

I had same starter problem on my yanmar same as yours. It was low voltage line from panel to solanoid. My excellent mechanic simply installed a relay between the line and the solenoid. Which fixed the problem. You can always start engine by shorting solenoid.

[@bwuepper439]

If your alternator belt is wearing prematurely, you should be able to see that by observation. The belt should ride a little above the pulley if not worn. If you see an alignment issue, and it is with the alternator, flat washers of an appropriate size can be used to adjust the alternator fore or aft as needed to bring the alternator into alignment. The washers would be placed on the top mount on the alternator. Usually the alternator belt tension adjustment does not require any changes fore or aft, but you have to use your mechanical talents and observation to be sure. Safe travels to you.

[@HikerBikerMoter]

May I humbly suggest that in the "more.." link that when tapped opens to the description page, you post a Permanent info your boat model, year, length, beam and other specs- it helps your viewers thanks 😊

[@petersoakell6950]

great stuff safe travels top)

[@anthonyelam2257]

Have a great day sailing and be safe same for your friend ...❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉😊😊😊

[@GlennHolden]

The black dust on your engine is rubber dust. It's caused by the belt slipping.

[@erikjalefors9377]

Always a good day when you upload !! You are a big inspiration for me ! Trading in my Harley for a sailboat next season

[@Ironboots123]

You’ll live longer 😂

[@erikjalefors9377]

Knowing me , I´ll probably trip , swallow the boathook , drop my pants , get the boom in the head and then go overboard ..still more exiting then frontend a truck !? @@Ironboots123

[@ontheruntonowhere]

@@Ironboots123 And annoy fewer people 😁

[@jeffw.6821]

Many popular marinas in Europe along the Mediterranean Sea charge up to €130 per day. Greece is the most affordable at typically €15 per day.

[@dismaldunc]

yeah if you get a government run harbour in greece, there is a lot of paperwork checking then a charge of about €6

[@skasev]

Can spray your terminal connections with lanolin, can also spray circuit boards with lanolin to protect from the salt and moisture, autopilot may like this.

[@crzyowl11original]

I think that lighthouse island would be cool to rock climb 😁

[@enriquelaroche5370]

The Black stuff is from the belt. the more power you draw from the alternator the more resistance between the pulley and the belt there will always be some wear. but the proper belt tension can improve it.

[@RoyCook-f1t]

HI Sam, been watching your U Tube, for many years, good luck Captain Cook. Sailing vessel Good News2, Durban South Africa

[@sethdillon6316]

Hi Sam, love your videos and your great positivity. Belt dust is a common Yanmar issue. It can be caused by several factors or a combination of them. Pulley misalignment, pulley rust, and improper belt tension are all contributing factors. Another common problem is the belt profile is wrong. In other words the angle of the “V” is not correct. For example a common 1/2 inch belt is not the same as a common 13mm belt. It works OK but it will wear more quickly and create more dust. This happens a lot in cars but a car has a lot of airflow through the engine compartment which a boat doesn’t. Combine that with the residual oil and diesel fuel it can make the belt dust issues seem much worse than a car would have. I would suggest buying a genuine Yanmar belt and installing it, keeping the belt currently on your engine as a spare.

[@oliverolover]

Thank you Sam for sharing your journey! See you on patreon!

[@anthonybeck2384]

Outstanding work Sam 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@pgevanthor]

Who were the people that were sitting in your cockpit?

[@JohnFritz-vk6mp]

great video. Keep them coming.

[@romantiachristiana5147]

Some of those cliffs and headlands reminded me of the passage I have just made in a 14ft ballasted long-keel boat (see a new video on my channel in a few days). We (a friend of mine with his own boat and I) launched at Plouër sur Rance and sailed to the Isle of Bréhat. 125 nautical miles in one week. We spent our nights in marinas (to charge batteries) or anchored in little sheltered bays to save money. Well done for your sailing skills and experience!

[@paulgilliland2992]

I wouldn’t be sending Sam any marine products for a thumbs up unless they work well .

[@chuckvanderbildt]

Marina Vela gets a big fat red mark in the logs. What thieves.

[@zhuljojo]

I so attached your solo sail video,.for me you humble and respect other.,.not panic ,cautious.,.dont know man...but like love your sail adventure

[@hughbrissedits459]

Hi Sam. For the starter you could get some car capacitors in parallel or buy some super capacitors which are smaller. The starter will draw current from them rather than the lipo.

[@yoshiodoom]

You can cover your battery terminals with Vaseline to keep them from oxidizing.

[@hermitoldguy6312]

It'll work, but it'll tend to melt away. High temperature grease is better - more likely to stay put.

[@Ukedc259]

Another grand adventure. ⛵️

[@mikejelinek1413]

Sam, I also love to watch your videos, that black dust can be from the belts and I have also seen it on car alternators from the brushes inside of the alternator. Might be time for a new starter.

[@tyrotrainer765]

Alternators don't have brushes, they use slip rings.

[@ericbergdahl6971]

Sam, check the alignment on all the pulley's. V belt's need to be aligned look and make sure all pulley's are not in any angle. The belt when they get old can do that but also will show cracks on the v section. Typically they should not be causing the black dust.

[@Nixontheman]

Agree, sometimes rust forms on the pulleys where the belt rides and strips the paint off. If any of the pulleys get pitted they will cause that too.

[@oschonrock]

Could also be insufficient belt tension. When batteries are low and just after startup, the belt can slip... especially when the angle of contact with the alternator pulley is small like here (due to waterpump being on same belt).

[@kaekae4010]

I was thinking exactly that. That black powder is from the strap. Maybe due to bad alignment, bad tension or the pulley is worn.

[@aarons.watches]

Just toured 4 boats in San Diego..made an offer on a 50’ thanks to these videos. My wallet hates Sam. 😢

[@cactusrose55]

😂

[@medogandcatadventure]

Funny 😅

[@tonysmario817]

smartest money you’ll ever spend

[@tonysmario817]

which 50 footer?

[@aarons.watches]

@@tonysmario817 Passport

[@pboperations]

Bad luck on that Barcelona marina. Some Spaniards have absolutely no shame.

[@Pillowcase]

The ultrasonic might work, but where you're mounting it in the bilge seems like a poor spot. I'd guess the work best in the middle of a moving panel - as opposed to near a large mass like the keel. If you think of it like hitting a drum... Hitting it at the very edge or on the side, versus hitting in the middle of the drum head.

[@stardude111]

wondering whats coming after this... I kept an eye out for you as I was just in Barcelona and then spent a week in Palamos, a little to the north. keep rocking Sam!

[@danielsondavidf]

Adding a DC-DC Converter [Victron recommended] will protect your current alternator from the new LiFePO4 battery.

[@johnbosworth777]

looking forward to the next f2w weeks.....hopefully you spend some time in Sardinia as the coastline their looks amazing.

[@starbutterflyandmarcomarco5053]

Nice video! Midnight prayer with offerings to yahweh everyday sir.

[@jonstivers]

You did not introduce us to the two people sitting in your cockpit.😮

[@samholmessailing]

They were the calypso reps

[@Frank-hm3ue]

The Gates Green belt works and lasts on that engine. Balmar belt Buddy solved my tension problems on that engine. It will be quieter too.

[@samholmessailing]

Thanks I will look into that

[@cactusrose55]

That big tall, spiky church was sure cool looking!

[@bowdezaufa2609]

That was a great sail man 👍.

[@jonsmith5683]

Rock on brotha🤙🏼 n sail on👌🏼

[@youbangitube]

Would enjoy meeting you if you are going to Greece.

[@markweiss6222]

My Yanmar was the same so much black down into the air filter in my case which was a worry. I actually found the alternater bracket was too short to actually get the belt to the correct tension. After extension and correct adjustment no more black and I replaced the air filter element which had been almost destroyed by that black belt carbon dust

[@j.v.7273]

Nice videos sir of your adventures abroad. Please check all your terminal end that on screen looked loose and corroded. All must be clean and tight at starter and battery. Happy sailing and stay safe.

[@sailingalcanzar]

The black dust is from rust on your pulleys. The rust is rough and it shreds the sides of the vbelt. Use sandpaper to polish the inside of the pulleys and then paint.

[@deboerkanna1]

Correct, had exactly the same issue and used this trick too, it worked!

[@samholmessailing]

Thanks for the tip. Will try that

[@eddieharman3650]

Dude, you have the life, much admiration,.

[@Bustefaen]

My 100 Ah litium battery has no problem cranking and starting my Yanmar 2GM20, but I usually leave that to two cheap 83 Ah led batteries in a separate bank. The main reason is actually that I’m not sure the 55 Ah alternator can handle the lithium battery over time (I usually charge that one on solar and shore power). I do have to change the alternator belt midseason, and there is some black dust from the wear. Not bad, though.

[@PetesCreativeRecycling]

XSPower make some amazing Li batteries. I've used them in everything from racecars to boats. They're good with solar, fast draining stuff like starters, and slow stuff like fridges and lights. They aren't cheap though!

[@emilandersson4001]

Looking forward to seeing that electric outboard! I have had plans on doing something similar on mine

[@nelson_moore]

Sweet Adaline!

[@rivermagic]

yea the black is the belt mate, had the same issue on my Yanmar 2GM, previous owner didn't align the water pump correctly and it looked like the inside of a miner's overalls after a few hours - also mine can be a nightmare to start especially in cold weather, the injectors get really clogged up over time, honestly a bit of diesel treatment and cranking it religiously every week and its fine now

[@tonysmario817]

100 years later and most gadgets for sailboats are more trouble than help...especially electronics. but i do appreciate roller furling, sonar, up to the moment weather forecasting, and gps...most of the ‘sensor’ driven stuff must fail at some point in the ocean environment....the cheaper the stuff the shorter the lifespan. anything that requires an ‘app’ should not be relied on.

[@cjhartrc]

Really enjoy your stuff. Have you ever shown how to diy your gimballed jet boils…Hawaii version as well as your current one. Particularly wondering how you set the strap through fittings with screw posts. At least that’s the way it looks Thanks and safe travels JH

[@MarcelLENORMAND]

Hi Sam. Great to see where you’ve gotten to. Glad you’ve got Adeline with you now too. For the Calypso anemometer, have you tried connecting to it with it sited (temporarily) anywhere else as a range test? I’m also wondering if having it directly over the mast is a problem - in which case, rotating the bracket 90deg so it hangs slightly off to the side may help. Just a thought. :)

[@ronriley1533]

Belt dust: make sure the pulleys are shiny clean (you can polish them using some fine grit sand paper as the engine is running).

[@pinkladybikermamma3603]

AMAZING HOW THEY BUILD HOUSES, FORTS, ETC ON THE CLIFTS

[@davidcox8961]

Lithium batteries have what's called a C rating. Some batteries are capable of high discharge rates. Most are not. Also, you can not drain a lithium cell until it is dead. That will destroy the cell. Do some reading Sam. Happy sails to you !

[@johnnyonaboat]

i think the black stuff on the motor is because you need to clean out the exhaust mixing elbow. also check inside the airbox.

[@jaydubya4727]

Thanks for sharing! Seems like we're getting a lot of vids from you in the Med. Very enjoyable, fun to watch your progress.

[@simoncaselton9020]

Hi Sam.Thanks for this raw sailing chanel.Maybe meet up in an anchorage on Corsica.

[@Gilespargiter]

Nice video, very entertaining, as usual. Thankyou. I noticed that probably for good reason, you have another arial diagonaly below that wind sensor jobby. It occurs to me that, that might be messing up your link to it, maybe?

[@Joannesyoga]

I can actually say I have sailed where you are. Went from Barcelona to Figueres and back in 1999. One day I'll do it again.

[@darrylmcleman6456]

Make sure belt is not too loose and no oil or coolant getting on it.Tight but not overtightened.CHEERS from Here!

[@als2217]

Nature hands out some wooosh bam from time to time. Go Sam!