Everything Started Breaking... Welcome to Our Shakedown Cruise

We knew the first few months after leaving the boatyard would be a shakedown cruise. After rebuilding nearly every major system aboard ROAM over the last two years, we fully expected to find bugs, experience a little "infant mortality" with new components, and spend time fine-tuning everything we'd installed. What we didn't expect... was quite this many problems, quite this quickly. In this episode, we're temporarily calling Cambridge, Maryland home while we work through a growing punch list of repairs and adjustments before continuing south. So far we've dealt with: ⚓ A failed bilge pump 🧺 A washing machine discharge pump that quit working 🔧 A leaking oil cooler on our starboard engine that mixed engine oil with the coolant Each repair has had its own challenges. Replacing the washing machine pump turned into a surprisingly complicated project thanks to the machine's European voltage and the difficulty of sourcing the correct replacement. Even after the new pump arrived and was installed, another leak led us to discover a damaged discharge hose that also needed replacing. Fortunately, the failed bilge pump is covered under warranty. While we wait for the replacement, we were able to swap in one of the identical pumps we'd already installed for another system, getting us safely back in business. The biggest challenge, however, has been our starboard engine. After discovering a failed oil cooler, Shawn spent days flushing contaminated coolant and cleaning the engine so we could safely operate it again. Sourcing the replacement cooler became its own adventure. The genuine Yanmar part carried an eye-watering price tag, while an identical industrial version had to be sourced overseas from Turkey. Until it arrives, we've come up with a temporary solution that lets us safely maneuver the boat at low power. It's not ideal, but it'll get us where we need to go. Thankfully, Cambridge has turned out to be a great place to tackle these unexpected projects. We have easy access to parts stores, hardware stores, and everything else needed to keep the repairs moving. Even better, we have good friends nearby who have helped make the delays a lot more enjoyable. When we're not turning wrenches, we're taking time to explore this historic Chesapeake town. Cambridge is rich in Colonial and Civil War history and is famously the birthplace of Harriet Tubman, whose incredible legacy is woven throughout this region and the story of the Underground Railroad. This is exactly what a shakedown cruise is for. Every repair, every adjustment, and every lesson learned makes ROAM a little more ready for the adventures ahead. The destination can wait. Right now, we're focused on building confidence in the boat—and ourselves—one repair at a time. ⛵ The refit may be over, but the learning never stops. 00:00 Intro 00:22 Channel intro 00:34 Where are we? 01:30 Oil Cooler 04:03 Cambridge on the land 09:23 Bilge Pump 11:36 Cambridge on the water 15:30 Washing Machine 17:38 Wrap up 19:16 Like and Subscribe 19:40 End Card ☝More about us, our adventures, and how we do all this on our website.More about Roam here ⛵️https://sailingroam.com/our-sailboat/ 📲 Keep up with us on social FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/sgsailingroam INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/sailing_roam ----------------------------------------------------------- WE'RE GERI AND SHAWN. A couple travelers out chasing the horizon, meeting the people, and capturing it to share with you. We’ve chosen to Roam the world by boat because, let’s face it, the most interesting path is rarely a straight line. As we learn to let go of our American drive to finish, and embrace the meandering routes across islands, oceans, continents, and people, we hope to gain a better sense of our world and our place in it. The path won’t always be comfortable or easy to find but, it will always #roam #Sailing #Catamaran #ShakedownCruise #BoatRepairs #Yanmar #MarineDiesel #Liveaboard #BoatLife #DIYBoat #SailboatRefit #CruisingLife #ChesapeakeBay #CambridgeMD