The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association Inc.
Australian Coast Guard Auxillary
Operation Albury
Extract From "Crusader'S" Log
Saturday August 31
11.00 - Launched at Tallangatta. Excellent concrete ramp, no problems in launching. Both motors okay, but port remote controls are jamming badly and almost inoperative. Manoeuvring the boat is nerve-wracking. "Akoonah" cannot start either motor.
13.00 - Official farewell luncheon, Tallangatta Boat Club. David Westonsmith unable to attend as still trying to start motors.
14.45 - ""Akoonah" finally has way on; depart Tallangatta. Port motor slow to start, probably because remote controls are not setting correctly. Started on starboard only, brought in port motor when under way. Speed about 20 jts. Finding passage through trees without much difficulty.
15.15 - Arrived Hume Boat Club. Topped tanks. Used 9 gals. Distance 13 mls. Speed 26 (?).
Monday September 2
0745 - Tested motors. Both started okay.
0800 - Recovered at Cypress Gardens.
0900 - Launched in Murray River about 3 miles below Yarrawonga Weir, at spot selected by Shell dealer. Launched by roping the trailer to utility, taking cable round tree. Technique successful.
0940 - Completed launch. Trailer okay, but "Akoonah's" trailer will need repairs. Delay while David adjusts trailer.
1005 - Warmed motors. Both okay.
1015 - Akoonah had trouble starting, but now under way. Depart Yarrawonga.
1025 - Akoonah bottomed on sandbank, but no damage. Proceeding.
1120 - Reduced speed to 12 knots, as Akoonah has lost one motor.
1235 - Akoonah stopped. Both motors out.
1240 - Akoonah now going on both motors; resumed speed.
1315 - Reduced speed; snaggy section of river.
1325 - Resumed speed.
1340 - Alongside Tocumwal.
Remote control lever on port motor has now carried away completely, causing extreme difficulty in handling boat. During afternoon, Mercury dealer from Shepparton arrived and serviced control bos. Unable to do much, as he had no spares. However, box is now usable, although idling throttle lever keeps jamming. Have tied this down and will cut out port motor when manoeuvring boat. Have notified Howard Bull to get in touch with Bob Van Bertouch at Berri and advise him to be prepared to replace remote control box.
Serviceman also adjusted Akoonah's electrical system and after a short test both boats were okay. Topped tanks. Used 20 gls. Dist 80 mls. Speed 19 mih. Total dist 80 mls in 4h 15 m: 19mih
Tuesday September 3
0745 - Depart Tocumwal. Both motors okay.
0800 - Passed under flying fox with inches to spare.
0947 - Alongside Picnic Point Uneventful trip in good weather Used 18 gls Dist 59 mls Speed 25 mih Trip average 20.8
1000 - Manoeuvres with helicopted, and refueling operation at Picnic Point for Press and film.
1215 - Depart Picnic Point.
1300 - Moira Lakes . Stopped to clear weed from prop.
1310 - Under way. Both motors okay.
1320 - Alongside Barmah. Lunch break.
1400 - Under way. Both motors okay.
1447 - Losing speed. Starboard motor definitely not doing its best. Rendezvous with FV59. Akoonah stopped, but we proceeded as starboard motor is missing very badly and speed is down to about 10 knots.
1525 - Alongside Echuca. Made new approach for Press, TV and mayoral party.
1615 - Finished with engines. Changed plugs starboard motor ao Bosch W240. Motor now seems okay. Will have old plugs cleaned. Topped tanks. Used 13 gls. Dist 48 mls. Speed 19 mih. Time 2 hrs 30 min.
Wednesday September 4
0708 - Cast off Echuca. Both motors okay.
0955 - Alongside Torrumbarry. Took on fuel.
1015 - Entered lock. Port motor controls playing up, and manoeuvring difficult in rising wind.
1030 - Through lock. Stopped for lunch break.
1120 - Under way. Strong head winds. Weir has been lowered during last few days, and much drifting rubbish is floating downstream. Beginning to rain. Battened down, and visibility is poor. Hard to see "floaters".
11.25 - Helicopter overhead. Akoonah dropped out of convoy to repair speedo.
1152 - Akoonah rejoined squadron.
1157 - Hit floater. Bent blades on port prop. Stopped to change prop.
1212 - Under way. Rain has eased, but wind still very strong.
1250 - Heavy rain. Battened down.
1300 - Very heavy rain and high headwinds. Reduced speed.
1330 - Bad cavitation port motor. Stopped to check, but prop okay.
1335 - Underway. Rain has stopped, but winds still very strong.
1415 - Heavy rain. 1512 - Alongside Barham. Akoonah has damaged both props on floaters. A very difficult and trying day's run. Topped tanks. Used 21 gls. Dist 120 ml. Time 6 hrs 39 min. Speed 18mih. Trip average 307 mls 19.5 mih
Thursday, September 5
0755 - Under way. Started on starboard motor, cut in port.
0815 - Hit floater. No damage.
0855 - Alongside Nurrabit.
0930 - Under way. Sky clear and weather fine, but still cold. Now plain country on either side of river.
1132 - Tied up short of Swan Hill as ahead of schedule.
1200 - Alongside Swan Hill. Topped tanks. Used 22 gls. Dist 71 mls in 3 hrs 02m. Speed 23mih. Trip average 20 mih
Friday, September 6
0807 - Exercise for film with "Oscar" paddle steamer.
0835 - Completed exercise.
0915 - Cast off, Swan Hill. Port motor failed to start. Underway on starboard motor only.
0928 - Port motor started. Port remote controls very difficult to operate. Resumed speed. No trees beside river, and thus high headwind is making things very uncomfortable.
1050 - Back in timber.
1127 - Shot under low cable; Akoonah lost mast.
1142 - Alongside Tooleybuc. Refuelled. As we had been worried about fuel supplies, I had blended 4 gls Super Shell with 28 gls of Premix during the run. Boat seemed to perform more brightly on the leaner mixture. Used 16 gls. Dist 49 mls. Time 2 hrs 27 min.
1255 - Under way.
1320 - Hit floater and stopped to check prop. No damage.
1520 - Alongside Boundary Bend. Refuelled. Used 33 gls. Dist 64 mls in 2 hrs 25 min. Speed 26mih.
1535 - Under way.
1627 - FV59 stopped . Slowed to wait for him.
1630 - Resumed squadron.
1805 - Alongside Robinvale. During this last leg the weather again became foul; the sky was overcast the light very poor. It was difficult to see floaters. As Akoonah had gone ahead with pilot, and we lost touch, had some worry following correct course of river through cuttings. Refuelled. Used 20 gls. Dist 64 mls in 2 hrs 30 min. Speed 26 mih. Trip average 555mls in 26 hrs 10 min. = 21.2 mih.
Saturday, September 7
0705 - Started motors. Starboard okay. Port started when under way.
0710 - Finished engine test.
0730 - Cast off Robinvale.
0735 - In Lock 15. Manoeuvring difficult with port controls jamming. Cut port engine and came in on starboard only.
0805 - Through Lock 15. Port engine going, but very poorly.
0835 - Port motor warming to its work. Picking up speed. Remote control is jamming completely whenever gear lever moved into neutral. Will have to leave gear in forward, start motor that way, and cut port motor when it is necessary to manoeuvre boat.
1030 - Port motor definitely not doing its work.
1107 - Alongside Colegan. Changed all plugs port motor to Bosch #225. Port prop blades slightly damaged; changed prop as well. Refuelled. Used 29 gls.
1225 - Under way. 1442 - Alongside Gol Gol. 1530 - Entry into Mildura.
1610 - Alongside Mildura. Refuelled. Used 17 gls. Distance fromRobinvale 148 miles in 5 hrs 24 min. Speed 27.4 mih.
Sunday, September 8
0920 - Under way, Mildura.
0930 - In Lock.
1000 - Through Lock. Port motor failed to start for a while, but eventually came in.
1127 - In Lock 10, Wentworth.
1145 - Through Lock 10, water very turbulent. Tied up for lunch break. Refuelled. Used 10 gls.
1313 - Under way. Both motors okay. Weather fine, but clouding.
1450 - In Lock 9
1505 - Through Lock 9. Sky cloudy, but weather holding.
1606 - Shot Lock 8, which was expected to be difficult, but with high speed of boats, it was no problem.
1715 - Alongside Lake Victoria Station. Port motor definitely not pulling. Plugs oiling. Replaced W225 plugs with W240. Now have W240 in both motors. Tried to adjust remote control lever on port box, and tightened. Removed idling throttle lever completely But controls still very bad, and definitely dangerous to attempt to manoeuvre boat on two motors. Refuelled. Used 25 gals. Distance Mildura - Wentworth 30 mls in 1 hr 27 min (20mih). Trip average 816 mls in 36l hrs 46 min (22.2mih).