We’re Leaving the Italian Paradise... But We Have a Problem

Aboard their 45-foot Beneteau Oceanis docked on the Italian island of Elba, Linn and Erik of Sail & Doxie (Linn & Erik) faced a tight departure schedule. Having booked only a single night in the marina, the crew needed to vacate their berth by the 12:00 check-out deadline, clear cabins draped in laundry, refill freshwater tanks, and complete a major grocery run before casting off.

With their miniature dachshund Nora observing from the deck, Linn headed into town, returning with provisions costing 150 euros—a total she found remarkably affordable compared to prices in Sweden. When they attempted to top off fuel tanks before setting out, however, they discovered the marina fuel station was closed for Sunday. Postponing refueling, they opted to motor and sail roughly 6 miles across to a calm Elba bay. Rolling out the genoa for the final 2 miles, the yacht glided toward the beach at 2 knots.

Anchoring on Elba and Cooking in Sea Water

Dropping anchor in the protected bay, the crew took advantage of the quiet roadstead to prepare meals and reset the vessel. Linn made a batch of fresh, crunchy pesto in the galley and experimented with boiling pasta directly in Mediterranean sea water, skipping any added salt due to the sea’s natural salinity.

Linn marveled at the secluded setting: “This island really doesn’t feel like it’s Europe or in the Mediterranean. It feels like a very distant island somewhere.” Then, surveying the galley supplies, Linn noted: “I can’t believe all this food was only 150 euros.”

While Erik relaxed in the cockpit reading Marie Kondo, the pasta turned out tender, pairing cleanly with the pesto and fresh tomatoes. As evening set in, the crew loaded Nora into the tender for a sunset walk along the empty sand before preparing for the passage to France the following morning.

The Fuel Shortage and Dawn Departure for Corsica

At dawn, Linn and Erik raised anchor and pointed the bow west toward Corsica, a passage of roughly 80 nautical miles. Before clearing Elba waters, they pulled alongside a local fuel dock to replenish their diesel reserves. The stop ended in frustration when the pump ran completely dry after dispensing only a minimal volume. Erik recounted the unexpected hurdle: “After 17 L the gas station was finished with diesel.”

With only 17 liters gained, engine hours had to be strictly guarded. Motoring across the open sea was no longer an option, leaving the crew dependent on whatever breeze filled their canvas. By 09:30, after several hours underway, the log showed 76 miles remaining to their destination. The true wind registered 7 knots from astern, moving the yacht downwind at 4 knots.

At the helm, Erik monitored progress using both the newly installed B&G multifunction display and his Orca navigation unit. With the B&G interface proving cumbersome, he leaned on the Orca display to plan their passage down the eastern flank of Corsica. Bypassing Corsica’s rugged west coast, the crew targeted an offshore track bound ultimately for the La Maddalena archipelago north of Sardinia, while down below Nora reduced a chew toy to shreds in under 5 minutes.

Saildrive Gear Oil Mystery and Fickle Winds

As midday approached, the breeze softened and shifted directly astern. The sails began to flog in the light air, slowing progress to a crawl with just under 60 miles left to run. Under normal passage conditions, an offshore cruiser would turn on the auxiliary diesel to motorsail through the doldrums, but a discovery during the previous day’s pre-passage inspection kept the key firmly turned off.

During routine mechanical checks, Erik pulled the saildrive dipstick and found the gear oil resting noticeably above the maximum level mark. Drawing out several deciliters from the casing to check for water intrusion, the fluid appeared discolored rather than clear and amber. While an overnight settling test in a transparent glass revealed no immediate emulsified separation of sea water, the suspicious oil level pointed toward compromised lower seals.

Erik stood firm on protecting the drivetrain: “Before we start using the engine, we will put new oil in and monitor the level.” The crew resolved to keep the engine shut down, sail through the light patches, and make straight for a chandlery upon reaching Corsica before risking severe mechanical damage that would require an emergency haulout.

Beam Swell, Controlled Gybes, and the Overnight Run

With the auxiliary shut down, sea conditions deteriorated. Heavy passing commercial ships generated deep swells that hit the yacht on the beam, rocking the hull violently while the mainsail struggled to maintain draft in 6 knots of wind. To dampen the violent rolling and safeguard the rigging, Erik altered heading 20 degrees, then 30 degrees to take the rolling seas on the stern.

The crew rigged a boom preventer to lock down the boom, unrolled the headsail, and executed a controlled gybe to realign with the shifting northerly breeze. Slowly, conditions improved. As darkness fell, the breeze freshened to 8 knots, pulling the Oceanis up to three and a half knots after lingering at 2 knots for three hours. The jagged silhouette of the mountains of Corsica grew sharp against the twilight, setting the stage for an uninterrupted overnight watch.

Dawn Arrival and Chandler Bicycle Run

During the final stretch of the passage, the wind freshened considerably, delivering the fastest leg of the crossing. Erik noted the dramatic change in speed: “The last 3-4 hours was a very fast sailing around 6 knots.”

The Beneteau Oceanis 45 slipped into an anchorage along the east coast of Corsica around 04:00 in the morning. After dropping hook in the dark, Linn and Erik caught several hours of sleep while gusty conditions continued outside the cabin.

With the vessel safely anchored, Erik turned his immediate focus back to the saildrive. He unloaded a folding bicycle, lowered it into the tender, and motored to shore. Pedaling 20 minutes inland to a local U-Ship marine chandlery, Erik purchased fresh gear oil to flush and refill the drive casing. Replenishing the saildrive with fresh oil allowed the crew to monitor fluid levels under controlled conditions, ensuring the Beneteau remained sea-ready as they prepared to resume their voyage south toward Sardinia.

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