My engine won’t start, or the low-oil-pressure alarm is on. What now?
As with any engine fault, the right answer comes from your engine’s own manual, not a generic checklist. The Purser answers from your boat’s own manuals and cites the pages, so you can open the procedure yourself.
For a no-start, the universal first checks are the basics any manual has you confirm: battery state and connections, the fuel supply (tank level, fuel valves, the primary filter/water trap, and bleeding air if the tank ran low, following your manual; never crack the high-pressure lines on a common-rail engine), and the safety interlocks: gear in neutral, the kill-switch/lanyard seated, and the battery isolator on.
A low-oil-pressure alarm is different: treat it as stop-the-engine-first, because genuine loss of oil pressure can destroy an engine quickly. Once it’s shut down and cool, check the oil level and look for leaks, and have the Purser pull your manual’s oil-pressure fault procedure and sensor location before any restart. If the level is right and the alarm persists, that’s a mechanic, not another start attempt.
The Purser answers from your boat’s own manuals and cites the pages, so you can open the procedure yourself.
General information for Australian operators, current as of May 2026. Rules change and recreational rules vary by state. Always confirm against the source(s) linked above (your AMSA, Australian Sailing or state maritime authority). This is not legal advice.