Anchored off La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
13 December 2016 | La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mexico
We have been in Bahia de Banderas since November 18 and I still do not have use of my Lehr outboard motor. Troubleshooting reveals that there is very little compression. The folks at Lehr are deliberating on how to honor the warranty and taking their merry time. The thing is barely 2.5 years old and is a complete loss as far as I am concerned. Must be the worst purchase I have ever made. Meanwhile I have attempted to repair the airfloor in my Walker Bay Odyssey 270 inflatable dinghy without complete success. The port side air chamber will not hold air for more than several hours. Unlike Lehr, however, Walker Bay is taking action to help me even though the warranty has long expired. The company has agreed to make me a replacement airfloor for $200 US plus shipping. A relative bargain when considering the cost of a new boat and the time already spent trying to repair the air leaks.
I purchased an 18 year old 5 hp Honda outboard from a fellow cruiser which seems to run well and is helping me limp to and from the anchorage to shoreside facilities. It needs some servicing however and until I get the warranty claim successfully processed for the Lehr and receive my new airfloor, I am more or less tied to the area.