Amy and I made it to Andante, a Hans Christian Christina 40, this morning anchored off Cabo. Our friends had hired a delivery skipper a week ago to run her up to Long Beach CA when they had to return to the states. Things went awry almost immediately, culminating in a distress call from the skipper to the owners, relayed via a fishing boat, that the engine had quit and that the boat was having electrical issues. The owners, our friends Mack and Amber, directed the skipper to return to Cabo where he left her on her own anchor. So Andante has been rolling in the swell for a week or so here in Cabo. Unfortunately the delivery skipper didn't secure the boom and it wore a hole through the Bimini, among other issues.

We checked over the motor and fluids this morning and things looked in order so we tried starting it. Ran for maybe 10 seconds and quit. Hmmm.

Found the fuel tank. It sounded nearly empty giving it the tap test since there's no gauge - thought that might be the problem but after using a dip stick we determined there was maybe 1/3 tank or so. That's probably not the problem.

As I removed the Racor fuel filter, there was a loud sucking sound, indicating the engine was starving for fuel. Either the fuel tank pick up is clogged or something else is preventing fuel flow. Followed the fuel line from the tank to the filter and found a valve that had been closed, presumably to change the filter. Opened that and Bob's your uncle, she runs perfectly.

Unfortunately somebody got pretty seasick in the cockpit so that was a fun cleaning job, as was the spoiled food in the fridge.

Anyway we'll be ready to roll in the morning after we get fuel and water. Our plan is to get Andante to Mazatlan where Mack found a cheap slip. We'll catch a bus back to La Cruz from there. Its 200 miles so planning on a two day crossing. We just got the bedding back from the laundry that we dropped off on our hike to the La Comer market for provisions. So it's round two for that dance having done the same about a week ago on Big Sky.

Stand by for a report from Mazatlan!