MsChievous

After waiting ten weeks for our new reduction gear (transmission), we were deliriously happy when Neil Collins came down from our boatyard in Maine to install a beefier (Italian no less) transmission. It took four days to deal with putting a Mack truck in a space designed for a VW and coming up with solutions to unexpected problems - such as putting the gear shift lever in forward and having the boat go astern. Finally, a 90 minute sea trial showed all was working as intended with appropriate pressures and temperatures, and WE WERE OUTTA HERE!! We motored 5 hours to the eastern end of the BVI only to have the engine die when we throttled back. Then we discovered the starter alternator loose due to a lost nut - and when the house batteries died, we unexpectedly had no ability to start the engine. (Air in the diesel line from when the water separator filters had been removed to install the transmission was a contributing factor.) We sailed away from our rock-strewn anchorage safely and returned to St. Thomas (62 miles roundtrip), assisted into the slip by a tow boat. It was a delightful sail, just in the wrong direction.... A night on shore power allowed us to determine that the starter battery had been damaged by chronic under-charging, and we now have not only a new starter battery (and a re-bolted alternator!) but a spare we'll keep charged and ready for a jump. We will head out to anchor tomorrow for a couple nights to ensure all is ok before we set sail - again - to Guadeloupe. C'est la vie sur la mer!