I have done some more research and thinking about the "fuse" on the charging circuit on Paula Perkins. The fine print on the device says that it is a high speed fuse link for semiconductor rectifiers, so its purpose is to blow out before the rectifier gets damaged. The thing is it, it's original equipment on the boat. That means that it was intended for the 20A "dynamo" that came with the engine on install so its blow-point is probably something like 40A. The new alternators are 35A so it would continue to work for them but stressed and when the alternator was shorted to ground it wouldn't take too much to pop it. We need to replace it with one of at least 50A threshold or something like that. As it was, there didn't seem to be anything like that around here so we have bypassed the fuse block until we get somewhere where we can get one. We have started the engine and the alternator is working as it should. In fact the old one probably is too so if I can keep myself from shorting out the alternator between here and Halifax we should be OK. Perhaps when we get to Carolina Beach and are visiting Joey and his sweetie we might find that the larger West Marine near them has something. The weather forecast is showing that we might be imposing on their hospitality longer than intended since the weather will be acting up a bit. Either we'll be risking the inside route or waiting for a weather break. If Screech can get through then perhaps we can too if we have to.

I am going to post this now for today as where we stop tonight with undoubtedly not have a wifi connection. We will be leaving here shortly after breakfast and ride the tide up through the bridge and onwards towards Charleston.

Let's hope there is no more mechanical issues that we don't already know about.