We are nearing our third day on a mooring in Velcro Beach.

When we arrived here I thought I had a battery problem. Then shortly thereafter it looked like a refrigeration problem.

The battery problem was really a charging capacity problem. I knew when I combined two banks of 6V batteries I would need to upgrade my charging capacity. Then I just forgot about it for over a year during which time Sarah did not spend an extended time away from shore power. We have not been at anchor on a mooring for almost 10 days and the insufficient charging capacity has once more become apparent. I spent one winter in the Bahamas at anchor, so I know I can make due with the battery and charging capacity, it just won't be very efficient.

Just before Mike Repass and I departed for Bermuda and the Azores we discovered that the generator-driven refrigeration compressor took a long time to bring down the temperature in the frig if the box got warm (above 40F). I had also forgotten that and when we let the box get warm here in Vero I was concerned that there was a problem with the compressor. Then I remember that experience back in 2005 and ran the engine compressor for 1 hour and the box was cold once more. I purchased a 12 v compressor several years ago, but have never gotten around to installing it.

Finally we had a real problem the outboard engine. I hadn't started it in over a year and it refused to run. I've turned it over to a mechanic and he expects to have it running tomorrow.

With the outboard in operation we can complete some re-provisioning and then get underway once more for the Bahamas.

All is well,

John & Steve