We left Marin and overnighted at Sainte-Anne. The generator was cutting out so we decided to see why. It seemed to be a fuel problem which I thought we'd solved with the new Fram filter in Dominica two weeks ago. Closer examination showed it was the start switch, a rocker switch with three positions: off, on, and start. Stephen suggested taking the switch out which eventually necessitated taking out the whole control panel. In the process we took apart the start switch dropping the various internal pieces on the deck as it came apart. CRAP!! I was sure we'd have to order a new switch and probably the whole damn panel. In steps Stephen: "Lets take the whole panel up to the cockpit where we can get a good look at it, especially the 6-connector wiring on the back side of the opened switch." We found what we thought were the fallen parts: 2 different length, minuscule springs and a smaller piece that could have been a fuse (it was); 2 2-inch long, 1/4 inch wide lengths of metal with brass contacts at one end: and a "H" shaped, plastic post with spring rollers on two of the feet and a post opposite. What a lot of junk I thought, but to Stephen a puzzle to be noodled. And noodle he did! He reassembled the switch with all the parts in the right place and sequences. I got to snap it together and attach the repaired nine slip-on wire connectors - woo, woo. And low and behold, the bugger worked!!! After testing with a meter to make sure the right switches opened and closed (I.e., "on" turned on the lights and the fuel pump), I also, woo-woo, got to tighten a pair of bolts and coat them with di-electric grease. Once we hooked it back up, the generator started like it was new and has run without a hiccup ever since.
This is not the first, second, third, etc. time Stephen has put his head into some Kuhela problem and noodled it to a successful conclusion. He did the same thing - twice, even - with the Mercury outboard getting it going from a busted state (impeller broken and the fuel system going south, both twice!) to working. But, the icing on the cake (so far) was the autopilot. After leaving Sainte-Anne and passing by the Diamond, we turned NW towards Grande Anse where we were going to spend the night. Suddenly the autopilot decides to turn to port (left) and won't recover. I manually steer her back on course several times only to find she's determined to go left when turned back on. It was as if a terrible current was attacking us or we had run over something like a pot and were dragging it along... Once again, CRAP! We hand steered to a lovely anchorage at Grande Anse, dropped the hook in 12' of water and snuggled in for the night.
Next morning we started looking for a reason for out problem: rudders out of alignment? No. Hydraulic pump won't reverse like at Curacao? No. Hydraulic oil low? No. Electronics buggered? Yipes, Yes! Look at he burned and melted contacts that were hidden by the relay module I found:
Thankfully I had replacements for both and Stephen wired them in again. Looks like they'll work saving hand steering all the way back to Antigua (where they speak English 'cause the French don't and won't understand the problem). It did work beautifully...
If Stephen wasn't actually doing the work he was giving me the confidence to keep trying to fix or noodle the situation that I "knew" was hopeless to a successful conclusion. THANK YOU, STEPHEN!!!!! And thank you for letting me do most of the actual work under your direction. Man, you gotta see the new deck!
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