Could have been worst

Did I do already a post on the emotional roller coaster that is to own a boat ? An old boat ? I know I did, but today would have been a beautiful showcase. Overall, I start to believe that this is really forging a sailor character. No succumb to panic, and act rapidly without precipitation. Everything that can happen will happen. Just be ready.

Yesterday, I started to work on the installation of my new small tiller autopilot. This is tricky on this boat, it has to be a custom installation, as it will drive the Windvane , not the tiller or the wheel.

I decided to go ugly, but strong - hopefully. If that works, I ll do the pretty version at home, eventually.

The autopilot goes to a weird spot at the end of the boat, not in the cokpit.
I need a platform to support it. That's the ugly.

I am getting better at tapering screws.
The arm will be aluminum.

This will end up to be the weak link.
I put too much belief in epoxy glue.

Sea trial. It is working !!!!
I am actually surprised, never thought I was gonna pull it together

Hard to tell, but the screw between the windvane and the arm is failing.
I was ready to remove it for now. Just too late.

Well, I lost the arm. I had secured the autopilot, whih was another good idea.
One day of work literally thrown in the water.
Back on my trustfully mechanical autopilot.

Deterred by the lost of the aluminum arm that I built for the autopilot I was consoling myself with the idea, than - First, it will take me half the time to do it better. Second, it was working after all, better than expected. You still need a boat pretty well balanced, and fait conditions like today, but it would help when the wind will be low and/or while motoring. Overall, a great addition.

It was overall a beautiful sailing day in Mexico.
10 knots of wind, a beautiful weather.

Now the ugly. 

Coming into the marina, Engine starts fine, but lack of power. Struggling to go half of the RPM, I barely reach 2 knots. Raging against this damn thing, I prey all the sea gods from antiquity for the engine to hold until I reached the marina, which is quite far in deep of the harbor.

Actually, I bring back the Jib to give me a little push. Always pretty rare and scary to see someone coming into the harbor by sail.... Maneuverability is so bad with sail only, than you must be desperate to coming into your slip like that.

Still, the engine holds, barely pushing the boat. I make it to the slip, packing the sail as I was coming in. The engine did the rest , crawling the boat feet by feet.

It could have been way worst. I could have been stuck in the middle of the harbor, drifting to the shore. But I was ready, I thought about preparing the anchor and was ready to drop it. Eh eh. I am learning.

Now, I was anxious of the cost of fixing this damn machine, again. However, the more plausible explanation would be a clogged fuel filter, and this, I can do. It will be smelly and messy. but I can do. I asked for the mechanic to pass-by just in case tomorrow. 

But now, I am back on a high.

This is just a clogged filter. 

It has to be.