We had David, Gina, Kalei, Ashley and Kawika on the boat Friday night and Saturday.
We had a fun, busy day with our kids and grandkids. On our morning walk, Sonny had someone who would explore the trails with him. Our grandkids' favorite part was a secluded spot with a swing from a tree made out of a skateboard and huge rope.
We have had a setback, the past couple of days. Our new autopilot is making a noise that we do not feel is correct. The company sent us a new valve from France. Sonny replaced the valve on Tuesday, but it still makes the noise. Now, the company is saying it may be the pump and they have found one other in the world making the same noise and vibration. The company in Switzerland will be testing the pump and results should be completed in a couple of weeks. They suggested we wait for the results. We will talk to them again today.
While Sonny was installing the valve on the autopilot, he noticed the cable from our rudder to the helm was frayed. So, he has replaced the cable on Wednesday. We are so thankful to have found that! That would have, no doubt, have broken in the worst time possible.
Kay is varnishing, as weather is permitting.
11/18/05
We are experiencing some noise on our new autopilot that we do not feel is correct. We talked to the autopilot representative, Otto, and he gave us some more ideas to try. So we will do that today.
11/20/05
We still have a list of things to be completed before we depart, but we are getting things done and hope to cross the Gulf soon.
11/30/05
We enjoyed our good friends, Ken and Karen Kruse of Bear Necessity, down last weekend. Ken and Sonny tried all kinds of new ideas on the autopilot, to no avail while Karen and Kay walked and shopped. We also had a dinner party at Jim and Linda Hall's home with Ken and Karen and Russ and Carole.... three cruising couples we could ask questions and listen to their cruising stories.
We went home to Waxahachie for Thanksgiving with the kids and family. Of course, we ate too much turkey...........but, it was so good to see all of the family.
After Thanksgiving, Sonny talked to the autopilot representative and they said our autopilot shaft is too small for our boat and they are sending us a larger one from France on 11/28. Hopefully, we will receive it by Thursday, and he can replace the shaft....and, all will be fine.
Kay has finished refreshing the teak with some new coats of varnish.
This week, while we are waiting on our autopilot part, we are trying to sell our car, get last food provisions, scotchgard the bimini, prepare jacklines, studying and figuring out the weatherfax on the ham radio, stash more and more bottles of water away in nooks and crannies, install locks on three cabinet doors that did not have any so they will not fly open while we are sailing, and install a foot pump in the galley so we can use salt water, when possible, to conserve on the fresh water.
