A short haul to clean and inspect the bottom after a summer in the Chesapeake!  She looked much better going back in a couple hours later.  Unfortunately we just have the “before” photo.

So, here we are, still in beautiful Oxford.  At least I got the heater connected!  Tuesday we left the dock and proceeded down the Choptank river into the bay when the main halyard jammed at the top of the mast.  I went up twice to try and free it before deciding I needed more stability and heavier artillery.  

72′ above the water… all secure with a safety line and climbing harness

Since our weather window for the Gulf Stream had closed and we would have to wait in Norfolk anyway, we decided to head back to our old slip.  On the return, the alternator stopped charging, so it added another reason to settle in.  

The halyard was simple:  Just a bigger mallet and a persuader.  I placed a delrin shim alongside the sheave (pulley) to eliminate the gap so it won’t happen again.  The alternator was yet another brush problem!  A loss of continuity between the field and ground connections inside the unit.  New brushes and back in business!  If there are any electrical engineers out there looking to make their first million (thousand?) build a brushless high-output alternator with an external regulator and the world will beat a path to your door.  (At least I will!)

Meanwhile, back at the weather desk, Nancy has determined that we are bound by a series of lows drifting across our path.  After consulting with her other weather gurus it looks as though we won’t get away until next Friday or Saturday.  Thank heaven for the heater!  With so much lead time I was able to get a new water maker ordered and shipped.  I’m installing it Monday, so our water dilemma will be solved.  Everything that has delayed us has opened a new opportunity for another solution.  We’re still optimistic and enthusiastic, but sometimes my patience is tested.