Early January 2013
OK after much to do we have found that the Drive A unit for the auto pilot is not functioning properly. The motor spins but the arm does not move. Now it is certain we will not have an auto pilot for the rest of the cruising season.
It could be the quadrant stops if they were not installed correctly by the installer or it could be a defective Drive unit or some other thing but it is toast. (These two parts of the autopilot system are the only ones we did not install ourselves of the whole system.) Good thing it is under warranty. Now how to figure out the shipping and receiving part which is a big deal here. Luckily we are able to communicate (thru SSB email) with Garmin about finding the closest authorized dealer.
It actually is not that big of a deal considering all the good stuff that is going on. We will scrap any plans for overnight passages and will duck into an anchorage for the night instead. There is really only one over-nighter we would do until we arrive back in Banderas Bay for the Summer. That is around the Cabo Corientes - Cape of Currents and instead will like I said duck into an anchorage instead and wait for the weather window there if need be.
The other passages south are only from a day to a couple hours each and we will probably make it as far as Barra or Manzanillo this cruising season. We are slow moving as for instance we like it here in Chamela so we are staying three weeks. In fact we like to hand steer when we are sailing along on a nice day and stiff breeze! Manana.
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