Paddle board to Pied-a-Mer III to help with genset - 2014

Beginning of March 2014 -La Cruz Anchorage Banderas Bay Mexico

Eric on S\V Pied-a-Mer III called on the VHF (ch 22A is the local hailing channel here) and asked if I could come by and help grind a winch to haul out his diesel generator. I took the paddle board over which was my longest distance yet in some lumpy seas. Did not fall off but did almost lose it a couple times.

 Eric has had problems with this genset for quite a while and it is getting closer to time for them to do the jump on the Pacific Puddle Jump 😃 I know it is made in Italy but that’s about it.

 We are getting some weather so we are anchored out away from shore and at the fare end of the 60 boat anchorage fleet. The swells are somewhat large and so with S\V Pied-a-Mer III (Seawind 1160-38’ cat) being anchored close to shore and the tide going out it made the waves pick up and closer to peeking before breaking. This was going on by the bow of S\V Pied-a-Mer III. Erick was in with the generator finishing off some disconnects while I was sitting on deck doing the hard work of yapping to him. Sometimes the boat would come off the swell and jerk hard on the bridle. It would knock you down if standing. Finally the bridal snapped. We decided that lifting the genset out was to problematic in the conditions and after a temporary fix for the bridal Eric decide to go into the marina so we could safely get the genset out on deck. We used the main halyard and I winched it out. Once on deck it was more removing parts to get at the parts to replace. Erick and I winched up the genset to drop the lower heat shield. He removed the fuel pup and other goodies and got the part replaced. This took some hours and meanwhile Debbie was back out at the anchorage weathering the seas and wind. Debbie was actually sewing on the shade screen of the dodger but that’s another post. 

So I got tired and it was a long way back to our boat in the anchorage and although the evening glass off had arrived he dingyed me back to our boat.