Forward two steps, back two steps

When you wake up in the morning, sometimes the weather dictates not just how you feel but how your day goes. This morning when I woke, it was very dull, cold and gloomy outside....

Our little auto steering dilemma got more complicated today. We did the suggested motor out into the estuary and do two 360 degree circles, whilst recalibrating the Autohelm settings. The results? Everything on the unit says the Autohelm is fine and set up as it should be. Then why does the unit find it impossible to steer a straight course when set on Auto, in flat calm seas???? This was the start of many bad downers for the rest of the day. How can two days have such different moods to them. Yesterday, many smiles and happy photo's. Today, the camera stayed in it's bag and Geoff spent most of the day squished into small spaces under the decks of Sea Otter.

The outcome seems to be that the unit we have needs something called a 'Rudder Sensor' to tell the computer exactly where the rudder position is. The thing we find confusing is that the unit apparently worked fine before without this extra piece? Now it doesn't??? The company that manufactures the unit suggests to buy a Rudder sensor, Dinah suggested the recalibration, someone else suggested something else, etc, etc. It was all very depressing. We had hoped that by buying this boat with this unit, that we could easily buy a replacement unit as a backup. Simple. Only to find that the unit has been retired and it is near impossible to buy a complete unit anywhere in the world. We got our hands on a section called the drive unit, and we thought....well good enough, at least we have a part backup for the most likely section to fail on a long passage. And only $570 US HA! Never have expectations that something on a boat will go easily. Now the company has since replaced the unit we have a year ago with another better model, problem is that it will cost $1000 US and it has the Rudder sensor apparently so needed. Geoff went crawling about below deck only to find that we have very limited space to fit this Rudder sensor!!!!! aaaagghhh. So if it can fit, it won't be easy and we will have to get a technician to fit it = more dollars! In the process of looking at the steering cables, Geoff found that the engine exhaust blower doesn't work!!! The things we are finding on this boat that doesn't work, are coming hard and fast, and it stings.

We also find out that the upgraded model is being superseded by a newer model again that doesn't require the Rudder sensor, YAY!!!! Oh, except that unit won't be released until......wait for it, JUNE! We think we are somewhere in the vicinity of spending $1000 -$2000 to resolve this little problem (that we hadn't accounted for) Hence our gloomy mood tonight.

We feel a little unlucky, that this was a little unfair, but who do you blame? No one. Buyer beware. We thought we had got on a good wicket with this boat. Being that it was so lightly used and in seemingly good condition. But what we have realised is that the lack of use, has resulted in some; lack of use problems and repairs, plus the owners lack of experience has resulted in some; problems and repairs, and now we realise the good condition was mostly superficial things like the timber work and the gel coat. The big dollar items....well, they are just that BIG DOLLAR ITEMS. And they are weighing heavy on our poor bank account.

So for those of you sitting at home, as you see....... it's not all blue skies and sandy beaches, what we forgot or let get a bit foggy over the last twelve years was: Boats are large holes in the water that you throw ALOT of money into!!!

So on this depressed note, I shall leave you all, without any cheery smiling sailing photo's, I shall go to bed at 11.40 pm and hope that tomorrow morning when I wake, the sky will be blue and the day warm and sunny. :)