Outboard Woes

Capt Chris, 80's, winds East 15 to 20 knots
01/10/2009, Coral Bay St John

Pictured is my new Yamaha 4 horse four stroke outboard purchased today in St Thomas. The passed 3 days have swirled around outboard troubles. I've been trying to shake off the troubles with the Honda 2 horse which was less than five years old. I had a fuel leak deriving from a rusted carb bowl which was masking the fact that I had an oil leak as well. So after spending nearly 100 boat dollars to have the carb fixed, the very next day much larger problems developed. Oil was leaking into the exhaust somewhere which killed it. It likely can be fixed but at great expense. I just bought a new engine. I had been thinking about upgrading anyway as the two horse was not cutting it.

For the folks back home having an outboard go out is tantamount to having car trouble but worse. You see, if your car breaks well you just drift on over to the side of the road. If the outboard craps out your really in a bind. Most dinks are terrrible for rowing and your generally left adrift which is just what happened to Janina and I. I had to swim a very long way back to Christa while Janina nursed her fresh bee sting. Why a bee is out on the ocean still is a mystery. But I got back to Christa and got her fired up and slipped the mooring to go rescue Janina in the dink. Since we now had no way ashore I decided to anchor down in Coral Bay which is less isolated than Johnsons Bay.

So with this trauma I flew into action and made my way to St Thomas and Offshore Marine. I am so thankful for Wandering Dolphin as they were their to help me with the whole thing. I picked up the new motor and spent the night aboard Wandering Dolphin after they bought me a big juicy steak at a nice hotel overlooking the harbor. Next day we shared a breakfast and Christopher dropped me and the new motor at the ferry dock. All in all the mission was complete in less than 24 hours which is amazing to me. But I am now shy $1380 dollars.

So I spent sometime breaking new motor in today. Ran like a champ. So tomorrow, weather pending Janina and I are going to make the sail over to the north shore and grab a mooring at Maho Bay.

More later

Capt Chris