Fig 1, Route From Fort Pierce to March Harbor, Abacos, The Bahamas

It's really demoralizing to start on a 3,000 mile voyage only to screw up in the first 50 feet.

The stern rail was badly bent and would not support the weight of the outboard, which we moved into the cockpit and lashed to the binnacle guard.  Because the port side of the stern rail was bent in, the lifelines aft of the boarding gate were slack and useless.  We rigged some spectra line to replace the slack lifelines.  The control lines for the Monitor Wind Vane ran to a double block on the forward port end of the stern rail.  Because the rail was bent down, this block no longer provided a fair lead for these lines.  An additional set of blocks would be required to correct that lead.  We hoped that we could get the stern rail repaired in the Bahamas and not have to re-rig the Monitor control lines and not have to keep the outboard in the cockpit.

Our only chance for repairs in the Abacos was in Marsh Harbor on Great Abaco Island.  So we decided to get to Marsh Harbor as quickly as possible.  First we had to clear through Bahamian customs.  For that we motored to Spanish Cay the next day.  After clearing customs we stayed the night at the marina on Spanish Cay, then motored to Manjack Cay the following day.  We anchored off Manjack to assess the weather for a transit of the Whale Passage the next day.

In addition to the departure fiasco, my previous repair of the traveler block failed on the crossing the Bahamas.  While in the marina at Spanish Cay we epoxied the connection (Fig. 4).  The repair was to the machine screw that hold the left-hand block on the traveler car.  We let it set for 48 hours before re-attaching the traveler control lines.  We hoped it will hold, but it failed once more on the way to the Azores a few weeks later.

The next morning, when we started the engine there was a loud squeal of slipping belts coming from the engine compartment.  We discovered that the bracket that tensioned the alternator to the drive belts had broken in two (see Figs. 5 & 6).  This bracket is necessary to maintain tension on the two belts that drive the alternator and the freshwater coolant pump.  Without it we could not charge the batteries from the alternator, but more important we could not keep the engine from overheating.  To get to Marsh Harbor we needed a different way to tension these belts.

Mike applied what he calls Mountain Engineering (aka jury rigging) and pounded a wedge of wood and plastic between the alternator case and in the engine block (Fig. 7).  This did the trick and held for our 20 nm trip from Manjack Cay to Marsh Harbor.

This being Friday, we quickly discovered that there would be no work performed on our issues until Monday so we relaxed and enjoyed a weekend in Marsh Harbor.

That afternoon Mike's friend, Kathy, arrived to join us for a few days cruising the Sea of Abaco.

We spent two nights on Man-O-Way Cay touring the small town and snorkeling in the reefs off the island.

We anchored Sarah in the harbor and resumed preparations for the departure for Bermuda.  Strong easterly winds would keep us in Marsh Harbor for several more days.

Below is a panoramic picture of Hopetown Harbor consisting a series of pictures taken from the observation deck at the top of the light house.  You can see the narrow (and shallow) entrance to the harbor on the far left of the picture.  During most of our approach to the harbor the depth sounder recorded 7' or more, but we were coming in shortly before high tide.  I rented a cottage on Elbow Cay back in the early 80s for my parents and I.  I remember going into this harbor on a small dinghy and it looked shallow then.  Since that time the town has put in a number of markers to keep you in the channel.  It also happens that a road that ends at the water front acts as range to help keep you in the channel.  Even with these aids I would avoid entering this harbor anytime near low tide.

Fig. 14, Panorama of Hopetown Harbor