Alternator Woes

We left more or less on time from Isla Linton today at 0815. Motoring out of the channel and past some big rocks. Wind is down, 3-5k out of the north. A little too close to our course for sailing so we thought we would motor for a while and at least get the new batteries up to full charge, (finally). Seas are reasonable, 3-6ft and the sky is finally clearing. Looks to be a good start.

But.. . . . after 45 minutes or so, the tachometer started to jump around. The needle was bouncing like an empty beer can on a stormy sea. Not good. It finally quit. Which translates to the alternator has quit working. This is the second one that the Balmar three stage regulator has fried. Balmar has some "splainin to do"!! So instead of going back in, Michael(who is, as you have probably figured out by now, writing this entry) changed back to the internally regulated alternator. It doesn't put out as much, but at least works. It took about an hour. We sailed very slowly, a fair way off course, but we were motoring again by 1030 and had the bow of Astarte heading toward Providencia. We will keep going and figure out the problem from there or the Bay Islands in Honduras.

We hope to be into Providencia by Friday morning, and maybe even sailing by tomorrow morning. The winds are supposed to clock around more to the east, the farther north we get.

That's all, for now. Gotta get the fishing line out.

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