Gulf of Tehuantepec weather window

 Boat projects, maintenance, and provisioning are nearly done. Our best opportunity to make the crossing will probably be Friday...but we have to wait until 48 hours prior to safely make the decision to go. In the meantime....we did pick up an Autohelm 3000, belt driven autopilot.

The aft lazzarette....

control unit

the drive unit was installed this morning!

While slithering my way through the aft lazzarette, I checked out our steering assembly, and found a broken cable hanging from the bulkhead! Closer inspection revealed that one of the limiting cables (kind of a preventer) had snapped. I don't have any stainless cable that size, so, I may have to make due with some braided line. Normal use shouldn't put any excessive force on the rudder limits.

On Sunday, we took her out for a shakedown sail, and  within about 15 minutes of leaving Puerto Madero, we were greeted with 10 to 15 kts out of the southeast, and a 4 or 5 foot swell at about 12 seconds. We quickly raised the sails, and set close hauled at 7 knots! What fun! Sailing the wind with no destination....

We  invited our friend Arturo to come along and he was excited to join us. Earlier in the week he had asked if he could crew across the Tehuantepec with us?  Of course! This will be great; his first cruising trip! Once we got back to the marina,  we met up with some of the cruisers we just met and headed for lunch.

 Overall, things have been going smooth, just slow. That's okay...we've got time!

Just a few more things to take care of..........