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Timshel - Cruising San Blas



We would probably have enjoyed the San Blas rather more had the(new)engine and then the electronic autopilot not failed. The engine seemed to be an electronic problem, initially we thought with the cockpit button panel. The panel would not turn on, then the engine started seemingly by itself, then it wouldn't stop and kept restarting itself. But the next time we tried it was normal - maybe one of the buttons had got stuck? Then it wouldn't go at all! We mailled Jean-Paul at Mechanique Plaisance in Martinique who had fitted the engine - using the SSB link as we had no phone signal let alone 3G. Thank goodness, he replied promptly and said he thought the problem was the MDI box which we did have a spare of rather than the button panel for which we didn't. We changed the little electronic box and it worked, but not very impressive that it failed after 5 weeks and only 19 hours running, and of course we now urgently have to get another spare. The Raymarine autopilot sometimes works, mostly just doesn't steer. Again not impressive as it was new in October 2015 and has not even been used much as we mostly use the Hydrovane when sailing. You would think you could claim on the guarantee,but this is virtually impossible unless you can take the offending object back where you bought it. So we just visited the Waisaladup anchorage at West Hollandes Cay, Green Island and Porvenir (at last meeting some Kuna Indians) for checking in with Immigration so not very adventurous, while other boats (judging by the VHF traffic) rushed round between many different anchorages. The islands are beautiful, we went snorkeling and there was the most amazing coral garden, also a lot of fish, right there between the boat and the white sand beach. We must come back sometime.

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