Waiting for Goiot

We are still here in Bermuda, waiting for the replacement quadrant clamp to arrive. The weather is wonderful, it is quite a charming place, and we are all getting along wonderfully. Unfortunately, we all want to be on our way to the Azores, but we are stuck waiting for Goiot.

Goiot is the Jeanneau supplier for parts like the quadrant, and we have just learned from Jeanneau that they only sell the quadrant as an entire unit. And it is not a stock item, so it will take them until the middle of next week to ship it here. We are trying to find out whether (1) the parts are interchangeable, so that the new clamp will fit on the old quandrant, and if so, (2) whether they can ship just the clamp here to Bermuda, while the larger quadrant piece goes to the house in Margueron. This would have a significant effect on shipping costs. However, if they cannot guarantee that the part will be replaceable, then we will have to have the entire quadrant sent here.

We are still doing a number of chores, like replacing the connector for the windlass control, and fuel filters, and doing some work up the mast. However, it looks like we will be spending a considerable amount of the next week doing some sightseeing. Not a bad way to spend a beutiful week in the springtime.

I don't know if I commented about this, but there are a LOT of other boats waiting here to go north back to the US. We talked to one today, probably about 55 ft long, which lost their autopilot on the trip north from Tortola. We traded sea stories about how bad the wind was, and how high the seas were. They had to hand steer for 2 days, while we had to steer with our feet for 12 hours. Not clear which was worse. And the sailmakers are full-up with work to repair blown-out sails.

Ah well. Off to a restaurant tonite for a birthday party. More tommorrow.