Fresh Water Washdown

The rain arrived this morning, just in time to ensure I’d be soaked while setting out a second anchor. The winds are not predicted to start howling until late this afternoon, but I think the rain is here to stay, at least until the end of the week. I have all the supplies I need, including a couple of good books, so other than the damps that come with a buttoned up boat, things should be fine. Unfortunately, the currents are strong enough to spin Alana around, regardless of the wind direction, so it is not always possible to keep the companionway open.

It looks I have fixed the autopilot. I didn’t find any loose connections, but did discover that a rudder feedback parameter was incorrectly programmed into the system’s “brain.” I know for a fact that I didn’t change it, so for now I’ll attribute it to a glitch. I’ve had it steering a course here, anchored in the current and it has had no difficulties, so for now I’m going to stop worrying about it. The true test will come once this weather passes through and I head south again.

Happily, there is nothing else that needed fixing, so I spent the rest of the day nibbling, reading, watching a couple shows on Hulu, and just generally being lazy. It’s a good thing I’m not inclined toward obesity.

I think tonight may be a long night. Until the anchors have proven themselves in 40 knots of wind (plus current), I’ll probably spend a fair amount of time staring at the plotter. Both plotters are set to alarm if we drag, it’s just hard, and perhaps stupid, to bet everything on hearing an alarm in the middle of a howling gale.