[password] Go1ngs@iling
[position] 40 10.0S 171 09.4E
[weather] W's 7 SSE Baro 1016
[speed] 6.1 Knts
[heading] 095 T
[status] Position as of 1800 Hrs NZ Time. Started motoring today at first light. Motor would not start. No matter, switched and started it on the house bank. Got a fishing line out early and was rewarded with a nice tuna. Fast forward a couple of hours....after the clean up; tachometer is not working, oil pressure guage and temperature guage are not working. Turned off engine.....no engine alarms....not good. So what do all these things have in common....yeh....a common ground and I have a pretty good idea where it is. Take the side panel off the motor....there are actually two ground wires going to a 12mm bolt that a steel brace attaches to....take hold of the brace....it is flapping around and the other end is completely fractured off. The brace triangulates the bracket for the alternator and watermaker. Probably not a good idea to run without it so I decide to fabricate a replacement out of SS flat bar which hopefully will last the passage. Fast forward a couple of hours.....the new brace in on, the two ground wires are reconnected.....fire up the engine....engine alarms,tach, instruments etc are all working and hopefully the starter battery will now charge. And some people ask "don't you get bored on passage?" All is not totally peachy on board but we will probably get through OK! Separate subject....please raise a glass to the finest crew mate a Guy could ask for. I'm talking of Monty....on Mon, Tues and Wed he did a fantastic job of helming the boat for three days of great sailing in 15 - 25 knots of wind and kept Katie M exactly in the grove. He did this 24/7 and didn't even use any of my rations or beer. All he asks for is that I balance the sail plan. I used to think I could helm better than him...at least for short tricks on the wheel but after this stellar performance I have to say Monty.....you've got me beat....you are the helming champ! (Note: As most will deduce - Monty is my Monitor wind vane)

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