I have a little time while waiting for the auto parts store in nearby Morehead City to call back telling me they're ready to deliver a couple of belts we need. We left Oriental yesterday morning and were cruising along nicely about 30 miles into our projected 50 mile day, when the alternator belt snapped. No problem because we threw out the anchor in the river, put out a "securitee" call on the radio for passing boats to know we were temporarily disabled, and reached for the pile of 10 belts we have stowed under our berth. Wouldn't you know NONE of them were the right size...Bill reasonably assumed that the previous owner's stash would be the correct belts, but NO.
After a bit, a passing sailboat offered one they had aboard and we did a neat passing of a belt using boat hooks...looked like a jousting contest, but that belt wasn't right either (nor was it a good time to take a perfect photo). Bill finally installed a belt that was a little too big but allowed us to at least make a little headway as long as we didn't accelerate at all...the current and wind were also favorable. We only had to go 8 miles to a marina, which we made easily before dark. Then a quest for a car and a store. A local shopgirl offered Bill her car, which he filled with gas and took to Morehead city to get a selection of sizes. Today we know the right sizes and I refused to leave until we at least had one spare of each belt we need (2).
Oh yeah, we eventually realized we had one correct belt all along...it just seemed too small until Bill moved some screw or such. Ahhhh, cruising life. We'll make a relatively short run to Swansboro today, then wait out the predicted snow/rain storm. We clearly left a little late in the season, but all is good and we have plenty of warm clothes and heater.
When we get to warmer climes, we'll have a yard (deck) sale featuring fuses, belts and bulbs. Probably will pay for our season.
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