Friday Evening, 25 November 2016 - Much of today was spent studying wiring schematics, testing switches, and tracking wires, but I also learned something about my cooling system. Back when I was here at Marco Island and had to work on the heat exchanger and replace my coolant more than once, I thought it would be a great idea to install an easy, convenient valve to drain the antifreeze, so I did. Well, maybe it's too easy. I've been noticing small amounts of antifreeze in the bilge lately, so I checked the level in the tank. A bit low. As I lifted myself out of the engine room, I heard water running, looked down, and, sure enough, there was antifreeze draining into the bilge. I had caught the handle to the valve on my pants and opened it part way. Thank goodness I didn't close the hatch without hearing the sound of water.
                  I headed to NAPA to get some more antifreeze, then, on the way back was walking back by a local bar that I've heard lots about, the Sand Bar. Supposedly all the locals hang out there. I decided to go in and have one cold beer. That was about 4:15. I sat at the bar and met a nice couple from Illinois that wanted to know all about my boat and where I've been. It was happy hour and they recommended the small BBQ sandwiches and sloppy joes...and don't forget to order a jar of pickles! The sandwiches were small (as advertised) and only a buck each, but the free pickles were great. They make their own at the bar, and they make lots of them and serve them in a small pitcher. So tasty and crisp. Best I've ever had! At 7 o'clock, after 4 sandwiches, three beers (they bought one), and a lot of pickles, I paid my bar tab of $6.72, picked up my gallon of antifreeze and walked back to the dinghy to row back to the boat in the dark.
                  I guess I'll put the antifreeze in in the morning...after all, I'm on Island Time.

Saturday, 26 November - Added about three quarts of antifreeze into the cooling system on the engine. The other day I checked the oil level in the engine and it said I was quite low so I added two quarts. That made the oil rise to well above the high mark on the dipstick, indicating that there was too much added. Today I started removing oil until it was right between the two marks. I removed what I think is just over two quarts. I don't get it. I also opened up the compartment under the bed it the aft stateroom. That space has the steering quadrant and auto pilot hydraulics in it. It looks like some of the hydraulic fluid has been leaking out, but I couldn't tell from where. I added a couple of ounces of hydraulic fluid, cleaned the area up, and closed it up again, then put everything I've been using to work on the boat back into the two lazarettes. After that, I cleaned up and went out to dinner and had scallops and oysters at the Sand Bar, a local's favorite that I stopped in yesterday, too. Their servers all ware shirts that say, "Shuck Me, Suck Me, Eat Me Raw - Fresh Oysters on the Half Shell."

Sunday, 27 November - I've been having a bit of fluid in the bilge sump, so I got into the engine room to find out exactly what it is that's leaking...other than the antifreeze, which was only a tiny bit and never made it to the bilge sump. I had a dripping water line and couldn't believe how tight I had to tighten the clamp on it to make it stop. A screw driven wouldn't do it. I had to get a socket and ratchet. I tightened it so tight I was afraid I was going to either break the clamp or crush the plastic fitting, but it eventually stopped. The rest of the day was spent reading the manuals, digital files, and online research about the Raymarine steering and charting systems on the boat, trying to figure out why the AutoHelm won't work.

Monday, 28 November - I got up at dawn this morning thinking I might head back up to Ft. Myers Beach on a southeast breeze, but the weather prognostications were wrong and the wind was from the northeast and very light. Without a mainsail, I can't sail into the wind, so I decided to contact Raymarine, the makers of the electronics on my boat, to see if they could help me trouble shoot the steering problem. I've realized that at least not all the problem is with the hydraulic system. The hydraulics aren't even being engaged by the computer in the navigation system, so there's a software or electronics problem, too...or instead. I was told over the phone that they couldn't help me unless I was in an open area where I could maneuver the boat, so I weighed anchor and motored out of the bay, then re-contacted them. After a brief question or two having nothing to do with running the boat, they said I need to hire a technician to come on the boat and trouble shoot it onboard. They had asked about the Course Computer onboard, which I didn't even know the location of, but I found it. Inside is a power switch - in the off position. How can that be? Again, I don't get it. The unit has worked for me before and I haven't moved that switch. There are also at least three other ways, via software, to turn the unit on and off, and apparently, all of them need to be turned on...and now they are or at least all the ones I can find, but it still doesn't work. It reminds me of my first motorcycle, a Ducati 350. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it...except half the time it wouldn't run. I'm still convinced there is a setting that is wrong rather than that it's broken, but I couldn't reach them again all day, and they didn't return my calls, so at 4 o'clock, I headed back to Factory Bay at Marco Island, arriving just as the sun set.
                  About 7pm, Steve Monaghan called on the phone and said that he was about 20 miles away and headed in this direction on his way back to Ft. Myers Beach (FMB) from Key West. I was hoping that he might join me here in Factory Bay for the evening, but he's never been into this harbor, and didn't want to come in in the dark. I certainly can't blame him for that. Then he proposed that I come out and join him to sail back to FMB it the dark. I could see no reason to leave a safe harbor and sail all night, then sleep in the day, when I could sleep the night, then sail in daylight. He also offered to anchor out near the opening to the pass, waiting for me till morning, then we could sail together to Ft. Myers in the morning. That seemed more practical to me, but I declined because I still had visions of being able to repair my Auto Pilot tomorrow, then having it to help with the sail to FMB.

Tuesday, 29 November - Up early again this morning. I wanted to ask more questions of the tech department at RayMarine. Boy, is that ever frustrating. I spent about a total of 1/2 hour talking to them, but about an hour and a half or more in queue waiting for someone to answer the phone. Waiting time was about 20 minutes, but twice, at about 20 minutes, the phone system dropped me and I had to call again and start over as a new caller. Two other times, after waiting it cue, when the technician picked up the phone, it disconnected. I had left messages yesterday for them to call me back, but they never did. Not my idea of good customer interaction and I told the technician so. He patched me through to a supervisor's phone, but I had to leave a message. We'll see if they return my call tomorrow. Any bets?
                  I did finally get to talk with them and have pretty well ruled out the possibility that the problem is with the software. The software is signaling the pump to run, and it is, but the clutch is not engaging to move the rod. I may have, however, discovered why this has happened. I noticed that the alignment of the hydraulic ram seemed off and remembered that I should have a photograph of the mounting of the ram to the steering quadrant from before my boat was hauled out for rudder repairs. I found a photo from 25 September 2015 that shows the linkage and, sure enough, the end of the hydraulic piston was now mounted in one of the outside of three holes on the quadrant plate instead of the center hole, as shown in the old photograph. This may be why the steering has felt stiff and may have put pressure on one side of the rod, making seals leak and the clutch to overwork. Maybe, maybe not. At any rate, the clutch isn't working, so neither is the Auto Pilot, and it's not going to until it's repaired, so I'm headed back to Gulf Marine Ways in Fort Myers Beach tomorrow to talk to them about it. Actually, I'll probably arrive too late to see them tomorrow, so it'll be Thursday.

Wednesday, 30 November - Up early once more so I could sail back to Ft. Myers Beach on a day predicted to have southeast breezes at about 10 to 15 knots and sunny skies. I raised anchor at 8 o'clock and headed out with no wind. I motored till almost noon, when the wind finally kicked in as a small squall approached. I had to sail almost straight downwind all day, although when the wind died to less than 2 knots, I did restart the engine for a little while so I could arrive at my destination in daylight. Just as I shut my engine down the second time, a National Security boat pulled up and boarded me to make sure I wasn't running drugs or cigars. My boat must really look nefarious, this is the second time. After they left me, they stopped a shrimper than was headed south. Other than that, it was a pretty nice and uneventful run. Oh! I did have several pods of porpoises tag along with me throughout the day.