Help, Help! Our Batteries are Flat.

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We are planning to continue down the coast to Cuttyhunk but, when I try to start the engine, the batteries do not have enough power to do the job. A quick row-boat and taxi-ride to the West Marine (ship’s store) in Falmouth buys us a Big Yellow Jump Start Battery Pack, which succeeds in starting the engine.

But now the captain (that is, me) is once again antsy and worried about whether the electrical system was ever truly “fixed”. Once before, on our previous boat, we needed to be towed out of Cuttyhunk and we do not look forward to a repeat performance.

So we decide to head back, once more, to Marion. It has got a lot cooler although the sun is still shining. This is no longer t-shirts and shorts weather. Whoever drives the boat wears at least a light jacket.

Burr Brothers are superb and have a man checking out our wiring within half an hour of our pulling in at their fuel dock. He tells us that, while there are one or two small peculiarities in the boat’s wiring, the fundamental problem is that we have been spending too much time hanging out on moorings and too little time rushing about and charging the engine ... :-) ... Ah, the joys of the relaxed cruising life style?

We meet with a couple who have recently bought “Catriona”, a 57-foot Herreshoff Ketch, designed in the 1930’s but built in 2004. The new owners are planning to sail her down to Florida and are then shipping her to New Zealand.

This is where we have been for the “next” few days ...
Friday, Aug 30 - Westport MA
Saturday, Aug 31 - At anchor in the Kickemuit River behind Bristol RI
Sunday - Tuesday, Sep 1 to 3 - Brewers Wickford Cove Marina

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