The Waiting Game

The old engine (barely) comes out

For us, March was a month of waiting. Our transmission died on January 24. It then took us a month to determine the extent of the problem, get good advice, and to send in the wire transfer to order up a replacement transmission, lower unit and (reluctantly) a new engine. From then (February 21), it was mostly delays due to doing business in Mexico. First, there is the time to do a wire transfer (3 days); then the Volvo warehouse in Tennessee takes time to assemble the motor package and ship it out (up to 14 days); time to ship to the border (3 days); time to go through customs (2 days); and time to ship from the border to Puerto Vallarta (8 days). In total, what we were told would take four days took four weeks. However, the motor, transmission, and lower unit did arrive last weekend. On Tuesday we

The new engine (easily) goes in

hauled out Schatzi, had the old engine and transmission removed, lifted the new engine aboard, installed the new transmission, and splashed back down.  Right now, we are waiting for the motor mounts to be fashioned and for the fuel, electrical and exhaust to be connected.

What do you do while waiting? Well, make more lemonade, of course! Roger was able to race three days on board a speedy J 130 sailboat, Sirocco, taking second in class in the Banderas Bay Regatta (Thank you, Lee and Cathy!). We had a couple get togethers with our friends visiting from Seattle--Bill and Kathleen Elmer and Bob and Sally Munn. Our new friends from

Sightseeing in Guadalajara

Tsawwassen, Fred and Audrie Davies, sauntered off to the Botanical Gardens for lunch and flower sniffing. Then there was the sightseeing trip to Guadalajara, seeing the classic colonial city and its surrounding pueblos. We also visited Tequila (yes, there is a town named Tequila and they grow and distill the stuff there), seeing a picturesque country distillery. And once the new engine was in the boat, we celebrated with a splurge dinner with Steve and Peggy Leonard to Las Carmelita’s restaurant, high above Puerto Vallarta, watching the sun settle over the horizon. So, we have managed to intersperse the waiting with quite a number of side adventures, many of which we would not have done, but for the delay in getting the engine.

Any day now we expect to be powering around again. From here we head back north into

Sunset at Las Carmelita's

the Sea of Cortes, for some of the best cruising Mexico has to offer. We will be reporting back on our return to sail boating (with power) in our next posting. Meanwhile, we send greetings from Mexico to all of our friends and readers,

Roger, Lynne, and Salty

You can reach us at 206-755-4193 or email rdwerner47@gmail.com.  And if you are so inclined, you can leave a comment at the end of this post.