Living on a boat requires a certain broader know-how. Our starter seized up in Vanuatu and fixing it required a day spent with various mechanics and machinists. Luckily, we had easy access to knowledgeable resources (and a vehicle). Special thanks to our friends at Trans Atlantic Diesels in Virginia who guided us through the repair process via e-mail.
While coming into Galle, we ran into another problem. As we approached the narrow entrance to the harbor, with 20 feet separating us from a wall of jagged rocks, our transmission failed. We used momentum, wind, and quick thinking to successfully moor off the proper dock (as well as giving the Navy officers onboard a frightening shock).
This repair is proving to be more complicated than our starter repair. We've determined that the splines on the female portion of our drive/damper plate have been stripped. Fixing it is requiring a much broader skill set, including:
1) Mechanic (of course guided once more by our good friends at Trans Atlantic Diesels).
2) Contortionist - the space around our engine is very small, and we wouldn't be able to work on the engine if we hadn't lost weight on our last crossing.
3) Translator - many people here speak English. Some do not, specifically a mechanic we've employed to help us. So far I think we've been able to communicate the fact that we live on a sailboat.
4) Negotiator - there are many locals seeking to provide services to the few yachts in the harbor. The unfortunate assumption made by all is that since we're Americans, we're millionaires. I wish it were the case, but it is in fact not true. We spend a lot of time telling people 'No, we don't want to go buy gems at the jewelry store.'
5) Writer - every step of the repair process has resulted in a flurry of e-mails to Trans Atlantic Diesels. We appreciate all their help, even going out of their way to help us on Christmas Day.
If any of you at home have wise bits of wisdom on how to work around our current snafu, send them along to crew@eyeotw.org. All will be appreciated!