Since much of our time in Panama had been spent building our new dinghy, we took the last few weeks to catch up on some much needed boat maintenance as we get ready to depart for South America. We headed back to Las Perlas to get back to work and enjoy some empty anchorages.
The Work
Much of what we needed to do was routine engine maintenance. Every year we change all of the engine and transmission lubricants and their filters, replace the numerous diesel fuel filters between the tanks and the engine, and inspect/repair the raw water cooling system for hidden problems. The only issue we encountered was with the raw water system. The pump impeller shed two paddles at some point in the recent past and the pencil zinc inside the heat exchanger had completely disintegrated. Thankfully the broken pawls were easily extracted while cleaning the zinc debris inside the heat exchanger and we thoroughly lubricated the new impeller with glycerin to prolong its service life.
The rest of our work focused on replacing and repairing broken components. The freshwater flush system on our watermaker had broken many months ago, so we replaced the faulty valve. We took the opportunity to splice into the charcoal filter of the flush system to provide extra filtration to the freshwater that feeds our kitchen sink and water heater. So now, the already tasteless reverse osmosis water we drink tastes even less like anything!
Lastly, we replaced our old, failed electric autopilot controller. Though we often only use this autopilot when motoring, the months we spent without it took a toll whenever we had to motor long distances. Thankfully we were able to retain our tiller drive unit (an old Raymarine S1 GP), as there really aren’t any modern options available for a heavy displacement sailboats with a tiller. The larger motor in the “GP” drive unit required a more powerful “Actuator Control Unit” than what is sold for tiller dries these days. After some back and forth with Raymarine tech support, we determined that their “ACU-150” controller which is generally marketed for hydraulic steered boats is a suitable match for the “GP” drive unit we already have onboard. So far the new system has been smooth and precise whenever we motor.
The Play
When we weren’t working, we were enjoying the relatively empty island anchorages, catching fish, hiking, swimming and watching the wildlife. Unfortunately the water was still murky so spearfishing wasn’t particularly good. But the changing season lead to a whole new variety of fish in the open water. As we sailed between the islands, we caught multiple mackerels and bonitos while trolling, two species we had not seen since Mazatlan in Mexico. All in all, we enjoyed a relaxing wrap up to our time in Panama. Check back soon for our next adventure to South America!
