We are heading south...finally!

"OUR EARLY XMAS GIFT"

The engine installation was completed Wednesday Dec 5th. by  Dependable Marine Services of Annapolis. Note the remote oil filter on the back bulkhead.

It took a month longer than had been discussed with us at the boat show when we purchased it in good faith but it seems, from talking to other boaters, this timeline was not out of line! I still believe that Beta should not have said 3 to 4 weeks. Instead they should tell their customers that it could take as long as 2 months or more. The anxiety it causes a customer is frustrating and costly! Had we been told the 2 plus month delivery,  we would have put up with the "Beast", continued south where the weather was warmer and had the installion done in South Carolina where the head office for Beta is located. Monday morning quarterback! Better yet, write a contract that costs Beta money every day that goes over the install date. (Good luck with that one!) LOL!

We went for several sea trial with the new engine only to realize that our propeller (3 bladed feathering Vari-prop) needed to have it's pitch increased more than we were told by Vari-prop! The new Beta Engine hits full Horsepower at much lower revolutions (RPM's) than did the old Westerbeke. So to get the same speed we had to increase the pitch on the prop to match the slower turning engine.

So we hired a diver. Mike was a super patient guy and dove under our boat 3 times (each time we went for sea trials). All together it took 3 hours of patient adjustment and sea trials. We are lucky that the prop can even be adjusted under water. Our other option would have been to lift the boat out of the water 3 times...yikes!!! Not an option for our already exhausted wallet.

After Mike's third dive under, and our sea trials in between, Guy was happy with the adjustment. Within a half hour, we were off the dock and headed to Rhode River, five Nautical Miles away...not too far just in case we ran into a problem!

This is Thomas Point light house that we passed shortly after leaving Back Creek in Annapolis where we have met some wonderful new friends and had wonderful facilities! All will be missed for sure!

Our friends Holly and Brad

 Their dog Haydn

A Statue near the fuel dock at Calvert Marina in the Solomon Island's. We filled our diesel and water tanks. The water had been shut off a few weeks ago at Jabins Marina in Annapolis where we had been since September.

Here we are tonite December 7th in Back Creek (yes another creek with the same name) after 7 hours of motoring into the wind and in the rain! Today the temperature was 40 degrees F. Brrrrrr! Once anchored, we lowered the dinghy, made it to the post office to mail some parcels and returned to our home for that cold beer that was calling our name!   So far so good with our  new Beta engine......All is good on Miss Ellie