We had been aware that the windmill was not being totally enthusiastic about pushing charge into the batteries and after a bit of investigation we found that it did not have a perfect connection between the regulator and the batteries. Unfortunately, during my fiddling I must have managed to short the leads and the current spike has both blown the fuse but more seriously seems to have killed the regulator. We are trying to see if we can resuscitate it before ordering a new one.
Then, to cap it off: we have the tiller tied up at the moment as we do in marinas and when I glanced at the head fitting I saw this!
This is the top of the rudder shaft where the tiller joins onto it. The crack is where one side of the tiller is bolted on.
Thankfully, this is a known problem with the Rival Owners Association and there is a foundry in the midlands who have the template. We have friends coming down the week after next so just have to get ourselves to Tenerife with the damaged rudder head fitting.
All a bit frustrating but at least we have found out now rather than half way across the Atlantic! Boats are of course very complicated things and bits of it will need repairing from time to time.
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