Two weeks ago we'd been towed into Samana. Now with Steve's help we had a repaired transmission and hope to be able to leave for Puerto Rico in the not too distant future.
Repairing the transmission had been a major operation involving David disengaging the engine from the gearbox and moving it backwards on its runners. Fortunately Amel yachts are engineered to make these tasks as easy as possible. It was still a major effort of lateral thinking, for example to left the engine required a length of 2" x 2" wood straddling the engine room and those supper strong cargo straps attached under the engine and over the wood and pints of swear as David worked in 30C+ temperatures. We'd had four or five trips inland to Nagua to see Steve and a gearbox specialist, parts shipped in from the US and final reassembly. Not a small job, but David's skill with mechanics was put to good use.
It was a nail biting moment when we turned on the engine and pulled up the anchor. The plan was to motor out to an island in the bay, drop anchor and clean the barnacles off the hull. All went very well and we came back to Samana much relieved.
All we needed now was that elusive weather window to cross the Mona.
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