Electronics and LPG

I visited Electronica Naval this morning and for fortunately Carlos, the principal of the firm, was in his office and able to see me. 

I explained how the radar was OK but the autopilot was exhibiting the same symptoms as before, even though I had been keeping the controller/display fully protected from water.  Carlos replied that he wasn't surprised.  Once salt water invades a multilayered board it is very difficult to get all of the salt out of the system and there is often a failure after 3 or 4 months.  He told me that they would get the unit working again and it would buy me enough time to get me to the next place, and with luck the repair might last much longer.  I told him that it sounded to me like I should replace the unit as soon as I could get my hands on a new one, and he agreed.  He told me that importation into Argentina was becoming more difficult and he thought that I might better luck in Brazil.  If I can't get a replacement unit in Rio I'll bring one back from the USA.

He was happy to hear that I would be able to disconnect the controller and course computer myself and bring them to his shop  because it would save his people some time.  He also asked me to bring a Seatalk cable if possible.

I dismounted the controller with no problem and almost succeeded with the course controller but try as I might I could not release the four power cables.  I took the controller and the cable to the shop.  Carlos was not there but I showed a photograph of the course computer to the technician and explained that I couldn't figure out how to release those last 4 cables.  He replied that he didn't need the computer to check out the controller and asked me to return tomorrow.  If they have success with the controller I'm fairly sure that they will do the re-installation themselves to validate the repair.

Jorge dropped by the boat while I was still trying to release those cables from the course computer.  He had a try at it and concluded that we'd better back off lest we break something.  He had come to bring me a tub of Dulce de Leche, which he recommends as an energy booster while I am sailing.  After thanking him for his thoughtfulness I asked him if there was some sort of a truck strike going on.  Yes, there is a national truck strike in progress.

Later I walked to the hardware store but I didn't expect the LPG cylinders to be full and ready, and so it was.  The man told me that he could arrange to have my empty cylinders at the store in 30 minutes but I told him that I could wait until Monday, at which time I would need the cylinders filled or not filled.  If I understood him correctly, the strike has been settled and it will take a day or 2 for the new supplies to arrive from BA but he assured me that the cylinders would be full and ready for me on Monday.