Heading Home and Truck Breakdown

Day 37: Wednesday April 1, 2015

We got to the factory at 7:30 and work at getting the boat ready to travel was well underway.  They pulled the jack stands out from under the boat and touched up the spots with bottom paint.  Using a forklift with a trailer hitch ball on one of the forks, they rolled the trailer under the boat and lowered the boat onto the trailer.  They then put the mast back on the boat and moved the whole rig out into the lot where we could hook up the truck. 

Second Wind back on the trailer and ready to go home

We were on the road by 8:45.  We headed north on a very busy I-95.  The trip was uneventful until we got about 15 miles north of St. Augustine.  At that point, the truck warning system gave us several strange dings and checking the gauges, the temperature gauge was pegged on hot.  I rolled off onto the shoulder and shut down the engine, raised the hood and found that the serpentine belt was off and the water in the cooling system was boiling. 

Nothing to do but call Boat US for a tow.  I had fortunately purchased a trailer towing package with our boat towing policy so they sent a truck to haul us to a Dodge dealership.  The guy arrived in about 45 minutes, pulled the truck onto the roll-back and hooked the boat on behind for the trip back to St. Augustine.  I had meanwhile called the dealership and told them that we were coming.  As we drove up, the entire service department staff stood staring at this strange entourage pulling in.  The time was 4:15 and after a brief inspection, they determined that the water pump had failed causing, one, the engine to overheat and two, the belt to come off.  They assured me that they had the parts in stock but they closed at 5:30 and would not be able to complete the repair unto tomorrow. 

So, we rented a car, found a motel, and drove into St. Augustine to check out this historic town.  However, being spring break, we could not find a place to park the car so we left the main part of town and found Schooners Seafood House that had been recommended by the lady at the motel desk.  When we got there, we were amazed by the number of cars in the parking lot and the large number of folks waiting to be seated.  We waited about 30 minutes and were served a huge home cooked seafood meal that was way too big for either of us to finish.  It was a great no frills place that was obviously extremely popular to folks in the know.

Back at the motel, we read some and went to bed early.  Amazingly, we have had no desire to turn on the TV since we have been back in the States.  We are news ignorant and it is great!