Autopilot upgrade - check

Meet my new autopilot.   She's fully capable and seems to like following other boats - when they aren't going too slow...
I haven't yet figured out how to configure this one though and I've tried for 30 years.   

Still traveling with lots of boats in a group.  This is the last day of that.  Tomorrow we start our own thing.  We will probably anchor in the water behind an island the next couple of days...  but today we are in Peoria. 

This is the Illinois Valley Yacht and Canoe club (better known as the IVY).  I found my boat here and agreed to purchase it - here.  Today it returned to its old slip for a brief reunion.  I used it to break off a pole.  Oh well. They told me it was already cracked from the prior visitor and I just finished it.  
Of course we also had more locks...  

And more rain....  but that goes with the course now.  

We ordered a ton of replacement parts, electrical gear, and some extras over the last two weeks.    Today we finally arrived to pick it up and started fixing things.  Oh it's good to have fully working electric, a new kitchen faucet with a single (working) handle, a rear fresh water fill valve that doesn't leak (ok, I didn't get that but I did receive a shutoff valve I could put in to stop the dripping). Oh the life of a boater.   New fender hanger quick releases.  LOCKING caribiners for what will be a new dinghy.   Duck bill valves for shower sumps.   

My wife says I go on too long on these blogs.  Feel free to stop reading. This is as much for me to go back and read as it is for everyone to know what we are doing.  And today - I'll remember the autopilot female that took over the boat and was a tad impatient when people got too slow in front of her and didn't keep up with the boat in front of them.   Oh the joys of the river.    Now to sleep (after catching up on a bunch of real work stuff). 

The run from Ottawa to Peoria is a long one.  We did it FAST and burned lots of diesel... But we got here during the daylight and still has some time to fix a few things.  Tomorrow I'm doing some cleaning before we leave.  Everything is filthy from rain and leaves and traffic....  



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