I took the boat out for an evening sail yesterday with a couple of sailing buddies. Wind was gusting to about 15 and the boat behaved perfectly. The 97% jib and full main had us fully powered up to 6 kts. (We should be faster, but the bottom slime has been building up and we are due for a scrub.)
Temp was in the 70's so it was about as perfect as it gets.
Still, as Roseanne Rosannadanna from SNL used to say, "It's always something!"
We were rail down on starboard tack and heard quite a crash inside... turned out I had made not one but errors in prepping to get under way. I had left the gimbal locked 'on' for the range AND.... left the little metal lock rotated to the 'off' position that holds the oven door shut. Oh my. All the trays, racks, and two fry pans were all over the cabin sole on the port side! And we were SO enjoying sailing at "full honk" to weather!
Muttering darkly, I restored order to the oven, all while still on starboard tack... it was dicy.
Then later as the sun was setting and we motored back to the slip I noticed water here n there on the sole pieces. Decidedly odd. Looked into the bilges and found about a half inch of water, throughout the bilges. Removed about a gallon total and dried all the bilge sections. No water appeared to be coming in anywhere. Really Odd.
It was after sunset, so I went home and returned this am. All hose clamps solid. Shaft area around the stuffing box was bone dry. Keel bolts not seeping.
Pondered some more, and some more yet. Hmmmmmm.... before going out with friends for a sail, I had opened the valves for the head, and no one had used it, and later closed both before locking up, back at the dock.
IIRC, the late George Carlin once said that since we always find lost things in the Last Place we look, we should look there First.
So today I visit and look everything over everywhere, and finally sat on the closed lid and ponder those two properly closed valves. Again. They both looked quite innocent, secure in performing faithfully.
Finally, I stand and lift up the lid. Oh My.
Darned bowl is (Still...) full of water. (!) What had happened was the near-new joker valve had slowly leaked back and the bowl top is below the outside water level when on Starb. tack. Not a very fast leak and no more water could enter after the valve was closed last night anyway.
Sheesh!
Until I learn to do better at boat plumbing management, it might be best to install a new Joker.
Temp was in the 70's so it was about as perfect as it gets.
Still, as Roseanne Rosannadanna from SNL used to say, "It's always something!"
We were rail down on starboard tack and heard quite a crash inside... turned out I had made not one but errors in prepping to get under way. I had left the gimbal locked 'on' for the range AND.... left the little metal lock rotated to the 'off' position that holds the oven door shut. Oh my. All the trays, racks, and two fry pans were all over the cabin sole on the port side! And we were SO enjoying sailing at "full honk" to weather!
Muttering darkly, I restored order to the oven, all while still on starboard tack... it was dicy.
Then later as the sun was setting and we motored back to the slip I noticed water here n there on the sole pieces. Decidedly odd. Looked into the bilges and found about a half inch of water, throughout the bilges. Removed about a gallon total and dried all the bilge sections. No water appeared to be coming in anywhere. Really Odd.
It was after sunset, so I went home and returned this am. All hose clamps solid. Shaft area around the stuffing box was bone dry. Keel bolts not seeping.
Pondered some more, and some more yet. Hmmmmmm.... before going out with friends for a sail, I had opened the valves for the head, and no one had used it, and later closed both before locking up, back at the dock.
IIRC, the late George Carlin once said that since we always find lost things in the Last Place we look, we should look there First.
So today I visit and look everything over everywhere, and finally sat on the closed lid and ponder those two properly closed valves. Again. They both looked quite innocent, secure in performing faithfully.
Finally, I stand and lift up the lid. Oh My.
Darned bowl is (Still...) full of water. (!) What had happened was the near-new joker valve had slowly leaked back and the bowl top is below the outside water level when on Starb. tack. Not a very fast leak and no more water could enter after the valve was closed last night anyway.
Sheesh!
Until I learn to do better at boat plumbing management, it might be best to install a new Joker.
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