Sunday, March 22, 2009

Water emergency resolved!

Who was it said that you should fix an emergency every day before breakfast?  Robert Heinlein probably.  It's the kind of thing he writes.

Well, I fixed mine for today.  I was sat on the "L-couch" by the helm with Stephanie.  She had just got back from her run and was having a drink and finishing up the podcast she was listening to while running.  I was having my breakfast prandial cup of tea.  We heard a "thump" that sounded like it came from inside the boat.  I popped downstairs and heard the water pumps going.  Uh oh.  Not a good thing.  Opening the hatch to the hold I was greeted by a cloud of steam and the sound of running water.  Uh oh.  

Quickly turning the water pumps off at the breaker panel, we emptied the hold.  As it was wet, we had to move everything outside.  Once emptied, I could get down there and dry it out and look to see what had happened.  Regular readers will remember our shower leak episode.  I didn't mention it, but I solved the problem by re-plumbing the shower.  Yes, you've guessed it.  My repair gave out.  One of the hose-to-joint connections had given out on the hot water line, explaining all the steam.  I effected a repair, this time using two hose clamps.  I'm surmising that the heat from the hot water made the clamp less effective as none of the cold water connection - of which there are many in my water maker installation - have broken loose.  Of course, I may not have tightened the hose clamp enough in the first place.  There is one other joint in the hot water line, behind the shower fitting, which I'll look at later today and double clamp.

One advantage of having to empty out the hold.  I got a good look at all the stuff I've been putting down there.  Quite a lot.  It needs reorganizing.  A job for later this week, I think.

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