Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Field Day Excursion - T-54 hrs
Bruce and I spent yesterday rebedding the port side main chain plates in hopes of sealing a leak that allows water into the boat behind the galley when we put the port rail in the water. Fortunately that doesn't happen very often, but when it does, we would like a dry boat. We had just managed to get two of the shrouds and their corresponding deck plates unstuck and exposed when a nasty squall appeared in the northwest. We hurredly recaulked the deck plates and stuck them back down before retreating to the cabin for 20 minutes. After the rain passed, we continued our work on the third chain plate.
While Bruce was replacing the last of the cotter pins, I happened to notice the old pressurized water inlet. It was originally used to feed shore water under pressure to a second set of faucets in the boat, but those have long since been removed. The inlet is essentially a deck fitting in the port side bulwark. When I removed the screws that held it on, I discovered -- much to my surprise -- a big hole where the pipe went into the deck and NO CAULK! I believe that may have been the cause of the leak. I sealed it all back up and stuck it back on tight. Time will tell.
While Bruce was replacing the last of the cotter pins, I happened to notice the old pressurized water inlet. It was originally used to feed shore water under pressure to a second set of faucets in the boat, but those have long since been removed. The inlet is essentially a deck fitting in the port side bulwark. When I removed the screws that held it on, I discovered -- much to my surprise -- a big hole where the pipe went into the deck and NO CAULK! I believe that may have been the cause of the leak. I sealed it all back up and stuck it back on tight. Time will tell.
