Maybe I haven't read enough Pardeys or something, but somehow I haven't been warned about the terror that accompanies discovering water running into one's bilge. It doesn't matter that it's only a thin trickle. It's the potential it represents that really terrifies.
Well, that was the exciting intro to my bad news/good news story about today's experiment with Lark's water system. Hope you liked it.
There are two bronze deck fills side-by-side on the port side. Today was the day to try them out. I stuck the hose into the first one and let the water run for a good 10 minutes, at which point it occurred to me that maybe I ought to check below to make sure that I wasn't really just giving the V-berth a good soaking.
The V-berth was dry, which was great. It was when I pulled up the sole that I saw the small rivulet and briefly lost my sanity.
I'm still not sure what the exact source of that rivulet is. Is it a hole in the tank itself? That would be a bummer since I still can't figure out how to get at the darn thing(s). Maybe it's a leaky fitting somewhere between the deck fill and the tank. Anyway, just another thing to figure out and fix.
But I did say there was going to be good news too didn't I? Well, the good news is that as those 2 fills suggested, there appear to be 2 tanks. So maybe the other one doesn't leak, which would be great, but I didn't have the courage to find out today.
Further good news: After filling the tank, the water in the galley and head sinks is pleasant and clear, not stinky and scummy. Not that I'm going to start drinking it unfiltered on the rocks or anything, but it's a good sign regardless.
I also confirmed that the new weather stripping on the opening port light over the aft bunk is water tight and sanded down the door to the girls' cabin so that it actually closes.
