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After getting the cooling system reassembled from the Easter cruise, we took her out for a day-long run down the James River. Frank wanted
to test the engine repairs and Suzanne desperately wanted to be away from the pier. The day was perfect, Abigail, the venerable Perkins
engine ran cooler than she ever had and we pulled into the slip backwards as well as ever. The day had been hot and it took most of the night
for the air conditioning units to cool Rocky down to comfortable, but it had been a small price to pay.
It wasn't until the next day that we discovered what had broken this trip (every trip breaks something - it's just a matter of what). We had gotten
into the habit of turning off the water pump while operating, since we've had the connections to the water heater come loose twice before,
pumping the contents of a water tank into the bilge. When we turned the pump on that night, it seemed to run more than normal - but we were
both too tired to investigate. As long as we don't have shore water, we can't sink the boat (OK, we could, but not THIS way).
When Frank got up to shower the next morning, the line was dry. He went to switch over to the other tank and noticed that the under sink area
where the tank connections - and the water heater - were located was quite warm and muggy. Switching to the other tank and restarting the
pump showed that the outlet connection from the water heater - the one that normally came loose - had not done so this time. This time, it had
cracked in the fitting, itself.
Turning the pump off again, we headed off to work with the intention of fixing the problem that evening. It actually took two days to get to the
store to get the parts. Three hours and another trip to the store later, the parts were installed and the new system, including shut off valves
(missing before), was working (and only dripping a little). A much deserved and much appreciated (by BOTH crewmembers) shower followed.
While Frank showered, Suzanne filled the water tanks back up.
The next morning, Frank checked the tank again and was shocked to see the tank had dropped from full to half - 60 gallons had disappeared
over night. A few seconds checking found the water in the bilge. Listening to the water pump indicated that it was still cycling much more
frequently than normal. Off went the water pump, off went the water heater and for the next three days, the pump was only turned on when
needed.
It was not until Sunday morning that the next level of troubleshooting could be accomplished. Step one involved turning off all electrical
equipment (including the precious A/C) in order to listen for the sound of dripping water. Step two involved turning the pump on and listening.
Frank's calculations indicated that, for the tank to lose 60 gallons in 12 hours, the "leak" must be pumping out nearly a pint of water a minute -
this should be easily audible.
We pulled up all the bilge covers, opened up the engine room and proceeded to listen. At first, we could hear nothing, but then, as we strained,
we heard the sound of a steady and fast drip. We discussed where it could be and eventually decided it might be two separate leaks, since we
could hear it distinctly just forward of the engine room and just aft of the freshwater pump, two locations separated by about five feet.
Suzanne had crawled onto the floor and stuck her head into the bilge pocket that held the water pump while Frank crawled around and over
Abigail, looking for a possible coolant leak. Suzanne yelled out "I see it" and described it to Frank as being in the forward end of the engine
room. From her description, Frank traced the freshwater lines backwards from the aft head until they disappeared - UNDER the generator.
