Ever since the winter laying up period started in October it had been “wet, wet, wet! and by the beginning of March, I had only been aboard Elektra about 3 times just to check on things.
So it was Wednesday 4th March, before l went aboard to check her out again and start on her recommissioning for the coming season. There was a curtain amount of fresh water in a number of locations which wasn’t surprising considering the winter weather. Ever since we bought Elektra in 2016 we had been trying to solve leaks, summer time these small leaks are manageable but with the constant rain over the winter and my lack of visits to her the amount had built up.
Ever since the rewiring last summer, l thought the automatic bilge pump under the engine to be faulty. It hadn’t worked at all during the winter, so my first job was to hand pump out the bilge and remove the pump and float switch for testing at home. And clean/sponge out under the engine.
I found my torch needed recharging and the clock and smoke detector needed new batteries.
There had been a lot of condensation off the fore hatch and that had ended up under the floor in the head, there is a pump here too but not on a live circuit hadn’t activated. Also the condensation had gone in under the forward bunk and from there seeped out into the cupboard under the sink. I sponged out about a about a gallon of water in all, from the 3 places for the whole winter.
The battery banks where all charged and l checked the history from the last 30 days, all looked good.
I screwed down the under cockpit locker, known to Sadler owners as the bathtub, it and it’s contents had been removed for her engine work back in November. Back then when replaced the bathtub l couldn’t find the fixing screws. But when l opened the cockpit locker to restow the lines, keg anchor and fenders. I found the fixing screws just sitting there really handy!
With the tide coming back in, l locked up and headed for home. There l tested the bilge pump and switch, both were working fine.
Love Sailing 