Hello all
When I’m staying on Rondo overnight I put my sleeping bag in the starboard quarter berth and during the day I roll it up and push along into the “tunnel” out of the way
On pulling it out just now I found it had (sea) water standing on it in little pools. About 100ml but enough to make it nasty to get into. I thought it may have wicked up water from the bilge, but the pools, on top, of the fabric pointed to another cause. I suspect the pump housing as I saw some drops around that.
Has anyone else experienced leaks around the bilge pump fitting?
I’ve been out in strong winds today in Chichester harbour with two adult crew. With that weight and a heavy chop the cockpit had 2” of water in it at times (up through the o/b well) and we were steeply heeled, so the pump fitting may have been submerged at times.
Also there was a lot of spray coming in over the bow, but I can’t see any place where wave spray could get in at that point. Hence my suspicion of the pump. There is also a small amount of water in the bilge- the first time Rondo has ever taken on water.
I can take off the pump fittings and reseat it with butyl or silicon. But before I try such things I thought I would ask if anyone has had the same problem and found a good easy solution to it.
It doesn’t detract from an exciting sail in f5/6 gusting 7/8 (and even 9 according to the marina anemometer!). Double reef from the outset of course and when I found I was making 4.8knt with just the staysail downwind I wasn’t rushing to put up the main. But we did when it was safe to come head to wind and with main, staysail and yankee Rondo was sailing well. What a great little boat we all have. There were hardly any other sailing boats in the Harbour - and on talking to the skipper of one of the few - a 32 ft Nautica - he found it very hairy.
All the best
Malcolm