08/29/2016
"The Not So Romantic Side of Sailing"
By: Mary Garr
A couple weekends ago, lightning struck the tower at Dobbins Landing in Erie, PA. We weren't on the boat when this happened.
However, a few days later, we discovered that the surge from this strike ran a current down along State Street that effected our electric power source and blew out all of our electronics on "Namaste." As Ricky Ricardo used to exclaim, "Expensive Lucy!"
Thank goodness Capt. Ed knows a thing or two about fixing and installing electronics!
We had to purchase a new battery charger - there was no way around this - and we said a grateful farewell to the boat's original 1990 stereo system. Our VHF Radio and Chart Plotter had to be shipped out for repair, and the lightning bolt fried our cell phone chargers. But wait there's more. . .
Two days ago when I boarded "Namaste" to prepare for a charter, I was met with a siren sounding alarm as I opened the cabin. The automatic circuit for the bilge pump wasn't working!
The bilge is the lowest compartment on a ship, below the waterline, where the two sides meet at the keel. Water collects in this area for a variety of reasons. The most important feature of a bilge pump is that it "automatically" pumps this excess water out before it reaches critical level.
I am happy to report the water hadn't risen above bilge and into the cabin, but thank goodness we hadn't gone out of town for a few days!
Why is it always the most humid day of the season, in a stuffy boat cabin, that parts and time come together to make repairs? No idea, but I do know that on these days dishcloths very quickly become sweat rags. And there you have it - the not so romantic side of sailing.
On a lighter note, as Red Green always says, "If you can't be handsome, you might as well be handy." I think I've hit pay dirt on both fronts with my sailing partner in life, as well as, on the water, Capt. Ed Garr.
