We’ve learned our lesson.
In a place where afternoon showers occur just about like clockwork, leaving the boat with hatches open is probably not such a good idea. The truth is, we almost never do forget to close them but during an apparent moment of temporary insanity, we ended up on shore the other day after having done just that. To make matters worse, not only were the side hatches open but the ones over our bed were too. And yes, it rained. Hard. For a couple of hours! It’s a good thing that we’re talking about a boat that is meant to get wet on occasion.
Rebecca, pumping several inches of water out of the bilge that entered through the galley hatches. Yes, the water was sharing the bilge with a variety of canned goods that we had stored there. 🙁
On the bright side, we had a reason to try out the sleeping area in our salon, that which we refer to as the “party bed.” We’ve never actually had a reason to sleep there until now and it’s pretty comfortable, and roomy!
This bed is much larger than the one in the aft sleeping quarters.
At least it only rained on your bed – which can be dried and not on your computer!
Tell me about it. That would have been awful!
Reminds a little of my “Deck Leaks Poem”
Deck Leaks
By Larry MacDonald
I hear that pitter, patter; rain splashing on the deck
Of the sailboat that I live on and I figure, “What the heck,
Not much else to do tonight, I’ll crawl into my bed.”
But then I feel that dreadful drip, drip dripping on my head.
Today I looked for deck leaks, and caulked up half the things
Held on with bolts and screws and stuff but deck leaks must have wings
‘Cause where they come in up on deck and where they come out below
Can be separated by many feet. How this is I just don’t know.
I tested with the garden hose I keep connected on the pier.
This process usually takes awhile, I pour myself a beer
And sit waiting in the summer sun for a couple hours or so.
My caulking’s been successful; not a drop drips down below.
But the weatherman’s predicting some clouds with rain tonight.
I climb into bed with confidence; I’ll stay dry ‘til morning light.
The cloudburst starts at ten o’clock and the one thing that I dread,
The rain has found my deck leak drip, drip, dripping on my head.
“It’s impossible,” I’m thinking, “I’ve caulked up every source.”
And then I think, “but maybe, well, rest assured, of course!
The way these deck leaks migrate, I’d bet the finest wine,
The dripping’s from the deck of the boat that’s next to mine.”
This morning, the solution – epiphany, final clue!
The cockpit’s filled with water; and not a drop gets through.
Cause a leaf has clogged the scupper. A single little leaf
Held back thirty gallons; amazing beyond belief.
So now I’ve given up on caulk ‘cause I’ve found something better.
And I stay nice and dry below even when the weather’s wetter.
I’ve placed a leaf and taped it down wherever leaks are bred
And now I’ve no more deck leaks drip, drip, dripping on my head.
Cool Larry!
I LOVE the poem! And I hope your bed dries out soon, Mike and Rebecca! But if it doesn’t, at least you have somewhere dry to sleep while you clean up the mold under the wet mattress!
Mold is not allowed on our boat!
Well, now you can put that one in the “won’t do that again” column 🙂 We did the same thing on a charter in the BVI. We were dripping wet after racing back in the dinghy to close the hatches, only to arrive just as the sun was coming out again.
Now if I could just get to where you guys are at and put showing up for work everyday in the “won’t do that again” column. I would gladly take a little rain in the hatches 🙂 We’ll get there, patience, patience…
I think every boater makes that mistake AT LEAST once.
At least its fresh water & shouldn’t smell or get itchy like dried out salt water, & shouldnt take to long to dry, & its good to use / try out the “party bed” Its Another leason to be written in the diary LOL so many things to think about . Whe your havn so much fun 🙂 !!!
Bailing water from the bilge is sure a lot better than when our basement flooded back on land!
But the house can’t sink. 🙂
Not often anyway although I’m sure it’s happened in some locations.
Yep, if you need it to rain, leave the hatches open.
If you want to control the direction of the wind, set sail for a destination directly toward the direction from which you want the wind to come.
And if you want there to be no wind at all, go out for a sail with no destination in mind.
If you want the sun to come out, leave the sunblock at home.
If you want it to be cloudy all of the time, purchase solar panels. (I don’t know WHAT happens if you purchase solar panels AND leave the sunblock at home.)
Ah, the incredible power we sailors have to control the weather.
Murphy lives on a boat.
LOL
Aside from having to make the bed up each night and take it apart in the AM is the larger / comfy salon berth not a better place to sleep? Cooler? Less movement?
Downside could be that it might be brighter @ sunrise than the regular berth on those days that you did not want to get up to watch the sunrise. (on our 3 charters I was always up waiting for the sun…over time I would get over that I presume)
With just the 2 of you aboard it’s not as though you need to worry about privacy.
Just wondering.
Cooler: Yes.
Less movement? Not really. Our berths are in the stern and are athwartship so the motion back there is quite comfortable.
I do on occasion, part way through the night, move out and sleep in the salon though. In fact, last night I did after being awoken by some strange and very loud creature making noise at our stern. I never did figure out what it was!