Friday 17th September.
Last night just before bedtime we discovered the bilge was full of water. So we fired up the pumps and emptied it out. After several guesses we worked out that the prop seal was the cause. We went to bed knowing it would be easier to repair in daylight.
This morning we split the jobs, Sue and Sally cleaned out two of the bilge compartments the water had gotten into. Lydia first googled “how to fix the seal while still in the water”. Then she and Andrew set about the first then the second suggestions. The second one seemed to work but leaked again after a ten minute run around the bay. We thought we would give it time to settle and keep an eye on the leak (it only leaks when in gear).
Well at least Sally got more practice hauling and setting the anchor on Imagine.
After lunch we went ashore to fill the gas bottle and outboard fuel. When we returned Sally wanted to get stuck into seeing what was wrong with our only electrical capstan winch. It had stopped working as we came into Airlie. Sally removed the motor from the winch and Andrew tested the motor (dead).
Lydia stripped the motor but couldn’t find anything obviously wrong with it. We will have another go tomorrow.
Just as well you all have a bit of spare time to do the repairs.