So we had just gotten up and were getting ready to go out for a couple of days on the boat when my wife says:
"there's water all over the floor in the head!". "We have no hot water!". "I've turned off the pump!"
Groaning, I investigated a bit and found we had hot water everywhere but the forward head. Further, by going into the area where the water pump and accumulator tank reside I could see a pretty good spray of water when the pump was turned on.
OK... time to find *EXACTLY* where it was.
Breaking out the endoscopic camera I was able to get visibility up behind the galley sink. For those who don't have one, this is one of the more useful things you can have on a boat. It is a waterproof digital camera on about 20' of waterproof cable that broadcasts a WIFI hotspot and lets your cell phone see the live image or take pictures. Think "colonoscopy for boats".... I also put it on the end of a boat hook to check out the bow/stern thrusters.
Here is what it saw....
Apparently the mushroom in the middle of the red line was an explosion of the hose. A hot water aneurysm. So now I knew what I was dealing with. Fortunately there is decent access to the back of the sink lines by taking the cabinetry under the sink apart and removing the face plate and sink faucet/mixer. Easy repair.
That said, I'm wondering if others have had this happen? Its the hot water line, but I am worried that hot water hoses and the occasional slug of air might have more surprises for me. This was clearly a defective hose, with a weak spot in one of the more inaccessible places on the boat (of course)...
Is it a common thing? If so, I'll need to increase my spares/repair capability.
------------- Rick S/V Black Diamond Hanse 575 Build #192, Hull# 161 Newport, RI
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