Ramsgate to - err - Ramsgate!

Hi everyone,
Yesterday morning we departed Ramsgate in light winds under cloudy skies.  We motor-sailed due to the light winds.  As we were approaching North Foreland the gas alarm went off.

I went below to investigate.  No gas smell.  Knowing that one of the gas sensors is in the bilge I lifted the floorboard where it is located and found the space was full of water.  Not good!

The water was warm so was obviously coming from the engine.  We shut down the engine and I got to work pumping out the water using our small hand pump.  There was only about 20 litres - enough to fill the engine bilges and the small volume into which they overflow.

We decided to return to Ramsgate to fix the problem, so tacked and slowly sailed south again.  While doing so I finished bailing out and noticed that a jubilee clip (hose clamp) had failed on the hose between mixing elbow and wet box.  We have two hose clamps at each end of every hose, and this incident shows why!

I replaced the hose clamp with a spare and we started the engine which ran fine.  There was still a slow leak from the hose so I suspected the hose itself was also failing.  It is four years and 1000 hours old and works in the harshest environment - immediately after the mixing of very hot exhaust gas and warmed raw water.

We then motored gently back into Ramsgate marina and secured the boat.  We kept Ramsgate Port Control advised throughout while making clear there was no emergency.

It didn't take long to find a local mechanic (via Marlec Marine) who came down within an hour.  He agreed with our diagnosis and we agreed a schedule of work.

Lessons Learned:

1. Never use hose clamps with holes (vice indentations) - I'm amazed there was one aboard, and it failed
2. Install an engine bilge water alarm (gas sensors are expensive alternatives!)
3. Replace all "hot" hoses every 2-3 years or 500 or so hours running.  Visual checking is clearly inadequate.
4. Keep fighting complacency!

It's interesting to note that several diesel mechanics have given us "if it ain't broke don't fix it" advice recently.  We do all the regular maintenance but I always wondered if expert eyes might detect emerging problems I don't.

That afternoon the rain started.  It continued all night and by this morning was quite heavy.  Yesterday evening we were quite glad to be ashore in a cosy pub instead of motoring through it.

Trust all's well where you are!