Welcome to the Dudgeon….

The dudgeon…. under the cockpit which normally is never visited as it has floor boards covering it, utilized for storage. That is where you can access the prop shaft, stuffing box and the bilge. Getting in and out isn’t fun as I realized 10 years ago

Hold on….. lets back up a bit

Zoot Allures was launched last Wednesday after being on the hard since 2018!!!!

A sight for poor eyes. ….which got a lot poor-er when I checked for leaks before the crane let go. We where concerned with the stern tube renovation (cutlass bearing and stuffing box). But there was leakage further up which could have just been trapped rain water. After the mast was stepped I dove in and realized salt water was coming in from somewhere.

It seemed to be from the area forward of the rudder shaft. I used epoxy putty wherever I thought was needed…numerous times… many numerous times, but still it was getting wet. Digging further in I found a pool accumulating behind the rudder post which overflows.

The rudder stuffing box is bone dry and I can’t see where this pool is filling from. I just can’t get that far in, only my arms reach. After 2 days it subsided a bit and seems to be a generous cup of seawater every 24 hours…. much better than the first 2 days. I sponged it out and stuffed a diaper in there and left ol’ Zoot Sunday night with a prayer. And no…I don’t have an automatic bilge pump! Pffffff …the last thing I wanted with a new electric motor… a salty humid interior!!

Speaking of electric motor…..it works! I took it real easy due to not having installed the sails as a back up. I anchored out across from the harbor a couple of nights and my friend Ulbe helped me get the main sail up and then I motored to my old mooring. To get more motor info I need someone to steer the boat while I dig around…stay tuned.

And speaking of Ulbe…. Ulbe and Carla are in town staying on their boat!!. If it wasn’t for them I would have been dead. They calmed me down and fed me…twice!….because I kept on forgetting my wallet. My gratitude to them is endless. They would also come to my mooring area and I’d swim out and hang in the shade with them while eating my mustache wondering what to do about the leak.!

So…yeah…..here we go again. The last 3 years I had erased the boat life from my mind cause it was too upsetting and getting back into it has been a challenge. I guess the first 100 years are the most difficult.

Stay tuned and dry please,

Capt Pete.

ps….the previous post I mentioned a new member of the family

It’s a Aqua Storm 1.8meter, 20kgr …bladder! which is now in the back seat of my car. I haven’t set up a dinghy mooring yet and I’m also afraid of it getting stolen…again!

pss…. this whole leak ordeal has really done me in. How do you leave your leaking boat when you have to hustle to work, like where I am now. Thursday night I’ll be back out on ol’ Zoot. No more surprises please. I’m taking some epoxy with me so this little drama will end. Otherwise……………………