25 August 2015 - One hundred litres of water in the holds

On the way to Audierne, we experience our first long windy starboard tack. Belisama reacts very nicely, keeping us at a good 7 knots. Until an alarm blows off on the electrical panel, indicating a "leakage" in the battery pack. Switching off breakers one at a time indicates that the fridge is the faulty equipment. With the fridge off, we reach Audierne without further problems.

Then comes the investigations...

In the boat next to us is O'Zen, Christophe boat, who is seeking shelter in Audierne at the same time was us, as a gale warning has been issued.  

A quick initial investigation identifies rapidly the problem. The cold group has been installed under the floor, and is flooded above the electrical control panel. No wonder that a leakage alarm blew off! Christophe checks the water that tests fresh.

Flooded cold group.

 Twenty minutes later, all pumps working, 100+ litres of water were removed from the holds. What could have caused such a leakage of fresh water? The heavy rains of the night, the washing machine, a leakage in a water tank?

The cause is rapidly identified, after having removed all floors and the table. When filling the port side water tank, heavy leakage occurs from the top trapdoor if you keep overfilling the tank. What happened is that half of the tank water (100 litres+) overflew when the boat was heeling on starboard.

Overflowing water tank

We are now waiting in Cherbourg to get a new electronic panel for the fridge before heading north)east on our way back to Stockholm!

On left, cover without gasket.