Problem solving...

For the past two days the exhaust on Serenity has sounded funny. It is a wet exhaust...that is raw water that has been through the heat exchanger is injected into the exhaust which cools the exhaust and muffles the sound. Less water means the exhaust is louder. Today we started to have some steam out of the exhaust. There was water exiting with the exhaust but as we increased r.p.m. the amount of water did not increase. I knew there had to be a restriction somewhere in the sea water intake lines. I checked the in line strainer again as well as the impeller...both fine. I checked the mixing elbow on the exhaust where the water is injected...it was fine as well. Finally I decided that with everything else working that the through hull may have a restriction in it. I turned off the through hull and disconnected the intake hose. I then turned on the through hull and water ran in the bilge, but not with any pressure at all. Since the through hull is below the water line I knew it had to have a restriction. One way to clear out a through hull is to dive under the boat and clean it out. This water is cold...I needed to come up with a plan B. Plan B was to have Shirl dive under the boat...just kidding. I connected our water hose to the fitting on the through hull with hose clamps, and the other end to the faucet at the dock we are at. I then had Shirl turn on the pressure as I opened the valve on the through hull. The air in the hose blew through the fitting and then water at full pressure for several minutes. I then shut the valve on the through hull, disconnected the water hose and then opened the through hull. Water under a lot of pressure shot out...problem solved. I put it all back together and started the engine. We are good to go! I am so glad that the through hull was only partially restricted! Keep in mind we are out in the middle of nowhere with out transportation. You have to make what you have work. I did bring tools that I felt I may need. They sure have been valuable so far.
Tomorrow we continue east toward Albany. It seems like it is cold early this year. Lows in the 30s tonight.

 Lock 21...a lot of turbulence because of the leaky gates. Shirl struggling to keep the bow close to the wall.

 Lock 20... no leaks and very little turbulence. We are getting good at this!

 Guard gates...there are many of these on the Erie Canal. They maintain the water level in sections of the canal in case of a breech in the wall.

 Erie Canal tug that we passed today.

 

 Shirl took this today of the inside of Serenity...home sweet home.

 

         

                           

 Erie Canal airplane tied to dock.

 

Everywhere I go I see houseboats.