There are 2 pumps on the boat, a hand pump that can pump water from the bilge and the cockpit well and mighty Gulper who blasts the stuff from the bilge automatically. Both break down within days of each other.
I am particularly upset by the demise of Gulper. She was such a happy pump but her gear wheels stripped and modern medicine has no cure.
The hand pump, I had less affection for. She had a floppy red diaphragm and did not work well. Finally the diaphragm ripped and she no longer worked at all. This left me pumpless in Gaza.
I have now found a boat parts shop or chandelry on the mainland who are wonderful. They speak English and it seems I can get everything I want there. https://www.yuukoumarine.jp/ Buy stuff from them. Knowing they are there has done wonders for my sense of security.
They send me a repair kit for the hand pump, this is a diaphragm and valves with associated screws and circlips. They were made in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. I hope Brexit treats you well Whale Pumps, your produce is the best. https://www.whalepumps.com/
I repair the hand pump today. The floppy red diaphragm was clearly an amateur, homemade job.
There is only one way to re-assemble a Whale Gusher hand pump and I get it wrong 3 times. It does not matter. I have all my time, it is not raining and I like this sort of activity.
It is now in place and works so much better than the previous pump.
So, next I turn to the cockpit seats draining holes. They do not drain and are clearly clogged. I blast high pressure water up the pipes and all kinds of grot is dislodged. They now drain.
I mount the tiller tamer. This device allows you to block the tiller hopefully allowing for self steering. I dread putting in a reef in bad weather with the tiller lashing around. This device should keep her heading into the wind whilst I wrestle with the mainsail.
Mounting the clam cleats necessitated bending my arms into yogic positions through small access ports.
As I am writing this post, 6:00pm Sunday, the doorbell rings and there is a hand delivered new Gulper!
Good day. Thank you Japan.
