Sailing NVvideo
From Snorkel to Screwdriver - the Underwater Mechanic strikes again! | S2. Ep. 11
April 7, 2024 · 15 min · 5K views · Luganville
What this video covers
The crew of the 66-foot ex-Vendee Globe boat NV, currently docked in Luganville, Vanuatu, faces multiple mechanical failures days before a planned 2,000-nautical-mile passage to Indonesia. After discovering milky gearbox oil, the crew removes the propeller to inspect the shaft seal for damage, using a battery-operated dive compressor to assist the underwater work.1:42 The inspection reveals no debris, shifting the focus to the internal gearbox.5:28 Simultaneously, the Spectra watermaker fails to reach its rated output of 30 liters per hour, producing only 15 liters.7:38 Disassembly of the unit’s Clark Pump reveals a corroded piston rod and scratched internal cylinders.8:13 Despite replacing the rod and seals—including a makeshift repair using a salvaged toilet pump seal—the watermaker continues to underperform due to deep scoring on the porcelain cylinders.9:52 The crew concludes that the internal damage to the Clark Pump requires a full replacement of the cylinders rather than a simple seal repair.12:06
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