Lightning strikes again.

Lightning strikes a second time. 20 March
We were out with Bro-in -Law and his partner for the second day of an event-filled weekend, primarily to enjoy fishing in the Gulf. The first day’s drama was the result of cognitive problems with the Captain. Now Sunday’s problem was more of a ‘random mechanical’ problem, but one which was to cause a lot of hard work and bother. The Admiral, Bro-in-law’s partner and I had left Bro-in-law on board while we explored Motuihe Island. Some exploring and a swim later we arrived back on board to find Bro-in-law in a pickle because the hot water system was running via the gas heater and causing a real din. I switched off the power and lifted the floor boards to reveal a nice puddle of fresh water. I always wanted to give the bilge a real wash out. Oh well, more penance for someone’s shoddy workmanship.
Years ago I had joined a tap fitting to our hot water system with a hose fitting that was too small. To increase the diameter, I had slipped a hose over the fitting, then the main one on top of that and secured it with a hose clip. The heat had caused shrinkage of the internal hose, and eventually the clip slipped off. Slippery stainless clips do tend to unwind themselves anyway. Moral of the story, make such repairs temporary and do the proper thing or risk wet ankles. Secondly, give a brief to anyone left on board what to switch off in an emergency.
Years ago, the Admiral and I went diving around a small island. I had dropped a small rock pick in kelp, and the wind was starting to build up. I gave our crewman a brief run down on how to start the motor if things turn to custard. We did note at one stage that Wild Honey (our first boat) did seem a fair distance off. Not that we could do anything about it, so we carried on diving. Later, our crewman had woken up to a surprise, but managed to bring the boat back to us.
Pinking bronze.
Also of interest, just check those bronze skin fittings and gate valves. They are demanded in situations where the boat is required to be in survey. The reason being, they will not fail in the event of a fire. (Presuming the valve is turned off while the boat is burning). However, these bronze valves often only have brass spindles which dezincify during a period in salt water. This is the leaching out of the zinc from the copper matrix of Bronze.   Bronze is a physical amalgam of several metals, meaning the metals are not chemically bonded together.  Dezincification is often but not always caused by electrical stray currents, and leaves the bronze with pink colour, the colour of bronze that has had the zinc removed. It can happen to propellers and appears as small crusty nodules. It can be caused by setting up currents by dissimilar metals being close by, setting up a current in the presence of the electrolyte. (seawater) I have all plastic valves which are not prone of course, to electrical problems close to our steel hull, and for my purposes are reliable and sufficient. I have said this because a friend’s boat almost sunk after the failure of a bronze valve.