On Fri, 4 May 2012 22:57:18 -0700 (PDT), harry
wrote:


However in later years when he moaned about the cost of fresh water
when we had a good deck scrub in Port the retort "well when we throw
it over the side at least we know we are doing it " was enough for him
to scuttle away with a face like thunder.

G.Harman- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You are fullof ****. Steam powered ships don't buy water. Do you
think it's like a caravan?
you think Port authorities supply it for free?

Ships distill sea water for cold water make up. In fact it is
distilled twice for the boilers and one for the crew.
Ones that go deep sea and on long voyages will do that,but it cost
extra fuel. A coastal vessel will not be constructed with such
equipment

Most of the boiler feedwater comes from the condensers where the
exhaust steam from the engines goes.
Condensers cannot create water and only condense what is returned to
them. losses from glands or in some cases deck machinery which is only
occasionally operated like a capstan and doesn't return steam back
have to be made up from reserves.
If it's a large quantity a pump will be used but another method just
to top up a little is to let the condenser vacuum suck in a small
quantity. This is what happened on this occasion,if it had been the
pump the oily rag would have noticed, because it was the vacuum make
up it was not noticed till i told him the tank was dropping quicker
than it should. which is when he accused me of not filling it.

G.Harman