You only hear those words around a wooden boat yard. And in the spring - launch time - you hear them a lot!
Even though most wooden boats store over gravel or moist dirt floors, wood shrinks quite a bit over the dry winter months. When many of the old woodies are lowered into the water in the spring, they leak like sieves!
It can be quite alarming to see the pumps begin to gush with water seconds after the planks sink.
The crew that works on them aren't concerned. At least not for a while. Generally, the huge flow tapers off in an hour or so.
Then the next day, the pumps stop running,...usually. Every now and then, pumps continue to gush, and don't let up. After a bit, the boat is hauled, and goes back in the sheds for some work.
Even though most wooden boats store over gravel or moist dirt floors, wood shrinks quite a bit over the dry winter months. When many of the old woodies are lowered into the water in the spring, they leak like sieves!
It can be quite alarming to see the pumps begin to gush with water seconds after the planks sink.
The crew that works on them aren't concerned. At least not for a while. Generally, the huge flow tapers off in an hour or so.
Then the next day, the pumps stop running,...usually. Every now and then, pumps continue to gush, and don't let up. After a bit, the boat is hauled, and goes back in the sheds for some work.