Water in Bilge

[RobertB]

Last weekend we motored from Point Lookout across the Chesapeake Bay to Smith Island. The going was rough with 2 to 3 foot swells. After returning home at the end of the weekend, I found about 2 gallons of water distributed in all areas of the bilge. I checked fresh water system and sink drain - no apparent leaks. The water is also salty. We had some spray dripping down from the companionway hatch but I cannot believe it amounted to much. We also did not have any rain.

Ideas on where the water comes in? I am wondering about the rudder posts (do not see any packing sealing this area).

Note, if planning on visiting Smith Island, beware that as the locals stated - "The island closes at 4 [PM]", and this was on a Saturday night!

[ChuckieTodd]

Ideas on where the water comes in? I am wondering about the rudder posts (do not see any packing sealing this area).

I've wondered about this as well. We have two pipes essentially open from the sea into the hull. They extend well above the waterline but nonetheless they are there. I can't see any way to seal them as they have a line run through them for locking the rudder down.

[Russ]

I'd check where the steering linkage goes through the hull in the motor well. Stuff gets in there easily.

[NiceAft]

That is what I was leaning towards also.

Ray

[Highlander]

salty Eh check the head base for leaks ! "split open " !

J

[RobertB]

I looked at the rudder pipes again, it looks like one could install some flexible tubing on the top of the rudder pipes and run this up into the fiberglass shell above to extend the pipes.

As far as the rudder linkage, this can leak but does not have the large opening as the rudder pipes do. Could be sealed with a flexible boot.

[mastreb]

I've not had any water problems with the rudder lines, but I've always been skeptical of the design. Seems like the entire loop could have been run outside the stern with just a down-haul hook where the line through-hull is.

[Phantom]

You may want to check to make sure everything is sealed up tight with your water ballast.
I had water issues with my about 3 months ago because the ballast tank was letting water into the boat. I keep my boat moored and one day I went to go out and had about 200 gallons sitting in the bilge. Luckily nothing stored there at the time so nothing got damaged. I sucked it all out with a shop vac. I tightened everything up with the ballast and everything now is dry as a bone for the last 3 months. Could explain why the water would be salty if ballast coming into the boat through ballast tank and draining into the bilge.

[RobertB]

How was the water getting from the ballast tank to the bilge? Was it from the vent hole or did you have a leak?

[Phantom]

Was coming from the vent hole. Vent hole wasn't tightened enough.
On my boat it is located under a removable step. I am not really familiar enough with the to know where its vent hole is located but that is how so much water got into my boat. We sucked up all of the water with the shop vac and then laid out newspaper all over inside the bilge to figure out where the leak was coming from.

[ronacarme]

Water enters the bilge of our X when we sail in windy, wavy conditions (not flat water). I suspect leakage into the boat past the the trailering eye on the bow and/or the bolts mounting the rudder brackets on the transom, both of which repeatedly submerge in those conditions. The amount of water ingress is minor (a gallon or 2 at max,so I have not yet checked to see a need to tighten or re-bed those fittings.
With the boat slipped, the bilge gradually dries out (we have a solar powered bilge fan which is on in daylight).When it rains, a tiny bit of water enters past of the chain plates and/or rubrail.
Ron

[Craig LaForce]

sink drain thruhulls?

[Benmcgov]

I've had similar issues with my but have yet to find the cause. It isn't much water but it is still very annoying. I have a lot of that 3m marine sealant and the next day I get off I plan on sealing all of my fittings. Hope it works!

Have you done a simple water test yet. Just have someone spray water on the boat in a concentrated area and then move to the next area.

Ben

[Doug W]

The final evening on the Gulf side of Florida, I found water in the bilge area on both sides, pooled where the two seat compartments are on each side of the companionway ladder.

When putting the boat in at Navarre Ramp, wind/tide/current was actually flowing water into the engine well. I'm assuming that water bubbled up through the rudder line pipes. I pulled out about 2 quarts of sea water with the shop vac. This was the first time I've had any sort of water in the bilge area but also the first time I had it angled in the water at the ramp with water being pushed around the motor to the motor well.

...Doug
http://starsloop.blogspot.com