Anyone else with a MAC 26X have this leak?

tjinca1 · Post by **tjinca1** » Thu May 10, 2007 3:48 pm

I've owned my 2001 26x for a month or so, and just found water that I'm sure wasn't there before, under the sink, which attaches to the area where the water bag for the sink is stored. There is no water in the water bag, and never has been, so i know it isn't from that. I'm wondering if my balast is leaking inside??? Anyone else have this happen, or have any suggestions how to check it out? Thanks for the help!

sailfish02 · Post by **sailfish02** » Thu May 10, 2007 4:12 pm

I think it's the windows, as I have had water on both sides in the bilge. When the boat is covered in the fall, winter, spring....no wet bilge. When the boat is in the marina, the only time the bilge is wet is when it rains. Some say it's the screw holes not sealed and that's a good start. I believe the hull itself it pretty tight.

I'm replacing the windows, because they're beatup, and the forward (v-berth) windows pushed right out when the screws were removed. After inspecting the calk, (where the dirt was) I could see that they were leaking there a lot.

Once the water gets in the window openings, it gets between the hull and the interior liner and can wind up anywhere.

I would use the old roofers trick and try a small sprinkler on each suspect spot. let the sprinkler run awhile before you move it.

tjinca1 · Post by **tjinca1** » Thu May 10, 2007 4:25 pm

I'll try that, thanks. But it seems like a lot of water for sunny San Diego. Maybe it's from when I hose her off (that's what she said!)

Moe · Post by **Moe** » Thu May 10, 2007 6:52 pm

Any Mac 26X owner who doesn't proactively reseal the chainplates is going to eventually see water under them.

Water under the galley can also be from a poor seal of the sink drain hose to the through-hull on a starboard tack.

Craig LaForce · Post by **Craig LaForce** » Thu May 10, 2007 8:43 pm

My sink drain hose was leaking a lot. I repaired it at the slip. Just put a bunch of wieght on the starboard side, then cut the hose off the fiberglass tube, cleaned off the old 5200, put new goop on and reattached the hose. If it has not rained and you are getting water, this is highly likely the source. I had the rubber cork handy just in case.

Also the Perko deck fitting for the mast had a leak. this would travel down the liner and show up as a drip just forward of the chainplate. Just pop all of those plastic bolt access covers and spray the deck with a hose while looking in the holes for drips.

Ballast is the last thing I would suspect leaking.

Bobby T.-26X #4767 · Post by **Bobby T.-26X #4767** » Thu May 10, 2007 10:12 pm

my water bags develop leaks occasionally from the chafing against the raw fiberglass.
i just throw away and purchase new at WalMart.

Bob T.
"DāBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI (14" x 11 pitch)
Dinghy Motor: '06 2.5-Suzuki

Duane Dunn, Allegro · Post by **Duane Dunn, Allegro** » Fri May 11, 2007 9:52 am

I switched to hard 5 gallon coleman water tanks to avoid the chafe problems.

Moe · Post by **Moe** » Fri May 11, 2007 9:58 am

I sat ours in dishpans to avoid the chafe problem.

Sloop John B · Post by **Sloop John B** » Fri May 11, 2007 11:42 am

Also taste the water to see if it's salty or not, or if your portapottie might be leaking.

tjinca1 · Post by **tjinca1** » Fri May 11, 2007 1:21 pm

Craig LaForce wrote:My sink drain hose was leaking a lot. I repaired it at the slip. Just put a bunch of wieght on the starboard side, then cut the hose off the fiberglass tube, cleaned off the old 5200, put new goop on and reattached the hose. If it has not rained and you are getting water, this is highly likely the source. I had the rubber cork handy just in case.

Also the Perko deck fitting for the mast had a leak. this would travel down the liner and show up as a drip just forward of the chainplate. Just pop all of those plastic bolt access covers and spray the deck with a hose while looking in the holes for drips.

Ballast is the last thing I would suspect leaking.

If sink drain hose is leaking, would it be leaking inside from the water outside (that I spray onto the boat), or would it only leak if I'm using the sink? I haven't filled the water bag up yet, so I haven't used the sink...

tjinca1 · Post by **tjinca1** » Fri May 11, 2007 1:22 pm

Sloop John B wrote:Also taste the water to see if it's salty or not, or if your portapottie might be leaking.

John, can you come over and taste that water for me to see if it's a leaky portapottie?

LOUIS B HOLUB · Post by **LOUIS B HOLUB** » Mon May 14, 2007 2:23 pm

Sloop John B wrote:Also taste the water to see if it's salty or not, or if your portapottie might be leaking.

...tasting to test if its Porta Pottie

(thats what the nose is for

)

tjinca1 · Post by **tjinca1** » Mon May 14, 2007 4:48 pm

Well, I tasted the water, and it was salt. Now I have no idea... Ballast leaking in, a hole somewhere? I didn't see one in the side. there is no additional water, so maybe when I'm sailing it's coming in? I haven't sailed since, so I don't know. I'm at a loss - don't want to sink!

LOUIS B HOLUB · Post by **LOUIS B HOLUB** » Mon May 14, 2007 5:01 pm

Possibly the sink drain hose connection may be loose, and the boat could be taking in water when heeled.

Moe · Post by **Moe** » Mon May 14, 2007 5:58 pm

When you are on a starboard tack (the wind coming from the right side of the boat as you're looking forward), the boat heels (leans) to port (the left side where the galley sink drain through-hull (drain hole) is). The through-hull can go underwater and saltwater then comes up into the galley sink drain hose. If the hose is not well sealed to the through-hull, saltwater can leak into the bilge below the galley.

MacGregorSailors.com

MacGregorSailors.com

Anyone else with a MAC 26X have this leak?

Anyone else with a MAC 26X have this leak?

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