Vagabond 17ft.

[Peter Schneider]

Any Vagabond owners out there? I have a 17 ft Vagabond and like the way it handles and how well it sails. Problem Im having is after a day on the water it has taken on more water under deck then I feel comfortable with. I have tried putting water in the boat to see if there are any holes that Im not aware of, nothing drained out, wondering if anyone has any ideas.

 

[jssailem]

Your Vagabond 17 sounds like a sweet boat.

Clearly you understand the first rule of a boat. Water must stay outside of the boat.
So many boats of this structure and age can develop cracks, holes, separation of joints, hardware bedding issues which allows water to violate rule number 1.

Tracking down such problems is a process of elimination. Slow and tedious.

You state that it happens “after a day on the water”. What were the conditions like?

• Calm and motoring
• Light breezes tacking back and forth small ripples
• Blowing sno, waves crashing over the bow. Exhilarating

Does it happen when you first put the boat in off the trailer or gradually over a long time period?

Are any stopper plug’s missing?
Does water splash up the centerboard?
Does it happen when you are sailing flat or heeling over 20 degrees?

I know this sounds like 20 questions. This is the nature of the beast.

 

[Peter Schneider]

Thank you for the info, I suspect it will be a bit of a challenge to find the leak, not enough to keep me off the water but annoying none the less. I have a 300 lb keel that gets lowered, I’m thinking it could be something in that area. With regard to your questions I think I have been through all of them and the water in the boat seems to be about the same amt regardless of the conditions.
thanks again appreciate it. Peter

 

[jssailem]

My 15ft Montgomery would splash water upon the through the center board housing in rough seas. I installed two strips of rubber on the keel that closed some of the open space between the keel and the center board. Helped to mitigate the splash when the center board was up or down.