There are a couple of cabin lockers under the settee in my 1981 Hunter 22 that are part of the molded fiberglass cabin liner and do not drain to the "bilge" or keel trunk. They occasionally get some puddles in the bottom, because I have some minor leaks around the toe rail that I have not fixed yet. IS THERE any good reason why I should not just drill a drainage hole in each, for the time being, so the lockers stay dry?
Drill Drainage hole in cabin lockers?
- Thread starter newsailor130
- Start date
Seems like a good idea to me.
I installed some of these in the V-berth locker of my previous boat.
They are only $2 at walmart and allow a little air to pass between. Really helped keep the funk out of the locker.
I installed some of these in the V-berth locker of my previous boat.
They are only $2 at walmart and allow a little air to pass between. Really helped keep the funk out of the locker.
I asked some old timers this question after buying my first sailboat. Several told me I should not drill holes to drain the stowage compartments because keeping the compartments separate would be good in the event of the hull being breached.
I tend to think such separation would be of minimal value in the event your hull is punctured as water would flow pretty quickly over the tops of the lockers anyway and the likelihood of a small boat experiencing a hull breach in which such compartmentalization would make any difference is minuscule to the point of being hard to even imagine whereas the risk to the crew's health and comfort from mold/mildew caused by trapped water (not to mention the annoyance of soggy gear) is significant.
So I drilled drainage holes from stowages to bilge on that boat and never regretted the decision. Putting on vents or anything that will allow air to circulate through the stowage areas will also help keep them dry inside.
I tend to think such separation would be of minimal value in the event your hull is punctured as water would flow pretty quickly over the tops of the lockers anyway and the likelihood of a small boat experiencing a hull breach in which such compartmentalization would make any difference is minuscule to the point of being hard to even imagine whereas the risk to the crew's health and comfort from mold/mildew caused by trapped water (not to mention the annoyance of soggy gear) is significant.
So I drilled drainage holes from stowages to bilge on that boat and never regretted the decision. Putting on vents or anything that will allow air to circulate through the stowage areas will also help keep them dry inside.
you are asking if you should just drill some holes to drain the water out of where the water shouldnt be, rather than fixing the leak so the water cant get there????... the answer is no. fix the leak.
the holes in the liner prevent the bilge stink and moisture from rising from it into the boat, AND, it if the bilge does get an abundence of water into it before being pumped down, it will keep the inside of the cabin space dry....
I knowingly have a small leak at the rubrail on my 25. it leaks into the bilge.....I had it setting on the trailer in the yard uncovered, and after 4 months of winter rain, I had to go into the boat for something, and found that below the liner it was FULL of water, and was beginning to overflow out of the swing keel hole into the interior, and had about a half inch of standing water in the companionway/aisle.
if I would of had drain holes in the liner, the water would have been 6 inches deeper throughout. and would have gotten into the interior much earlier, and so would have been in the interior for a much longer time.... I pumped it all out and placed fans in the cabin, and escaped without any mold.mildew, rot or ruined gear....
im certain if the interior would have been exposed to the standing water for a longer period of time, the interior would have been trashed...
and in your case, if the leak it getting into the occupancy space of the boat, it needs to be fixed anyway.... there is no good reason to wait until after you drill the hole, but every reason to do it before....
but it IS your boat, so you can do it however YOU want to do it
the holes in the liner prevent the bilge stink and moisture from rising from it into the boat, AND, it if the bilge does get an abundence of water into it before being pumped down, it will keep the inside of the cabin space dry....
I knowingly have a small leak at the rubrail on my 25. it leaks into the bilge.....I had it setting on the trailer in the yard uncovered, and after 4 months of winter rain, I had to go into the boat for something, and found that below the liner it was FULL of water, and was beginning to overflow out of the swing keel hole into the interior, and had about a half inch of standing water in the companionway/aisle.
if I would of had drain holes in the liner, the water would have been 6 inches deeper throughout. and would have gotten into the interior much earlier, and so would have been in the interior for a much longer time.... I pumped it all out and placed fans in the cabin, and escaped without any mold.mildew, rot or ruined gear....
im certain if the interior would have been exposed to the standing water for a longer period of time, the interior would have been trashed...
and in your case, if the leak it getting into the occupancy space of the boat, it needs to be fixed anyway.... there is no good reason to wait until after you drill the hole, but every reason to do it before....
but it IS your boat, so you can do it however YOU want to do it
Please take and post a photo of the cockpit over the lockers inside. You need to figure out the source of water before you do anything. Finding leaks with a hose or sitting in the cabin when it is raining can be difficult. As a dealer, I use to close up the boat placing tape over the hatches and then one piece of large plastic over the companionway of couse taping it down. Then put a small slit into the plastic, inserted a leaf blower and taped the plastic around it. With it running your are pressuring the cabin so air has to escape out. Have someone on the deck to start brushing with soapy water and look for the air bubbles escaping from the rub rail, screws, fittings and so on. Generally where the air bubbles appeared were the source of leaks.
Thanks for the expert advice, as always, Crazy Dave. I know exactly where the water is coming in, it is around the toe rail and stanchions. I know I should stop the leaks, but it is going to take a while to get around to that.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,923
A temporary fix, try plumbers putty. This is for deck leaks nothing below the water line and only a temporary stop gap till you can fix the issue.
I found that the new no stain putty helps. I found a fixed port light with a window seal that let's water on the aluminum trim wick into the boat. I pluged up the trim with the putty till I can get to the boat and repair the window. It has worked for two weeks. Looking for a dry period that I can make a trip to the boat to remove the window seal the glass and rebed the frame. Till then the putty has stopped the leak.
I found that the new no stain putty helps. I found a fixed port light with a window seal that let's water on the aluminum trim wick into the boat. I pluged up the trim with the putty till I can get to the boat and repair the window. It has worked for two weeks. Looking for a dry period that I can make a trip to the boat to remove the window seal the glass and rebed the frame. Till then the putty has stopped the leak.