Hunter 260 - Big Problems - Water Ballast?

Kermit · Sep 23, 2017

There's no need to fear. @Crazy Dave Condon is here!

I'd pull it immediately and ask questions later.

Jackdaw · Sep 23, 2017

5 inches of water? Holy crap!

Put some swimming pool dye in the tank. You’ll know where it’s coming from right away.

twalker H260 · Sep 23, 2017

A few places I have had issues in the past -thru hull/valve in head - check if you have loose clamps or thru hull, cracked valve, hole in hose. Water tank and lines - hunter uses a push on style connectors - due to low pressure in the system and vibration these connectors can become loose/disconnect. Also check for the gaskets/seals at the tower for opening and closing the ballast tank - both around the threaded rod and the 1" vent plug.

Other possible locations include the top of the tower under the table that the mast compression post sits on, thru hull sensor location - depth/speed and the deck/hull joint at the stern

I would think the ballast tank would be fairly unlikely - the water around the wood insert is likely just squishing out from underneath. - the wood just sits in a flat area on the top of the ballast tank.

Image of tank top available here.

http://www.marlow-hunter.com/wp-content/themes/marlowhunter/export/Model-Information/260_1997_2005/260 Water Ballast Lid.jpg

Benny17441 · Sep 23, 2017

He said he had a porta-poty. Yes put some dye into the ballast tank and see where it surfaces.

Crazy Dave Condon · Sep 24, 2017

First I cannot tell for sure if he has a porta poti or marine head. That needs to be clarified first. If it is a marine head, first thing is to shut valve off.
As for the floor in the main salon or cabin, it sits off a recessed portion of the fiberglass floor. If water gets in there, it will collect under the floor and squish out unless a bozo put some type of opening port or deck plate(sorry but forgot the wrong term) where the floor is wood laminiate ..
Not sure if the water is coming from the transom where the hull to deck joint meet where the marine putty has aged and given way. Not sure if this is the first time the new owner has taken the boat out.

Where the compression post comes down not knowing the year of the boat or if it is a 26 vs 260, there are two small screwholes that a #10 bolt goes into about several inches above the base of the compression post mount/base that the compression post sits into it. One in front and one is behind but difficult to see. Will leak there if the holes are present with no screws.

Could you have forgotten to put the drain bail plug into the air vent hole under neath the step? In addition, did you tighten the wing nut closing off the ballast tank entry and by the way it should have a neophrene gasket under the large washer the wing nut that tightens that up?

Are there any thru hulls of any kind for example knot meter and so on? I am looking for looseness.

Was the water only on the main salon floor?

Could you tell if fresh or salt water. Possible a leak from the fresh water tank located up forward via fittings?

I know this is a dumb question, was the companion way open and it rained allowing water into the boat?

When trying to figure this out, I use to get folks on board to stand in the back of the cockpit to see if water comeing from the transom area but if you are sleeping in the rear berth and no water but only in the main salon or cabin floor, then I have to look another way. As for the tank, when full, you can actually stick your finger thru the vent and you can put your finger thru it and feel the water as the tank is designed to fill up to a point two inches below that vent. If one forgets to close that off water comes up thru it and onto the top of the tank underneath and into the bilge, not the main cabin floor.

You have a tank lid that is secured to the hull for the ballast tank. Then there is a main floor pan that sits on top. Did you hit hard on anything?

I think a serious chat with @Tyler Rippel is in order. Therefore, send me your contact information immediately via forum email only. Never post personal information on this forum

FOLKS, BEFORE ANSWERING ANY MORE OR PROVIDING IMPUT, I NEED TO APPROACH THIS ON AN INVESTIGATIVE STANDPOINT AND WILL GET BACK AS TO WHAT MAY HAVE OCCURED. OK TYLER RIPPEL, SEND ME YOUR INFORMATION. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHO I AM BUT KERMIT SENT ME A PRIVATE EMAIL TO RESPOND. HOWEVER, I NEED MORE INFORMATION AND NEED TO DEAL DIRECT TO YOU.

CRAZY DAVE CONDON

justsomeguy · Sep 24, 2017

Crazy Dave Condon said:
First I cannot tell for sure if he has a porta poti or marine head.

The guy wrote "chemical toilet", indicating a porta-potti.

Crazy Dave Condon said:
unless a bozo put some type of opening port or deck plate(sorry but forgot the wrong term)

I think "bozo" would be the correct term.

Crazy Dave Condon said:
Could you tell if fresh or salt water.

The guy's in Ohio, far as I can tell.

iangraham · Sep 24, 2017

Hello US cousins, I'm thinking of buying a 260 here in the UK with the same cabin floor has inches of water whilst stationary. Boat to be sold as seen. Boat isn't on the water asked the seller if it could be put on the water overnight to check integrity but the yard want £100 fee. Its not leaking from above been stood on trailer in heavy rain. Seller said it had inches of cabin water for no apparent reason. He got the yard to fill the tank with water on its trailer. They left the water in there for months it didnt seem to leak. Does the wood laminate floor lift easily to look for leaks underneath. Leaks are going to be more apparent on the water with full tank and crew weighting it down. I under stand the compression post leak but this wouldn't effext a staionery boat. Loving this informative forum u guys run.

Meriachee · Sep 24, 2017

Leaks are more often from above, things like chain plates are capable of letting in gallons of water and hiding the evidence. On a mac26 you could see 6" of water in the sides after a rainstorm and not any indication of where it came from. That's a place to start.

twalker H260 · Sep 24, 2017

Thru hull in the head I was referring to is the drain for the sink- you should check the galley valve/thru hull as well if it is below the water line. I have chemical style head as well. Valve had developed crack in side of valve body due to a bit if water remaining in body over winter and freezing. this was discovered as water in the head cabinet - but it also went forward under the settees and around to the galley cabinets. - no water in bilge area.

Ian - if boat is only getting water standing on floor but not in bilge area at stern it could still be water from above - boat sitting on trailer is likely sitting on different lines than she does in the water - should be tilted so stern is lower than bow. In water I used to get rain water running forward on plastic slider, going under the wood stop rail and dripping off the forward edge and around the screw holes. Removing slider and rebedding the stop cured that issue.

I also find that when boat is in the water I get rain water coming down the compression post from the mast step area at the top of the cabin. This rarely happens when on the hard.

Drew13440 · Sep 24, 2017

Crazy Dave will sort out the OP. Ian's problem is different. A 260 on the hard with water on the cabin floor can really only come from rain. Negotiate a leaky boat discount and buy it. 'Twon't be hard to find and fix the leak.

Crazy Dave Condon · Sep 25, 2017

I have heard chemical head being referred to both so much over the years, I choose to ask questions in order to properly investigate and be able to give an intelligent conclusion most times trying to work closer with the owner. Until he responds and advises me what I have asked for paticurlarly a phone number so I can get to this issue quicker, not much to say. For the record, this boat was my child all the way thru from inception till it's demise as I was involved with that project, sold many not to mention the largest dealer plus the fact I physically worked on them and advised often how to repair to Hunter which I see in their description of repairs. Not trying to take credit but to let this owner know who I am. So far, no response.

@iangraham The boat on the hard. As for water in the cabin on the floor, one of two primary things may be occurring since you advised it is on the hard. One is if the boat is not level to include on the trailer with the ground and the tip of the boat is down ( probably the trailer tongue is down too far) , water will flow down the drip rail and onto the floor. The second would be the lexan companionway. The wooden stopper is screwed into place on the rear on top of that slider and probably the caulk has worn out over the years requiring removal of the slider hatch lexan only (2 man job for safety reasons) taking off that wood teak cleaning off the old caulk and then putting a bead down the entire length of that board and around each screw hole. When inserting the screws, put caulk there too... Please no 5200 or 4200 there. Silicon suggested. Do not use acetone either only alcohol as we are dealing with plastics. As for the floor, it is glued into place onto a recessed area of the deck pan with a pure silicon bead around the lip of the floor so water cannot get underneath. If it has and it has been years, a new floor is suggested if soft and mushy.
As for testing for any leaks via hull, suggest it goes into the water. Not sure if the boat is on stands or a trailer. You can purchase a companion way cover that snaps over the companionway to deflect water. If there is a camper top, order it without the snaps in place but to send those as you would want to put them on matching them to those already there for the camper top plus you may have to add some.

Folks again let the original poster advise or at least a phone number to me before responding any further. I will report back if so and what is going on.

iangraham · Sep 25, 2017

thks for the replies but I didn't express myself well. The 260 I'm looking at is dry on its trailer but the seller let slip it had inches of water in the cabin last time it was on the water for no apparent reason.
Getting more info out of the seller is hard. He took it off the water and it hasnt been on since so buyer beware there is a big leak to fix. Hence I thought I would ask to refloat to see if it starts shipping water. Can the cabin floor boards be lifted to eyeball leak source?

Doug J · Sep 25, 2017

Tyler,
How long was the boat in the water prior to midnight?
You said; "it seems to have stabilized/stopped for the time being". Did you pull the boat out of the water right after that? Or was it in the water for some considerable time after and no more water accumulation? Sounds like the boat is still in the water, is that correct?

Since you are new to the boat and maybe water ballasted boats, it seems likely the ballast tank valve and plug may not have been tight.

Tell us more about the "chemical toilet". Is it a fully self contained porta pottie? Is it MSD? Is there a thru hull valve?

I'm really curious to learn the explanation for what happened. That's a lot of water, 4-5 inches in the cabin

How long did it take for the bilge pump to pump out all that water. At least you know it works good!

flynhi4u · Sep 25, 2017

We woke up one morning on our honeymoon with 4 inches of water on the floor of our H20 with this funny electric motor sound whirling away. Cindy asked what it was to which I dismissed as being someone in a dinghy. The dinghy was me, it was our float operated bilge pump running! Took us two hours of bailing to get it down to the point we could find the leak. Real bummer to wake up and watch your shoes go floating across the cabin floor...

Sam

Ron20324 · Sep 25, 2017

flynhi4u said:
...we could find the leak. Real bummer to wake up and watch your shoes go floating across the cabin floor...Sam

Don't keep us in suspense, man! What was the leak?

flynhi4u · Sep 26, 2017

Ron,
It wasn't what we thought it was and in the process of trying to find and fix the problem we created a new leak which is what caused us to wake up with 4 inches of water in the cabin. I and the guys at the marina learned the hard way that fast cure 5200 does not cure under water and you better wait the 24 hours for it to cure.
You can read all about it here

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/i...rt-but-one-and-it-bit-me.180902/#post-1317713

Sam

Crazy Dave Condon · Sep 26, 2017

@flynhi4u
Good morning young man but 5200 is a slow 7 day cure but permanent as some call it Satan's glue.
4200 is not permanent but cures much faster I think within 24 hours. Don't worry, even I have made mistakes assuming. Read the label next time like a pilot does. Had to throw that one in on you little rascal with a chuckle.

Ron20324 · Sep 26, 2017

flynhi4u said:
.... I and the guys at the marina learned the hard way that fast cure 5200 does not cure under water and you better wait the 24 hours for it to cure....

Ah-ha! The Pogo syndrome ... "We have met the enemy, and he is us." I'm sure the shoes needed to be washed anyway

flynhi4u · Sep 26, 2017

Well actually i did read the label but was assured that "We do this all the time". Well i know one time that it did not work!
Thanks Dave. I am the ofd ball who actually reads instructions LOL!

Sam