Anchor locker leak Oday 39

Opus39

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Apr 30, 2015
6
ODay 39 Cataumet, MA
Its been awhile since I have posted here. I have a 1983 Oday 39, great boat. For the past few years I have been chasing a leak and finally found it in my anchor locker. In 2008, I hit a something about 20nm southwest of Block Island on my way to FL. Had some extensive work done on the bow and anchor locker. It appears that the fiberglass guys left a cavity at the base of the anchor locker below the drain/weep holes. Over time this water froze when on the hard for the winter and tore the tabbing from the hull creating a porous area where the anchor locker water drained into the bilge. Ok, now I have found it I need to repair this. My idea is to fill the cavity with marine closed cell spray foam, then install a fiberglass shelf at the level of the drain holes which are pretty deep in the locker. Did anyone have this problem and fix it or any ideas on whether this is a good idea or not? Otherwise the boat is solid, lotsa updates, great sailer.
 

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May 6, 2010
472
1984 Oday 39 79 Milwaukee
From your description it sounds like your idea would work. I'm not a fan of spray foam on a boat and would probably opt for an epoxy coated piece of plywood glassed over, but that's just me. Do you plan to repair the tabbing? I notice on our 39 the anchor locker drains are little higher than the bottom of the locker also. Have noticed too the huge cockpit lazarettes have no limber holes to the bilge which seems odd, but is easily changed.
 

Opus39

.
Apr 30, 2015
6
ODay 39 Cataumet, MA
From your description it sounds like your idea would work. I'm not a fan of spray foam on a boat and would probably opt for an epoxy coated piece of plywood glassed over, but that's just me. Do you plan to repair the tabbing? I notice on our 39 the anchor locker drains are little higher than the bottom of the locker also. Have noticed too the huge cockpit lazarettes have no limber holes to the bilge which seems odd, but is easily changed.
I, too, am not a fan of spray foam but would prefer to fill the cavity so that if water does collect there, its a minimal amount. I am planning to fiberglass a shelf just under the drain holes which would make the locker somewhat water tight. I am looking at how to raise the center of the new shelf so that water drains into the holes, somewhat like a shower stall but will have to explore that with the fbg repairer. I do worry that the locker is so deep, in a rough sea it could fill and the drain holes are not sufficient to clear the locker, then the water will come into the main cabin as I cant make it watertight what with numerous wires leading back to the cabin.

My cockpit lockers have a drain hole in the forward section but it easily gets clogged with debris. In my almost 20 years of owning this boat, i have had no water find its way into the lazarrettes.
Thanks for the note.