Salt water leak

Apr 2, 2018
8
Catalina 309 Morro Bay
Hello all,
I'm having a leak issue with my Catalina 309, 2006 hull number 90. I have sea water collecting in my bilge, several gallons a day, and can't find the source. I believe I have narrowed the leak area down to some where under the galley. Of course this area is very inaccessible. I can just get a finger into there from the access in front of the engine and from the cockpit locker. I have checked all the through hulls and they seem to be fine and I don't have a leak at the prop shaft. As far as I can tell there aren't any through hulls in this area, and I haven't taken any hard hits in the hull. I'm sure this is sea water, as I have tasted it and have drained the whole fresh water system.
Thank you all for your time.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,993
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Do you have a sink that drains through a thru hull? Are all of the hose clamps on the thru hulls tight?
Has the boat been sitting or sailed and picked up some deck splash that has found it's way to your bilge?
From this end, no pictures we are just guessing in the dark.
As far as I can tell there aren't any through hulls in this area
Are there weep holes (limber holes) that let water move from other areas into this bilge area?
 
Jun 4, 2009
92
Catalina 309 Swantown Marina Olympia, WA
You do have a seacock in the area of the prop shaft for the seawater intake for the engine. Check the seawater filter and hoses for leaks Also check the freshwater connections just under the the hatch stairs. These are there to drain the pressure water system and sometimes leak with the cheap fittings that Catalina used on 2006 models.
 
Apr 2, 2018
8
Catalina 309 Morro Bay
None of the sea cocks are leaking and I have a dripless shaft seal. This has been going on for several months. I just didn't realize the extent of the problem till I forgot to leave the auto bilge pump on for a few days. It is not the sink drain or any part of the fresh water system, as there is no fresh water on board.
 
Apr 13, 2015
156
Catalina 309 Port Charlotte
FarAway, I had a similar situation in my 309. Turned out to be the rudder tube was leaking at the top where the packing gland is and only when at cruise or high engine rpms. It was not the packing actually leaking, but the sealant gluing the gland to the top of the tube. This put water into the V shaped recess at the bottom of the tube. And most importantly, the bottom couple inches of fuel tank was sitting in stagnant water. (Ended up with a pin-hole leak which needed to be welded.). In addition I kept finding water under the galley.

I had a thread here somewhere with pics. When I get on a computer, I'll see if I can find it.

Good luck!

Dave
 
Dec 15, 2012
22
Catalina 309 Boston
Check water hoses from the engine, especially the hose that exits the heat exchanger. It is bent in such a way that over time it forms cracks that will leak seawater. It runs upward from the exchanger and then down towards the transmission and then through the bulkhead into the poet side cockpit locker.