Hi! New owner here!

[thefish]

Hi everyone,
I may have posted here last year, but couldn't find my account. So either here I am again, or not.

Purchased a H23 3 years ago, taught myself to sail it on out lake here, and love it.

Have a few questions for you hunter owners out there.

1. Cabin Sole (I think its the Sole) water. The first 2 summers I had the boat, I don't recall any water under the wooden floor plates that cover the keel bolts. This summer (boat just went into the water last week), there is water in there. It's NOT coming from the keel bolts. its weeping in from the little holes that connect the 3 compartments together. There is not water anywhere else in the cabin. not is the anchor locker, not under the benches, not in the compartment in the vberth. Its not much water, but its water...

Thoughts?

2. Is there any magic number as to how low the boom sits? If I set the boom so it clears my head when sitting (i'm 5'9"), there seems to be a lot of "flop" sorry, I don't know the technical term, on the leech of the main sail. I can lower the topping lift so its tighter, but the boom hangs so low, that its dangerous.

As far as I know, its the orig mast, boom, and sail. The forestay is as tight as it can be, and the mast sits proper.

I know a pic is worth a thousand words, so here are a few.

thanks in advance. Love the forum.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Old said stretch which could contribute to that problem. Simple solution if it's in good shape is to have it re-cut. The topping lift should always be loose under sail.

Re the water, lots of people sprinkle baby powder around to trace water leaks

 

[thefish]

Thanks for the quick reply Don,
That makes sense on the sail.

On the baby powder, I guess I don't see how that would work.

Sprinkle it in the cabin floor, and see if it comes out in the water?

 

[isaksp00]

My 23 has some water in that "bilge" area above the keel when I first launch it, and takes some time to stop seeping out of the limber holes as I sop it up. I suspect it gets in there due to the angle while sitting on the trailer. Once I dry it out and it is on the lake it tends to stay pretty dry, so I have never tried to figure out how it gets in.
The boom does look very low in your photo, but that is with the sail lowered. You should be able to use the topping lift to get it level. If it hangs too low with the main raised and the topping lift loosened, make sure the sail is fully raised (the luff is tight). If the sail does not support it more or less horizontally you may need it recut or a new sail.

 

[thefish]

Thanks isaksp00,
The photo with the sail lowered was from last year, and was too low to sail it like that. I'm not sure why it was so low that day, maybe the topping lift slipped (the topping lift is the wrong diameter line and slips unless under load, I have a knot in it so it dosent hit the deck. something to fix this year maybe)

On the other photo, with the boom about horizontal I guess, there was probably 6" clearance for my head. to get the boom horizontal or so, the topping lift was holding the boom up, not the sail leech (the photo looing up at the mast). that was from this afternoon. But if I was to let the boom be held by the leech, its really low. I'm guessing now, as Don said, its sail stretch. I may see how much it will be to have it recut. It's in pretty good shape by my limited knowledge. seems crisp.

The first thing I checked was that it was all the way up. It was, I even winched it a little, and checked the tack. it was tight.

Yes, it weeps in from the limber holes. I sponged it out, came back, slowly. I'll sponge it out again and see what happens over a week or so.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Due to design water gets trapped under the floor boards and one problem area has been the anchor locker drain hose might be loose. There is a triangular bird screwed in place in the V berth which will give access under the anchor locker. FYI your mast is a Z Spsr for future reference that parts are accessible thru the forum store and US Spars

 

[thefish]

I did check the anchor locker hose. And i'll look for this other hatch. I did check the one by the head,
I emailed you guys for some parts that were not listed on the website, fri night. as soon as I get a reply, i'll have an order in.
Thanks!

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Just a former dealer helping out not related to SBO but a supporter of SBO

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

You could close hatches and taping over seals and then taping large piece of plastic over entire companionway with a small slit in it to insert a leaf blower. Tape that slit. Turn on leaf blower to pressurize cabin. Second person with a bucket of soapy water with brush needs to brush every fitting and rub rail and where you see air bubbles coming out, possible leak. One other culprit place to look are the cover plates screwed down over shroud chain plates.

 

[jwing]

...
On the other photo, with the boom about horizontal I guess, there was probably 6" clearance for my head. to get the boom horizontal or so, the topping lift was holding the boom up, ..
The first thing I checked was that it was all the way up. It was, I even winched it a little, and checked the tack. it was tight.
...

Based on the photo in your Post #1, I'm guessing that the sail is not all the way up. The luff may be tight, but the sail head is not even close to the masthead. I recommend that you figure out why your sail is not going all the way up. My boat had the same problem until I got the slugs and track coated with a silicone dry lube.

Once you get the sail head all the way up, then you can use a downhaul or cunningham to put more tension on the halyard. You should install a boom vang if you don't have one.

The topping lift should, in general, not be used to support the boom while sailing. The only exception that I know of is to induce a belly when the wind is very light.

 

[thefish]

thanks jwing.
The sail was tight at the tack, but I see what you are saying. I'll get some drylube and give that a shot too.

 

[isaksp00]

A recommendation for your topping lift: the line from the boom looks rather large (diameter). Looks like you have a shackle tied to the line from the mast crane. Consider using a thinner line through the boom, routed in over the jam cleat at the front, through the boom, out the aft end of the boom under the sheave, up to that shackle, through it and back down to the boom, tied off to the fitting where the sheaves are. That gives you 2 to 1 mechanical advantage when lifting the boom
Also leaves it easy to detach the boom without removing the topping lift line from inside the boom as you just untie from the boom-end fitting and pull out of the shackle. If needed, add a small swivel block to the shackle and you can also shorten the line attached to the crane if you want the boom to go even higher.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

How are you attaching the mainsail to the goose neck?

 

[isaksp00]

FYI, Dave, there's a photo of the gooseneck in message #5. That is exactly how mine looks. And for what it's worth, my head does not go all the way to the sheave - it looks more or less like the photo up top, though it is hard to see the top of the sail clearly. My boom is about horizontal when the sail is raised, and I loosen the topping lift (well, if I remember!).

 

[isaksp00]

I also just noticed you have the ramshead fitting at the fore end of the boom hanging down, and are using it to hang lines. It should be pointing up, if you want to reef. The luff reef cringles attach to the hook, but it has to be positioned so the open end of the hook part points down. Of course, if you don't ever reef, it doesn't matter.

 

[GGordonWoody]

As a beginner, I can recommend never untying the topping lift once the sails are up. If someone decides to "drop the main" in a hurry, someone else might get bonked on the head. Just sayin'. With help from @isaksp00, I can raise and lower mine standing in the cockpit, and even at the mast, without fussing with knots. Good luck.