Mac26x leaky centerboard trunk

[Tom McCormack]

So, I read posts that I should fill the water ballast and pull the boat out of the water to check for leaks. This I did, and found no leaks EXCEPT that water was pouring out of my centerboard trunk and continued to do so until the water ballast was dry. I looked at the online Mac26x owners manual and noticed 3 valves into the ballast compartment. The main one on the transom, the air vent, and then one called the fill valve which I could not find on my boat. It supposedly sits in a recess of the bottom of the hull with a threaded bar running up to the top of the ballast tank and must be tightened down so it doesn't leak. I was hoping tightening that was the simple solution to my leaking problem. But, I cannot find it on my boat. Now, my boat is a 1999 Mac26x with the ballast vent up front under the V berth (unlike the diagram which showed it under the companion way step). So, is mine just a newer model that doesn't have a fill valve.

If so, then I apparently have a big leak in the centerboard trunk. How can I search for that leak? How dangerous is it to operate the boat with that leak? It just means the ballast tank is always filling and doesn't seem to affect the performance of the boat.

 

[Banner_IV]

Sounds like you have a hole in the bottom of your boat, just lucky it's into the ballast tank and not the cabin. If you can't find it visually after removing the swing keel (bolt under black plates in dinnette), I would close the gate valve and stick a garden hose in the vent hole at the v-berth.

I believe the threaded rod fill valve is on the 19X but definitely not on the 26X.

Wait what boat do you have??

 

[Jim26m]

Post some pictures of your ballast and vent arrangemants and centerboard trunk so we can address your question of what model boat you have.

Also, check your hull number. Check https://wadler.org/boat-mac/hullid.php

Sorry, if you have a leak in the ballast tank, the boat is not safe. You need to fix it. A partially full tank is dangerous. Additionally, when the boat is heeling, you will be losing ballast through the leak. The boat is very safe to sail with a full tank ONLY.

 

[Tom McCormack]

Thank you for this advice. I have a1999 Mac26x. Definately a leak in the centerboard trunk. No leaks show on any visible part of the hull. But water pours out when I pull the boat out of the water with the gate valve closed. I do not have a threaded valve. Just the gate valve on the transom and a vent hole forward under the V-birth. How would I access the centerboard trunk to check and repair. Once I drop the centerboard, will I have enough room to reach up into the trunk to effect a repair of the fiberglass?

 

[Jim26m]

Tom - tough to say without knowing how low the problem is, or how bad it is. Your description of "water pouring out" is not sounding like a small crack, so it should be fairly easy to find. That's actually good. If it's very near the hull - you may be able to get it from below - which would be fantastic. You may have to get the centerboard out of the way and get a better look. If you have access to a borescope, you might get a look without dropping the board - hard to say without looking at it.

How are your glassing skills? If you can glass, you can fix it. I watch another Mac forum and a guy had to cut a section of his liner out to get to an internal leak. He glassed it all back and you could hardly tell anything had been done.

I've reworked cosmetic damage around my dagger trunk that extended just inside of the trunk. You might want to go to harbor freight and get a cheap full face shield if you wind up getting it from below. None of it tastes good nor feels good in the eyes. If you have a big repair, some dripping is inevitable.

Step 1: figure out exactly where it is and how bad it is. That will dictate the repair approach.
Post pics and you may get some additional folks responding.
Just to verify; is this your arrangement?

 

[Tom McCormack]

Thank you. I'm going to drop the centerboard for a look. A cursory inspection looks like the centerboard pivot pin has been run right through the bottom edge of the centerboard trunk. If I'm right that may be an easy fix. It may be heard to drop the centerboard.

 

[Jim26m]

May be easier if you get it off of the trailer. You may have done this before, but if not, lower the tongue as low as you can and support the stern. Then raise the tongue as high as you can and support the front of the boat so that you can pull the trailer forward. You will have to repeat the bow raising at least one more time to clear the axle and rear of trailer. Your trailer may be configured to allow the board to drop. If so, even better.

Don't know if your centerboard is the heavy one, but if so, may want to use your floor jack to help support it. Get a 6-pack cold and call a buddy or two for some spare hands.

I hope it's just the pivot pin - looks like a likely suspect. Good luck!

 

[Tom McCormack]

My 26x is set up to drop the centernoard while still n the trailer. So, it should be easy to loosen the centerboard bracket by lose in the bolts going through the compression post to the bracket....right. the aft bolt spins freely so the nUT will not come off.

 

[Tom McCormack]

Any suggestions?

 

[Tom McCormack]

Ok. Used a grinder to cut a slot into the end of the bolt. Then used a crew drive in the slot to unscrew the bolt from the nut. So, the centerboard bracket souks new drop freely. Alas, it does not. And all the pulling in the world with a come along is not budging it. What am u missing?

 

[Tom McCormack]

Oops. I needed to study the plans more closely. I loseed the wrong bolt.

 

[Jim26m]

Yep - not connected at compression post. Oh well - tomorrow's another day. Hang in there.

 

[Tom McCormack]

Thanks for the continued support @Jim26m . That diagram you attached was good. I should have looked at it more closely BEFORE I started undoing bolts. LOL. On track now. I have been able to see that the pivot pin seems to be shoved right through the side of the centerboard trunk. Any thoughts on how to repair that? Dowel with fiberglass over it? Make a plug of fiberglass?

 

[Tom McCormack]

No luck hunting online for a new pivot pin. Thoughts on refurbishing the old on (I note that the good side has like a teflon coating which is worn away on the side of the pin that was rammed through the centerboard trunk.

 

[Jim26m]

http://shop.bwyachts.com/product-p/5502-1x0.htm

They have the pin only - if your bracket isn't damaged.

Looking at the design, I'm not sure how the pin could be forced through the side of the slot without other damage. I would drop the board out, inspect the bracket and pin, carefully examine the slot to make sure that a hard lateral load on the centerboard has not done extensive damage in the slot.

If it's just a hole the size of the pin, bevel it out with a dremel or other small grinding tool and glass it back with mat bits. I wouldn't imbed wood there - personal choice.

Marine Tex could be used also, if the hole is small, but again, I would glass it. Make sure it's clean and dry before you start the repair.

 

[Tom McCormack]

SUCCESS. Once you loosen the proper bolt it just drops out easy as pie. LOL. Now I can definitely see the hole the port side of the pivot pin punched through the centerboard trunk into the ballast chamber. Good thoughts Roger on where to put that pivot pin! If it had punched through to the cabin I'd have had a sunk vessel! I need a new pivot pin or ideas on how to protect the end of the old one so it doesn't do that again. Also ideas on how to plug a 9/16 inch hole.

 

[jjsbiggs]

I used this to repair the lock bolt hole that was torn on my Macgregor 25. Very easy to work with and then drill and file after it has set. I then glassed over one side of it that I could get to. Not really sure what you trunk is like or if you can get to either side of it to make repairs. Hope that may help.
https://www.por15.com/POR-15-Epoxy-Putty-Industrial-Pliable-Filler

 

[Tom McCormack]

jjsbiggs, thanks for the tip on the putty. I can only get to one side. I would have to cut into the ballast tank to access the inside. I'd rather not do that. I was hoping to find a way to push some fiberglass, or putty into the hole and make it flare out on the inside (which I cannot reach) before adding more glass to the outside. Would the putty form a good plug or just fall out. Would fiberglass cloth and resin be better. BTW is there a difference in the fiberglass and resin I would use for a boat. Or, would car repair fiberglassing kit from my local hardware store suffice?

 

[rsvpasap]

The bolt that passes through the top of the swing-keel enclosure on my 2002X was sheered off at the end, so I had to get a new hanger.

Also, the board just would not drop with gravity and tugging. A tap on the top of the pin with a hammer was required.

Splash Zone works very well for below the waterline fiberglass repairs. It's highly malleable and super strong.

https://www.google.com/search?q=splash+zone+epoxy

 

[Tom McCormack]

Thanks rsvpasap. Once I got the right bolt, it dropped easily.