Quick question about mystery hole

Hayden Watson · Oct 22, 2017

I have a tall rig with bow sprit and that is the access hole for the backing plate and nuts for the bob stay chain plate that provides hold down force to the bow sprit. If you have a standard rig it serves on structural purpose.

JohnVTX · Oct 22, 2017

No, you have a leak

Solarfry · Oct 22, 2017

Smunkey said:
We have what I have been calling a "mystery hole" in the V berth under the cushions. It is forward of the fresh water tank. It is shaped like a V (obviously) and it has water in it. It also has many water marks where various levels of water have been in the hole for various periods of time. It does not have a drain of any sort, which I find odd. It is covered with a proper panel with a finger hole for easy panel removal.

We figured it was maybe a leaky chain locker drain hose, but we tested that water goes successfully goes out the chain locker drain through hull on the starboard side. We then found an inspection port in the chain locker that had some suspect sealant, so we removed that inspection port, scraped it all down, and reinstalled it with a good fresh seal. Lo and behold, this week (after washing the deck, and some rain) it has water in it again.

Does anyone know what this area would be called and if it is designed to hold water? I am not sure what else it could possibly be for, yet the fact that it has no drain seems odd. I stuck my camera in the hole to be able to see the top of it and it appears that if it were ever to get too much water in it, that eventually the water would go up and over some fiberglass and make its way to the bilge. But why wouldn't they just make it drain to the bilge if nothing else.

Anyway, this mystery hole seems mostly harmless, but it is breaking my brain trying to figure out what its purpose is.

Seems to me your boat had a bow thruster at one time. Or provision for it. The hole is in the right place. Their might be a small hole for the electrical that is partially open. Fill it with clean water at haul out and check for water leaking out in general area.

Check for deck leaks that may be filling up the area. These leaks are usually around hatches, access ports, chain plates or tangs, mast steps, wet decks, all screws penetrating decks, etc.

Hayden Watson · Oct 22, 2017

I would suspect that your chain plate is leaking. You can mark the sides with water soluble ink and go sailing. it will tell you where the water is coming in. The bob stay chainplate is under water when you are under way so if it is leaking you will get water whenever you move the boat.

jonelli · Oct 25, 2017

I've got the same issue. Is the water green or clear? Salt water doesn't turn green, so if it is it means it's a fresh water leak.
I haven't troubleshot mine yet but I'm pretty convinced it's the anchor locker drain. Just because most of the water drains out the thru hull doesn't mean it doesn't leak.
I plan to put a cork in the outside of the through hull when I have time and look for the leak and fix it. Just Haven't had time yet.

hvbaker · Jan 11, 2018

I had a leak there and it was from the anchor locker drain.

Ron20324 · Jan 11, 2018

Smunkey said:
..It is covered with a proper panel with a finger hole for easy panel removal..... Lo and behold, this week (after washing the deck, and some rain) it has water in it again........ But why wouldn't they just make it drain to the bilge if nothing else. .

With a panel and finger hole for easy access, it is just another storage cubby hole. It does not have a drain, because it is not expected to have water in it. Your problem lies elsewhere. Maybe your anchor locker drain is clogged, the water is backing up in the locker and then into the cubby. Seal the anchor locker lid on deck and see if you still get water in that cubby. My B323 had that cubby and no problem. Otherwise, put another anchor locker drain in a few inches higher, and on the other side, from the OEM one.

The liner of that cubby is probably molded onto the hull and does not attach to the bunk board bottom. Water builds up (from some source) OUTSIDE the cubby, then overflows into it.

LeslieTroyer · Jan 12, 2018

The Catalina anchor locker drain hose and thruhull are known to fail and allow water into the boat. Use a hose to fill the locker and see if you get water there. If not rebed the bob stay

I’m assuming your boat is newer than ~1986 which is when Catalina switched from bow to side exit. The bow exits is a small chunk of copper tube embedded in the FG - no fittings. These leak also after 30+ years

Mahalo

Ward H · Jan 12, 2018

Mine has dried up salt in it with a little salty sludge in the bottom.
I like the tip about if it is green it is fresh water and if not, then salt water.
I'll hit the bob stay chain plate with a hose to see if there is a slight leak while the boat is out of the water this winter.

Hayden Watson · Jan 12, 2018

My bob stay chain plate was leaking before I replaced all of my standing rigging. It is very easy to remove and rebed. You will need to take the tension off the bob stay.

Take both jib halyards to the bow cleats and winch them tight. Ease the back stay. If this does not get enough slack in the bob stay to remove the pin then you will need to pull down on the bow sprit. Run a line from a dock cleat directly below the bow sprit up over the anchor roller and use the windlass or one of the other winches to pull the sprit down toward the dock which will use the buoyancy of the bow to pull down on the sprit. When the bob say gets some slack you can remove the pins. The jib halyards will support the mast while the bobstay is replaced. I went ahead and replaced both the bob stay and chain plate while I had it apart.

Ward H · Jan 12, 2018

Thanks Hayden.
I should be OK as my mast is down for the winter. I'm looking for tasks I need to do before the mast goes up in the spring.

Quick question about mystery hole

.

Attachments

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.