1987 31 Huntet Hull Leak

Nov 30, 2016
25
Hunter 31 Madisonville
Jmce1587, the pics are a big help. I've checked all the obvious things everyone has mentioned. When you look at the bilge picture the water is coming through the holes where the bilge wiring and bilge hose comes through, from between the interior floor fiberglass shell and the hull. As best as I can tell, the water is not coming from the bow area or the aft area.
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Pretty sure the water he is in is fresh, so tasting won’t be useful. Pontchartrain is brackish, but the Northshore marinas (except Slidell area) are kinda on bayous that are fresh rainwater and some spring water.
 
Nov 30, 2016
25
Hunter 31 Madisonville
Jmce1587, I forgot to mention that yes I'm on the Northshore of Lake P in the Mandeville area. Also the keel bolts all look good. I have not had any grounding issues. Do you think it could be possible for water to be leaking in around the keel bolts but between the interior shell and the hull and it's not visible when looking at the bolts/nuts in the bilge area?
 

HMT2

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Mar 20, 2014
899
Hunter 31 828 Shoreacres, TX
Just a thought. The water from my very tiny rudder tube leak accumulates in the sump area in front of the engine compartment where the aft keel bolts are. I will occasionally have enough water in that sump that I suck it out with a shop vac. There is a hole that allows water between the hull and the liner to enter that sump. Try sucking up water from that small hole, it may give you a clue if you have much water between the hull and liner floor.
 
Nov 30, 2016
25
Hunter 31 Madisonville
Thanks HMT2, I have no water in the sump area in front of the engine compartment. I thought about sucking the water out between the liner and hull with my oil hand vacuum pump. Right know I have wicking material in the various holes leading between the liner and hull going into the bilge. Gravity has been slowly pulling the water to the bilge.
 

HMT2

.
Mar 20, 2014
899
Hunter 31 828 Shoreacres, TX
Thanks HMT2, I have no water in the sump area in front of the engine compartment. I thought about sucking the water out between the liner and hull with my oil hand vacuum pump. Right know I have wicking material in the various holes leading between the liner and hull going into the bilge. Gravity has been slowly pulling the water to the bilge.
Good luck, I would really be seating a leak that big. Hope you find it soon! Keep us posted.
 
Nov 30, 2016
25
Hunter 31 Madisonville
HMT2, after thinking about your comment on how your rudder leak accumulates in the sump area in front of the engine compartment, I can't visualize how the water would get to that sump. It seems it would migrate first going to the bilge.
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Northshore.. on my boat, I ran my air conditioner sea-water hoses partly through the liner beams.. a crack in a hose inside the liner beam would be tough to spot except by closing the thru hull for the AC pump and waiting a couple of days to see if the water stops/slows appreciably.. Concerning your other post, I don't think that water from a leaking keel bolt can get between the liner and hull; it would be visible around the bolt running into the bilge sump.
 

HMT2

.
Mar 20, 2014
899
Hunter 31 828 Shoreacres, TX
It flows under the transmission, through the engine compartment, there is a small hole in the engine compartment that drains to that sump
 
Mar 20, 2011
623
Hunter 31_83-87 New Orleans
I’m also on north shore of Lake. If u need an extra set of hands and eyes to assist, send me a PM. Jerry
 
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Nov 30, 2016
25
Hunter 31 Madisonville
Northshore.. on my boat, I ran my air conditioner sea-water hoses partly through the liner beams.. a crack in a hose inside the liner beam would be tough to spot except by closing the thru hull for the AC pump and waiting a couple of days to see if the water stops/slows appreciably.. Concerning your other post, I don't think that water from a leaking keel bolt can get between the liner and hull; it would be visible around the bolt running into the bilge sump.
Thanks kloudie1, all my AC plumbing is visible and I just replaced everything 4 months ago when I installed a new AC unit.
 
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Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
If nothing showing itself, then dust the area suspected with a little flour or baby powder (there is a use)
Powder works but both flour and corn starch baby powder will rot and make mold. Talcum is "cleaner" but has other issues.
 
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Nov 30, 2016
25
Hunter 31 Madisonville
I thought I would give everyone an update. I'm still chasing this leak. For about 8 days I've been sucking the water out between the interior liner and hull via holes that allow water to drain to the bilge. When I got to less than a cup of water, I opened the engine seawater cooling valve. Ran engine for 30 minutes. This was to pressurize the hoses going from engine to water heater. After running the engine I again closed the the valve. My thought was to eliminate water coming through possible bad hoses. The next day had water in bilge, sucked out over 10 gals water. Same today. There is no way that much water is from the engine. Open for any suggestions regardless if it's a long shot.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
10 gallons overnight. I'd pull the boat before you sink it. Something is about to bust loose and then it will be 10 gallons an hour or worse. You either have a leaking through hull or a large crack in a hose coming from a through hull.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,323
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
So, with every seacock closed and the water tanks empty you still get 10 gallons of water overnight?

If that's the case I'm with @rgranger time to pull the boat and inspect the hull, keel joint, every opening below the water line.
 
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Mar 20, 2011
623
Hunter 31_83-87 New Orleans
Did us drain your freshwater tank when conducting the latest test with engine running to pressurize FW lines to heater? If not then try draining drain ur FW tank and run the test again. With a 35 gal water tank u may be pulling water in from there either thru a leaking hose or fitting. Let me know if u need a 2nd set of hands/eyes on water lines with engine running.
 
Nov 30, 2016
25
Hunter 31 Madisonville
Well, I found my leak this morning. See picture attached. It's up in the bow area under the v-birth floor. The hole appears to be less than an 1/8". The stream of water in the pictures is squirting up hitting the underside of the v-birth floor. What appears to be a second stream of water in the background is actually water running/dripping from the underside of the v-birth floor. I'm wondering if I can do a temporary fix from inside for now and make a permanent fix later the next time I pull the boat. I have minimal access. I can somewhat reach it with my hand using a mirror. I may be able to rub some type of putty in the hole. I wont be able to do any real prep work or get tools is the area. The temporary repair will have to be a wet repair. What recommendations for product can I use?
bow leak-1.jpg
 
Apr 8, 2010
1,942
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
Unusual leak.
??
Perhaps you or a prior owner hit something. (Those models were laid up kind of thin.)

If you can get a hand at least partially over the hole perhaps you could press some sort of specialty sealant into it. First run a small plastic tarp with lines on each corner under the front of the boat and back until the leak slows a lot.
Plan on a haul out and a bit of grinding back and glassing from the outside. If you use poly resin, you might get 'er done in one long day.
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Looks like a drilled hole! Ouch.. Mask and fins.. sail a bit out to clearer water out of the marina and put a screw in from the outside; some underwater epoxy on it and a rubber washer on the screw.. or get a diver to do it.. That would hold ya for a long time.
Great job on finding the leak.. kinda in a strange place..
 
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Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
I am thinking that when the hole was drilled for the little bolt (visible just left of where the leak hits the floor), the drill went a bit too far.. ?