We started our Spring Maintenance chores on "Blue Laredo", and much to our surprise discovered about 15 gal. of water in the bilge below the cabin deck. Boat is stored on a trailer. Careful inspection uncovered no stained areas, cushions removed in the fall were all dry. No water under the cockpit area. The assumption is the leak is below the waterline;possibly in the keel well/cavity. There is no evidence of hull damage that can be seen. The best guess suggests the leak is someplace in the keel well/cavity which we currently can't inspect on the trailer with any degree of success. If anybody out there has experienced this, or has any thoughts, it will be greatly appreciated. P.S. It has to be a slow leak because it could have taken up to 6 months to accumulate the water based on our last haul out and inspection.
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C 22 leak
Check the seal around the bow running light. I was shippig a pint of water after each rain storm till I rebed the bow cleats and light. On my old '74 model there was no caulking upon removal. Bob
Check the seal around the bow running light. I was shippig a pint of water after each rain storm till I rebed the bow cleats and light. On my old '74 model there was no caulking upon removal. Bob
i think i have a problem where the .....
drains are in the floor, mine drain out under the boat tru a valve, but i believe that one of them mite be leaking, not alot but enuff to get a small puddle..
drains are in the floor, mine drain out under the boat tru a valve, but i believe that one of them mite be leaking, not alot but enuff to get a small puddle..
drip
hello tom, the way to check for leaking cockpit plumbing is, get a garden hose and let water run into the cockpit and just watch for leaks in the connections. john
hello tom, the way to check for leaking cockpit plumbing is, get a garden hose and let water run into the cockpit and just watch for leaks in the connections. john
If your boat's on the trailer....
Lawrence: If your boat's on the trailer and it's leaking, check for leaks from the deck or the cockpit. I can't imagine that it could be a leak from below the waterline, although I have seen plenty of perplexing leaks. I think that Tom gave you a good suggestion of one place to start. I have also had cockpit drain leaks. What caused mine was that one of the copper tubes that comes out of the one of the little "funnels" below the cockpit drains, was rubbing on the hole cut for it in a layer of fiberglass below the cockpit. The fiberglass wore a hole through the copper tubes, and it leaked when it rained. I cut the hole in the fiberglass bigger, and siliconed the hole in the tube, and fixed that one. Another one that I had came from the shut-off valve to the sink. This one only leaked if the sink valve was open. I had to repack the valve to fix that one. (My boat is a 1980, so my sink is different than yours, but maybe this message will help someone else). Good luck. With some detective work and some testing like John mentioned with a hose, and plenty of determination, you will find the leak. Aldo
Lawrence: If your boat's on the trailer and it's leaking, check for leaks from the deck or the cockpit. I can't imagine that it could be a leak from below the waterline, although I have seen plenty of perplexing leaks. I think that Tom gave you a good suggestion of one place to start. I have also had cockpit drain leaks. What caused mine was that one of the copper tubes that comes out of the one of the little "funnels" below the cockpit drains, was rubbing on the hole cut for it in a layer of fiberglass below the cockpit. The fiberglass wore a hole through the copper tubes, and it leaked when it rained. I cut the hole in the fiberglass bigger, and siliconed the hole in the tube, and fixed that one. Another one that I had came from the shut-off valve to the sink. This one only leaked if the sink valve was open. I had to repack the valve to fix that one. (My boat is a 1980, so my sink is different than yours, but maybe this message will help someone else). Good luck. With some detective work and some testing like John mentioned with a hose, and plenty of determination, you will find the leak. Aldo
leak
I knocked lose the brass tube that the keel cable runs through. If it was in the water, maybe you have a slow leak there?
I knocked lose the brass tube that the keel cable runs through. If it was in the water, maybe you have a slow leak there?
Status of boat at haul-out and covers.
You know what, we didn't check it when we pulled the boat out. Obviously not a smart thing to do, but water in the bilge had not been a problem, and there was nothing evident above the waterline at haul-out that would have triggered a search. The water was discovered when we started doing maintenance late Fall, then again this Spring. Yes, the boat was covered, but from the hatch back over the cabin area; not the deck in front of the hatch or the cockpit. "Hatch" refers to the hatch over the V-berth. Update though: We just had a heavy rain in PA, and upon opening things up discovered some water in the bilge that was dry prior to the rain, so now we are thinking the leak(s)is above the waterline which is actually good news. Now we are waiting for another good rain storm to confirm. The anchor locker looks suspicious, but more detective work required. Thanks for the reply. LW
)
You know what, we didn't check it when we pulled the boat out. Obviously not a smart thing to do, but water in the bilge had not been a problem, and there was nothing evident above the waterline at haul-out that would have triggered a search. The water was discovered when we started doing maintenance late Fall, then again this Spring. Yes, the boat was covered, but from the hatch back over the cabin area; not the deck in front of the hatch or the cockpit. "Hatch" refers to the hatch over the V-berth. Update though: We just had a heavy rain in PA, and upon opening things up discovered some water in the bilge that was dry prior to the rain, so now we are thinking the leak(s)is above the waterline which is actually good news. Now we are waiting for another good rain storm to confirm. The anchor locker looks suspicious, but more detective work required. Thanks for the reply. LW
)drip II
hello lawrence, why wait for rain, put a lawn sprinkler on top of the boat and sit inside ( take a book and cup of coffee ) john
hello lawrence, why wait for rain, put a lawn sprinkler on top of the boat and sit inside ( take a book and cup of coffee ) john
We have to wait for the real stuff!
Great idea)but we store our boat on a friend's property, and there is no access to a hose unfortunately. It would be nice because then we could wash down the outside. LW
Great idea
)but we store our boat on a friend's property, and there is no access to a hose unfortunately. It would be nice because then we could wash down the outside. LWOne Through-Hull on Blue Laredo
The only through-hull we have is where the keel cable leaves the winch area and connects to the keel for raising and lowering. I have read the keel locking bolt area can be the source of a leak, but it doesn't appear to be making a contribution of any significance. Thank You. Best Regards. LW
The only through-hull we have is where the keel cable leaves the winch area and connects to the keel for raising and lowering. I have read the keel locking bolt area can be the source of a leak, but it doesn't appear to be making a contribution of any significance. Thank You. Best Regards. LW
Good Suggestion!!
Right now, the area you speak of does appear suspicious, and we are waiting for another good rain storm to determine if this might be a source. Based on the last rain storm, we did find about 11/2 quarts of water in the bilge area which suggests the leak may very well be above the waterline which is actually good news. We have caulked a couple of likely looking sites, so we'll wait and see. Thanks for the input.) LW
Right now, the area you speak of does appear suspicious, and we are waiting for another good rain storm to determine if this might be a source. Based on the last rain storm, we did find about 11/2 quarts of water in the bilge area which suggests the leak may very well be above the waterline which is actually good news. We have caulked a couple of likely looking sites, so we'll wait and see. Thanks for the input.
) LWThanks for the Ideas!
Yes, I'm getting some good input, we have discovered a couple of suspicious areas in the bow. Now it does appear the leak(s) is above the waterline. We found about 1 1/2 qts. of water in the bilge after the last rainstorm, so now we are waiting for another good one to further confirm what's happening. One person suggested we get a hose and start our own rain, but where we have the boat stored, there's no access to water, unfortunately. Best Regards. LW
Yes, I'm getting some good input, we have discovered a couple of suspicious areas in the bow. Now it does appear the leak(s) is above the waterline. We found about 1 1/2 qts. of water in the bilge after the last rainstorm, so now we are waiting for another good one to further confirm what's happening. One person suggested we get a hose and start our own rain, but where we have the boat stored, there's no access to water, unfortunately. Best Regards. LW
Surprise leak spot
I had the same problem with above waterline leaks on my '76. To my surprise, I found a leak along the rub rail where the hull and deck meet. The area just below the the deck run-off (about midship), forward of the winches was the problem area. Clear caulk along the seam worked well. Good luck, Ray
I had the same problem with above waterline leaks on my '76. To my surprise, I found a leak along the rub rail where the hull and deck meet. The area just below the the deck run-off (about midship), forward of the winches was the problem area. Clear caulk along the seam worked well. Good luck, Ray
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