272 water in forward bulkhead under vberth

[MaritimeTees]

Has anyone ever had water accumulate in this area? No leaks on deck and only one thru hull at galley sink. Replaced every single hose. No water at all when at slip. Appears is happening when sailing. The bulk head is sealed except with access holes on port and starboard side. About 3 feet high from water line. Anchor locker doesnt leak. Slight taste of salt water. Doesn't appear head sink above thru hull has leak. Thought it might be bilge above thru hull taking on water when on excessive heel. Then drains to bilge then when on heel finds its way thru those openings. Perfect storm! In 2 months approximately had about half gallon. Any thoughts? Very little water in bilge just a little wet. Keel bolts perfect no leaks. Diver checked bottom and no issues. Stumped!

 

[Pat]

Only a thought...if we are out sailing on say a port tack our water tank will leak and this water eventually finds it's way to the bilge....only has to travel a few feet to find it's way to the bilge..it can then travel forward if there is any extra weight on the bow or forward areas....the O'day 272 is very weight sensitive...and the 30 gal. water tank being full or empty can affect the
flow of water in the bilge. Patrick

 

[MaritimeTees]

Patrick my thoughts as well thats why i changed out all my hoses. I haven't tested yet since i changed the hoses. I really looked at hoses but didn't see any leaks and the port settee bulkhead is dry. Although the hoses have an area where they nestle against the the hull.

 

[Pat]

Do you have a pressure water system.? Ours is pressure water but none of the hoses seem to leak....I think our leak is the
tank itself....right around the top....like I did a poor job winterizing it..(leak is worst when heeled over..the crack goes around the tank right at the top...if I only fill it half way, i.e. 15 gallons or so, it does not leak.....that's the only way I knew it was not in the hoses or pump....also had a time many years ago when the pressure water hose became disconnected from the galley fixture (with the fixture on).....that caused the entire tank to empty into the bilge....my wife was on-board and thought she was going down with the boat right in the slip....but she survived the mental trauma to see another day....and the bilge pump worked as intended....Good Luck, Patrick

 

[MaritimeTees]

That's so funny Patrick. No leaks from tank. No water at all in Port Settee. The whole thing is mind boggling. I do have pressure water at the galley sink but appears no leak. Plus boat has absolutely no water when at the dock. This happens when sailing on heel. Rudy at DR Marine thought it was the deck/hull joint but my headliner has never seen any water or leaks. It would have to in order for water to get into bulkhead. I thought it might be bilge thru hull above waterline. Maybe when on excessive heel backing up thru the hose into bilge then through those openings. I plugged the hose but haven't had chance to sail. This weekend will know because leaving for the Channel Islands for a few nights. Another option was the head sink drain above waterline but tested with pressure hose and didn't see any water coming through.
I really think its the head sink thru hull because very little water in bilge and most of the water is in bulkhead under v-berth. In two months about 1/2 gallon and that's sailing about 2x a week year round. Whats a mystery is why when I spray the hose I don't see any leaks?

 

[agprice22]

Did you check the forward hatch? We replaced our plexi, and the hatch handles were dripping in just a light to moderate rain. I was surprised how much could come it. We inserted rubber washers under the delrin washers above the plexi, and it fixed the problem.

My friend has an Oday 26 that gets water in the space below the vberth, and it flows back into the bilge when motoring. We though of every possible source, and it turned out to be his forward hatch: the plexi had separated from the sealant around the plastic frame. I do not like those plastic frames. Mine is aluminum, and I can step on it with no ill effect. I try not to! But I have with no harm.

 

[MaritimeTees]

No water intrusion above waterline. Headliner has no leaks and no water marks. If my hatch leaked it would be wet in my vberth. Dry as a bone. Thanks anyway.. This mystery sits someone in the hull.

 

[agprice22]

Do you have a knot meter through-hull under the vberth? Could it be there? My 272 has a paddle wheel under the bow.
Try sprinkling powder around the circumference of the hold. If water runs in, it will show you where. Or use a chalk line. Or tape in some tissue paper. Anything that would be disturbed by water crossing it.

 

[MaritimeTees]

Already did that. Dry as a bone on both. Used baby powder trick

 

[agprice22]

Geez... What the heck? I am interested to know what you eventually find.
Are you able to see the water in the hold? Or is it underneath the hull liner?

 

[MaritimeTees]

In the V-berth no hull liner just raw fiberglass. The water sits in there nestled on both sides and in the middle. Its a total mystery. Here is a pic I snapped of raw vberth

 

[MaritimeTees]

This pic is under the vberth. Lol. I shot a few pics on the oday facebook forum and people thought this was my raw vberth with no headliner. Wanted to know how I got the carpeting off so clean. Lol

 

[agprice22]

It looks like you have a bow eye. I don't think those were original equipment.
Also, what are those blocks glassed in? Did someone have a something mounted there? A bow thruster?
Why is there Chopped Strand hanging down?

I know 272's sit a little low in the bow. Could the water be running forward from another spot? The compression post / mast step? Your opening Beckson Ports?

 

[MaritimeTees]

Have you ever glanced in under the openings under the vberth cushions? Those blocks glassed got to be original. That chopped glass is also original. Doesn't look very kosher. That bow eye I know nothing about. I have never trailered it or the owner before me.
I have never seen another 272 pics under the vberth so nothing to compare it to.

 

[agprice22]

Weird. I wonder if they are meant to maybe mount or support the holding tank in the 272 LE?
I have been in that space in my boat. I don't recall what is in there. I know I do not have a bow eye. I bought one to install, but I did not get to it before the season started. I don't think I will get to it this season. Oh well.

 

[MaritimeTees]

Possible on the holding tank. But they are both sides for those glassed in blocks. I have the non LE model so no holding tank.

 

[MaritimeTees]

AGPRICE you gave me an idea when you said that was aftermarket eye. Sure as all get up it was all loose. Thats where the water was coming from. Thanks for commenting it stired up my curiosity. Thats why they make these forums because they work.

 

[agprice22]

Wow! Cool! I am glad I could help. You know, those washers did not look stainless.

 

[MaritimeTees]

Those washers are not stainless. Who doesn't use Stainless on a boat? That is crazy! Gotta get my wife in there to change them. She weights 105. Not many people could get in that crawl space. Might be able to access from very forward vberth. I had my friend who is 6-3 hold some nuts when I installed a bow roller. Nothing like long arms.

 

[agprice22]

I have a 2 ft socket extension and a universal joint I used to reach a few difficult nuts in the vberth of my 272. This is one time when being 5'8" and 160 is an advantage.