Thanks to all responses to my previous posting. How to get accumalated water between the liner and the hull into the main bilge is the challenge. At present the only direct access drain to the bilge is the fridge drain pipe. All other water it seems must slosh through cabling channels etc untill the level is high enough to pass through holes near the top of the crosswise support members. Water can be seen under the sink and sometimes comes out of the sole under the nav station when heeled. Anyone know the best spots to drill holes or run hose to clear this? Many thanks John
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That's Important Information...
I am interested to know more about your situation. I was considering the purchase of a H34 ('84) with the sole almost completly rotted through on the port side. This may have been caused by the situation you are describing. Is this inherant to all Hunters or just H34s? What year is your hull? Could a factory installed drain path (hole) be blocked? I can't immagine a design that would deliberatly trap water, that's insane! What repares or modifications are available to resolve this? If the sole were completly removed for replacement, what repairs/modifications would you recomend at that time? Thanks, -H
I am interested to know more about your situation. I was considering the purchase of a H34 ('84) with the sole almost completly rotted through on the port side. This may have been caused by the situation you are describing. Is this inherant to all Hunters or just H34s? What year is your hull? Could a factory installed drain path (hole) be blocked? I can't immagine a design that would deliberatly trap water, that's insane! What repares or modifications are available to resolve this? If the sole were completly removed for replacement, what repairs/modifications would you recomend at that time? Thanks, -H
response to "important information"
The hull is a 1984 build. I too thought it was insane to build a hull that would trap water but after some email to Hunter I learn the engine pan will not drain to the bilge because of coastguard laws. I had a dripping stern gland for a while and have seen a mechanic wash the engine with heaps of water. This I can only assume has accumalated over time (months)until the level rises enough to pass through the holes for cabling that lead to the bilge. I believe weep holes can be drilled as low as possible to allow drainage to the main bilge. If you were pulling the sole up it would be a great chance to do the holes and perhaps even run hose. This problem on my boat is only starting to develop so I expect to be able to fix it without replacing the (entire)sole. Don't be put off by this, if you get the boat for the right price you should be very happy. I have been living aboard cruising for 10 months and am very pleased. Best of luck, John.
The hull is a 1984 build. I too thought it was insane to build a hull that would trap water but after some email to Hunter I learn the engine pan will not drain to the bilge because of coastguard laws. I had a dripping stern gland for a while and have seen a mechanic wash the engine with heaps of water. This I can only assume has accumalated over time (months)until the level rises enough to pass through the holes for cabling that lead to the bilge. I believe weep holes can be drilled as low as possible to allow drainage to the main bilge. If you were pulling the sole up it would be a great chance to do the holes and perhaps even run hose. This problem on my boat is only starting to develop so I expect to be able to fix it without replacing the (entire)sole. Don't be put off by this, if you get the boat for the right price you should be very happy. I have been living aboard cruising for 10 months and am very pleased. Best of luck, John.
foul smelling, yet invisible bilge water
Read your post and now I'm angry. Before I go sailing, I get a cup and completely drain my bilge. Yet when we heel over a bit, this foul smelling water comes up from the hull and through the sole around the nav. stationa and the dining table. Hunter says that's the way it's suppose to be? I've NEVER heard that on other boats. I makes no sense to hold drainage from the engine room. (Fumes? decay? biological hazard for Pete's sake!) The only solution I have is to place towels around the edges of the accumulating water and soak it all up and wring the rags out each time...what a damn hassle.
Read your post and now I'm angry. Before I go sailing, I get a cup and completely drain my bilge. Yet when we heel over a bit, this foul smelling water comes up from the hull and through the sole around the nav. stationa and the dining table. Hunter says that's the way it's suppose to be? I've NEVER heard that on other boats. I makes no sense to hold drainage from the engine room. (Fumes? decay? biological hazard for Pete's sake!) The only solution I have is to place towels around the edges of the accumulating water and soak it all up and wring the rags out each time...what a damn hassle.
Generic Problem w/ Liner Pans
The problem with trapped water within the liner pan is generic across models and brands with this type of construction. Since virtually all "inexpensive" boats are constructed this way, that I know of, it won't do any good to bash the H-34 or Hunter in general. To enable better drainage one could drill additional limber holes but my recommendation would be not to do so unless the designer has blessed the hole location or unless you're an engineer. A hole in the wrong location could introduce a stress point whould would weaken the structural grid. As a consumer, I wouldn't want to buy a boat where an owner has willy-nilly drilled their own limber holes. The problem with bildge water comming up to sole level is directly caused by water in the bildge and the heel angle. The round bottom hull design, used on all Hunters and, again, all boats of similar design (Catalina, Beneteau, Jenneau, J-boats, Bavaria, etc. etc., leaves little depth in the bildge for lots of bildge water. The solution is to ensure the bildge is reasonably dry, say no more than a couple inches of bildge water, before leaving the dock - the bildge pump is adequate to do this. If it isn't then examine your setup. You don't want the bildge water liking the floor stringers. The next part of the solution is to not take one much more water and also not to lean excessively. If the boat is taking on water to the point where it is sloshing out of the bilge then there is/are major leak sources present somewhere - time to start locating and fixing them! On our '88 H-35 I keep a dry bildge. The propeller shaft was the biggest leak source and this was stopped with a PYI Shaft Seal (http://pyiinc.com). Other brands are available. This keeps water out from under the engine and helps to reduce rust. The ice box drain has been plugged with a cork and converted to refrigeration. All condensation is now cleaned out of the ice box with a sponge rather than allowed to drain into the bildge. You don't want spilled milk to drain into the bildge!! Engine fluids are run via clear plastic hoses into recycled clear plastic water bottles, about Coke can size. The small neck on the plastic bottle helps to hold the hose. Just about all other leak sources have been tracked down and sealed so now there is very seldom water in the bildge. Essentially, now whenever there is a leak I know about it. With regard to no drainage under the engine pan - this is not something that anyone is going to be able to change in the U.S. - it's all a part of trying to keep oil out of our boating waters in order to help protect the environment. If you see a rainbow colored slick in the marina it maybe caused by engine oils or fuel which made it's way into the bildge and was pumped overboard. This can carry a big penalty for someone who is caught. I don't like a pan liner system either, for the very reasons that have been mentioned in this forum, but I've learned to live with it and it's working. I also know what my options are and giving up boating isn't one of them. Hopefully the above will provide some ideas that can improve your situation.
The problem with trapped water within the liner pan is generic across models and brands with this type of construction. Since virtually all "inexpensive" boats are constructed this way, that I know of, it won't do any good to bash the H-34 or Hunter in general. To enable better drainage one could drill additional limber holes but my recommendation would be not to do so unless the designer has blessed the hole location or unless you're an engineer. A hole in the wrong location could introduce a stress point whould would weaken the structural grid. As a consumer, I wouldn't want to buy a boat where an owner has willy-nilly drilled their own limber holes. The problem with bildge water comming up to sole level is directly caused by water in the bildge and the heel angle. The round bottom hull design, used on all Hunters and, again, all boats of similar design (Catalina, Beneteau, Jenneau, J-boats, Bavaria, etc. etc., leaves little depth in the bildge for lots of bildge water. The solution is to ensure the bildge is reasonably dry, say no more than a couple inches of bildge water, before leaving the dock - the bildge pump is adequate to do this. If it isn't then examine your setup. You don't want the bildge water liking the floor stringers. The next part of the solution is to not take one much more water and also not to lean excessively. If the boat is taking on water to the point where it is sloshing out of the bilge then there is/are major leak sources present somewhere - time to start locating and fixing them! On our '88 H-35 I keep a dry bildge. The propeller shaft was the biggest leak source and this was stopped with a PYI Shaft Seal (http://pyiinc.com). Other brands are available. This keeps water out from under the engine and helps to reduce rust. The ice box drain has been plugged with a cork and converted to refrigeration. All condensation is now cleaned out of the ice box with a sponge rather than allowed to drain into the bildge. You don't want spilled milk to drain into the bildge!! Engine fluids are run via clear plastic hoses into recycled clear plastic water bottles, about Coke can size. The small neck on the plastic bottle helps to hold the hose. Just about all other leak sources have been tracked down and sealed so now there is very seldom water in the bildge. Essentially, now whenever there is a leak I know about it. With regard to no drainage under the engine pan - this is not something that anyone is going to be able to change in the U.S. - it's all a part of trying to keep oil out of our boating waters in order to help protect the environment. If you see a rainbow colored slick in the marina it maybe caused by engine oils or fuel which made it's way into the bildge and was pumped overboard. This can carry a big penalty for someone who is caught. I don't like a pan liner system either, for the very reasons that have been mentioned in this forum, but I've learned to live with it and it's working. I also know what my options are and giving up boating isn't one of them. Hopefully the above will provide some ideas that can improve your situation.
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