I am reviving an '88 model and will be having lots of questions. First problem is that the boat has sat for 3 years and filled with water. Cabin isn't destroyed like I've seen in some pics. But where do most people put the bilge pump? I cannot believe that there isn't a hull drain plug in the transom. I keep rocking the boat on the trailer from bow up to bow down trying to get all the water out of the hull crevices. Next task will be to sandblast the keel.....
Bilge Pump Location
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LI_Chuck
Bilge Very Shallow in H23
The H23 has a very shallow bilge. the model was not designed to accomodate one. I've had an '85 for several years. In the earlier years, I would occasionally have water that never got more than 1/2 inch above the lower sole. I spent several years searching for and repairing/patching leaks and now the boat is 100% bone dry. Below are some common trouble areas on this model: - the cockpit scupper (drain) hose. replace, caulk and double clamp. - The Hull-to-deck joint: Caulk along the black bumper. If youhave the energy, pull it off, seal the actual joint and replace bumper - Sliding Companionway hatch: Clear the water drain / seal the wood strip. - Bow Anchor lockor drain hose: replace and double clamp. If you still need a bilge pump, I've seen some folks rig up a temporary one in the center sole just to prevent the boat sinking. Good Luck, /Chuck S/V Windsongs '85 H23
The H23 has a very shallow bilge. the model was not designed to accomodate one. I've had an '85 for several years. In the earlier years, I would occasionally have water that never got more than 1/2 inch above the lower sole. I spent several years searching for and repairing/patching leaks and now the boat is 100% bone dry. Below are some common trouble areas on this model: - the cockpit scupper (drain) hose. replace, caulk and double clamp. - The Hull-to-deck joint: Caulk along the black bumper. If youhave the energy, pull it off, seal the actual joint and replace bumper - Sliding Companionway hatch: Clear the water drain / seal the wood strip. - Bow Anchor lockor drain hose: replace and double clamp. If you still need a bilge pump, I've seen some folks rig up a temporary one in the center sole just to prevent the boat sinking. Good Luck, /Chuck S/V Windsongs '85 H23
H23 Shallow Bilge
Excellent ideas! I had already looked at the cockpit drain hose and thought it looked kind of nasty. Anchor locker drain is ok, someone left the rode and a shackle to rust away and stain the inside and down the hull. I'll get some of that deck rubber nonskid to get the rode and chain out of the water that won't drain. Last night I bit the bullet and crawled completely into the stern compartment to clean the last few gallons of water and decomposting debris in there. Had to be done to stop the clogging of the various drain paths in the hull grid. Companionway hatch and hinge is clear. Added some Teflon lube to the plexiglass to make it slide better. I'd have liked it to overlap the C-boards to keep heavy/blowing rain from coming in. Now we'll really see what I've got. Thanks, Bob H23-Kestrel '88
Excellent ideas! I had already looked at the cockpit drain hose and thought it looked kind of nasty. Anchor locker drain is ok, someone left the rode and a shackle to rust away and stain the inside and down the hull. I'll get some of that deck rubber nonskid to get the rode and chain out of the water that won't drain. Last night I bit the bullet and crawled completely into the stern compartment to clean the last few gallons of water and decomposting debris in there. Had to be done to stop the clogging of the various drain paths in the hull grid. Companionway hatch and hinge is clear. Added some Teflon lube to the plexiglass to make it slide better. I'd have liked it to overlap the C-boards to keep heavy/blowing rain from coming in. Now we'll really see what I've got. Thanks, Bob H23-Kestrel '88
Please advise on your comments
Chuck and Tally Classic, I just put my "new" 1987 Hunter 23 in the water, 2 weeks ago. I have spotted water in the "wells" below the floor boards and dried them out a few times. (I am using the word wells because I don't know what the terminology is. Newbie here, sorry!) Today I returned to the boat after one week and found the "wells" filled with water. I bought a hand pump and sucked the water out, dried out the "wells" and more water started to fill in immediately through the 1/4" holes along the side of the "wells". How do I get the remaining water out? Do I have to feed a tiny hose down the 1/4" holes? I don't know where there is access to the shallow bilge, if there is one. When I pull the boat out for the winter, I need to have all the water out so it doesn't freeze and further damage the boat (located in central NY). Chuck, please tell me where the cockpit scupper drain is. What do you mean by the hull-to-deck joint specifically? Where is the sliding companionway water drain? Is it under the traveler? Many thanks for your time and consideration.
Chuck and Tally Classic, I just put my "new" 1987 Hunter 23 in the water, 2 weeks ago. I have spotted water in the "wells" below the floor boards and dried them out a few times. (I am using the word wells because I don't know what the terminology is. Newbie here, sorry!) Today I returned to the boat after one week and found the "wells" filled with water. I bought a hand pump and sucked the water out, dried out the "wells" and more water started to fill in immediately through the 1/4" holes along the side of the "wells". How do I get the remaining water out? Do I have to feed a tiny hose down the 1/4" holes? I don't know where there is access to the shallow bilge, if there is one. When I pull the boat out for the winter, I need to have all the water out so it doesn't freeze and further damage the boat (located in central NY). Chuck, please tell me where the cockpit scupper drain is. What do you mean by the hull-to-deck joint specifically? Where is the sliding companionway water drain? Is it under the traveler? Many thanks for your time and consideration.
More on H23 drainage
I don't think the H23 was designed with a bilge pump in mind because there is no bilge. As mentioned, you should address the sources of leakage into your boat first. The cockpit scupper is in the middle of the aft end of the cockpit. It has a little circular metal grate over it. A short corrugated hose connects the drain to the through-hull, which is often submerged. If the hose cracks, water can come in and sink the boat. As mentioned, you should replace that hose soon (maybe during the fall layup). My boat leaked at the chainplates (the two metal tabs coming through the side deck about a foot aft of the mast where the shrouds turnbuckles attach). Check the plywood bulkhead below decks where the chainplates are bolted, as leaking water will cause rot which you can't see unless you take the chainplate off. I recaulk the chainplates once a year and they're fine. I also drilled 1/4-inch holes through the bottom of the traveler track at each end to improve drainage. The two tiny weepholes under the track are completely useless. They're in the wrong place. Water usually collects at one end of track or the other because the boat is never perfectly level. Even if the boat were perfectly level, the stock weepholes are too tiny to drain the water fast enough. On more than one occasion, I've seen water accumulate behind the traveler track until it flowed over the lip of the companionway right into the boat. IMHO, the Hunter 23 is arguably the finest daysailer/weekend sailboat under 25 feet. A lot has been written about this little gem over the past eight or nine years. Check out the Forum Archives. Welcome aboard. Peter H23 "Raven"
I don't think the H23 was designed with a bilge pump in mind because there is no bilge. As mentioned, you should address the sources of leakage into your boat first. The cockpit scupper is in the middle of the aft end of the cockpit. It has a little circular metal grate over it. A short corrugated hose connects the drain to the through-hull, which is often submerged. If the hose cracks, water can come in and sink the boat. As mentioned, you should replace that hose soon (maybe during the fall layup). My boat leaked at the chainplates (the two metal tabs coming through the side deck about a foot aft of the mast where the shrouds turnbuckles attach). Check the plywood bulkhead below decks where the chainplates are bolted, as leaking water will cause rot which you can't see unless you take the chainplate off. I recaulk the chainplates once a year and they're fine. I also drilled 1/4-inch holes through the bottom of the traveler track at each end to improve drainage. The two tiny weepholes under the track are completely useless. They're in the wrong place. Water usually collects at one end of track or the other because the boat is never perfectly level. Even if the boat were perfectly level, the stock weepholes are too tiny to drain the water fast enough. On more than one occasion, I've seen water accumulate behind the traveler track until it flowed over the lip of the companionway right into the boat. IMHO, the Hunter 23 is arguably the finest daysailer/weekend sailboat under 25 feet. A lot has been written about this little gem over the past eight or nine years. Check out the Forum Archives. Welcome aboard. Peter H23 "Raven"
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LI_Chuck
More on Weep Hole Water
Joelle Peter had some excellent points regarding the chain plates. Make sure you re-bed every couple of years. Anyway, There is hidden water in the bilge just aft of the sole inset (Where the wood sole panels sit. I believe this water makes its way into the center pans (Where the keel bolts are). If that's what your asking about, you will find that even when you clean up the water from the bilge pans, you will still see water seep back down into the pans. I found that if you clean up the water and you wait a few minutes, clean again for 3 or so times, you won't damage the bilge with frozen water. In my earlier years with the boat, I had some of that residual water and did not pose a problem. As for the Hull to deck joint, it's the attachment point of the deck to hull hidden by the rubber bumper that goes around the boat. The right way to deal with this is to take off the entire bumper, seal the joint and replace the bumper. My alternate suggestion was to just take a 'boatlife' type of caulking and just seal the crack between the bumper and the deck. This is a big bang for the 20 minutes to do the job. Let me know if that helps, /Chuck S/V Windsongs, '85 H23
Joelle Peter had some excellent points regarding the chain plates. Make sure you re-bed every couple of years. Anyway, There is hidden water in the bilge just aft of the sole inset (Where the wood sole panels sit. I believe this water makes its way into the center pans (Where the keel bolts are). If that's what your asking about, you will find that even when you clean up the water from the bilge pans, you will still see water seep back down into the pans. I found that if you clean up the water and you wait a few minutes, clean again for 3 or so times, you won't damage the bilge with frozen water. In my earlier years with the boat, I had some of that residual water and did not pose a problem. As for the Hull to deck joint, it's the attachment point of the deck to hull hidden by the rubber bumper that goes around the boat. The right way to deal with this is to take off the entire bumper, seal the joint and replace the bumper. My alternate suggestion was to just take a 'boatlife' type of caulking and just seal the crack between the bumper and the deck. This is a big bang for the 20 minutes to do the job. Let me know if that helps, /Chuck S/V Windsongs, '85 H23
Thanks
Chuck & Peter, I was referring to the pans with the keel bolts in them. I got a hand syphon and a battery operated bilge pump last weekend and pulled out about 2 1/2 gallons from the pans. The water quickly returned through the weep holes and has remained constant this week. I will try again to remove the water 3 or 4 more times. Thanks for the help and your pointers. I will be pulling my boat out next week and start going through all of your suggestions. Much appreciated, Joelle
Chuck & Peter, I was referring to the pans with the keel bolts in them. I got a hand syphon and a battery operated bilge pump last weekend and pulled out about 2 1/2 gallons from the pans. The water quickly returned through the weep holes and has remained constant this week. I will try again to remove the water 3 or 4 more times. Thanks for the help and your pointers. I will be pulling my boat out next week and start going through all of your suggestions. Much appreciated, Joelle
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