Bilge water: hull-keel joint

[Kelly]

During the middle of last summer my 1976 Oday22 began taking on water in the bilge. This would happen in calm weather and during routine day sails. She's trailered and therefore spends most of the time on the trailer. A small (~1/32") crack on the aft end of the hull-keel joint was discovered, more than likely from the rigors of rough highways. The keel is always well supported during trailering.Anyway, I first ground it out with a Dremmel and applied Marine Tex epoxy which subsequently cracked. Later I applied a small fiberglass/resin patch which also failed. I've been interrupted by the winter season and as soon as the weather warms enough I am going to try an application of 5200 into the crack.Question: is there a keel bolt that can be tightened to draw the keel up to the hull? If so, where is it located? I only have a small (~3") access hole to the bilge at the rear of the cabin sole and don't seem to see a "keel bolt" that could be adjusted, so maybe this isn't an option.I couldn't locate anything that directly addresses this in the archives and would appreciate any advice from my fellow sailors out there. Thanks in advance!

 

[Stu]

Is it sea water?

Hi Kelly;Although a absolutely gross thing to do - I usually taste-test what's in my bilge to see just where the water in there is from (salt water = leaky hull, fresh water = leaky deck). But you're on the Great Lakes, and salt water is not too common up there.How much water are we talking about and how fast is it coming in?My boat usually has a little water in the bilge, but that's usually from rainwater.If your hull and keel have a crack, it might need to be ground out a bit and filled with a fiberglass epoxy compound - check with a boat yard technician or knowledgable marine retailer.I'm not too sure, and perhaps someone else might add to this post, but I believe that the hull and keel of the O'day 22 are one piece together, and there may not be any bolts like in a larger sloop. There are no bolts my my 22 footer that I can see. I think the keel was simply faired into the hull's fiberglass when the boat was made long ago.Check out what's in your bilge by draining it, wiping it dry with paper towels and observing any noticable flow of water. Also try to verify whether the water is from the stuff your boat floats in or from rainfall.I found that my boat gets it's water from trapped rainwater that gets through seams and joints in the cockpit aft and migrates slowly to the bilge.Good luck!Stu"Karakahl"1979 O'day 22 CB

 

[Jack Hart]

Your leaking 22.

Howdy, the keel on these boats was built using a process called 'emulsification', the lead was 'glassed' into the keel, therefore, no bolts. I am interested in knowing how much water is getting in, are we talking a cupfull or a glassfull over the course of a several hour sail, or are we talking a gallon or gallons?Please keep us posted on what you find.Jack Hart

 

[Bill Coxe]

Leaking 22

Stu and Jack are correct-the keel on the 22 is encapsulated, meaning there are no keel bolts and the encapsulation is robust. I would doubt highly that water is leaking in that way, although it supposedly could. There are many other ways water can get in, as has already been suggested. I like the taste test, as long as it isn't in an engine room bilge, but not so applicable in the Lakes. Good luck!Bill Coxe, O28 (avail) and O40, New London, CT

 

[Kevin Walsh]

Leaky keel Bad news!

Sorry to tell that this topic has gone around here many times. It is a very common problem with O'day 22s. Yes, the water is comming in at the crack. At first it might be only a little, but then a few gallons an hour. I have done the Marine tex and it only lasted a few trips. From what everyone says, the only way to stop it is to glass it in side and out. You have a crack at the rear, then you should look for one in the front too. Good luck.

 

[Kelly]

My leaker

The information all of you have provided is most helpful! I couldn't find anything in the forums that seemed that specific (perhaps I need to hone my keyword searches), so thank you for revisiting this.I sail strictly in freshwater, so will pass on the saltwater taste test - thank goodness. Kevin describes the situation exactly, that is, a slow seeping at first followed by a couple or so gallons over a few hours. Noticed particularly while static in a slip or on a mooring. I will go back and reglass the outside and maybe the inside if I can get to it. There are no other cracks forward or laterally around the keel so I'm hoping I can concentrate on the aft joint. I'm ruling out the thru-hulls based on observation.As far as fiberglass/resin is concerned I understand that polyester resin does not have a barrier effect on water permeability(mechanical only), so may try an epoxy on top of the glass. Does this sound reasonable? I'm kind of new to this type of repair so I'm learning as I go. Thanks again guys!