I got my new to me 1992 Hunter 30 in July. This is my first winter of ownership. When I bought the boat, the bilge had some water in it, but with the ice box and shower draining there, I didn't worry about it. (And my surveyor found no evidence of leaks anywhere.) Since my purchase, we haven't used the shower, and we've only had melted ice in the ice box a couple of times. So the bilge has been virtually dry. The front portion (where the some of the keel bolts are visible) has been completely dry. The middle portion, where the bilge pump is, has only had the small amount that the bilge pump wouldn't remove. I winterized the boat about a month ago, and I returned to it this weekend for the first time since then. I was very surprised to find water in both the front portion of the bilge and the middle portion. I stayed on the boat for several hours and never heard the bilge pump kick on, so I don't think I have major water coming in. This afternoon, I fully sponged out both sections. I will go back tomorrow and check the status. Today I also checked the keel bolts - all felt tight. So my question is where could the water be coming from? I am in fresh water, so I can't test for salt. I don't see any other evidence of leaks anywhere - like water leaking in through port holes or toe rail and running down. The key distinction between now and summer is that the water temp here has dropped about 30 degrees. I would assume that such a change could cause things to flex or contract?? But I still can't think of what could be leaking. Any ideas on how to track this down?
bilge water - leak?
- Thread starter Sherry
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Rain?
Heavy rains can overpower the drainage channels in your cocpitseat hatches. Is winter a rainier season for you? There is no such thing as a boat that does not leak somewhere. Check your packing nut - Colder temps may cause the packing it to contract? Just a thought. Another thought - what about the rudder packing? Aren't leaks a pain?
Heavy rains can overpower the drainage channels in your cocpitseat hatches. Is winter a rainier season for you? There is no such thing as a boat that does not leak somewhere. Check your packing nut - Colder temps may cause the packing it to contract? Just a thought. Another thought - what about the rudder packing? Aren't leaks a pain?
If you finally
determine that it is indeed rain water it will help you find the source if you measure the quantity of water you sponge out and compare it to the amount of rain you had. For example if you had one inch of rain overnight and the water in the bilge was an inch deep in the morning then the leak will be in an area that can funnel the water in. I once had to repair a roof leak that in a very light rain (about 1/8 inch) the leak dumped a pail of water into the house. It turned out that there was a hole in the valley flashing and all of the rain water that fell on the roof collected at the flashing and funneled in through the hole. Your leak may be small but the area that it drains may be large.
determine that it is indeed rain water it will help you find the source if you measure the quantity of water you sponge out and compare it to the amount of rain you had. For example if you had one inch of rain overnight and the water in the bilge was an inch deep in the morning then the leak will be in an area that can funnel the water in. I once had to repair a roof leak that in a very light rain (about 1/8 inch) the leak dumped a pail of water into the house. It turned out that there was a hole in the valley flashing and all of the rain water that fell on the roof collected at the flashing and funneled in through the hole. Your leak may be small but the area that it drains may be large.
Deck Fittings
Check all the deck fittings....rain water has a very fun way of entering in the most pecular places and eventually finds its way down.
Check all the deck fittings....rain water has a very fun way of entering in the most pecular places and eventually finds its way down.
today's update - no water
Thanks for the great suggestions. No freshwater hose leaks. Packing gland is dry - not dripping at all. Winter is usually a little wetter for us, but we just had a very, very dry December - several inches under normal. Returned to the boat today - bilge was as dry as I left it after I sponged it yesterday. We did have a bit of rain last night, but not much. I'll keep watching it. Thanks again!
Thanks for the great suggestions. No freshwater hose leaks. Packing gland is dry - not dripping at all. Winter is usually a little wetter for us, but we just had a very, very dry December - several inches under normal. Returned to the boat today - bilge was as dry as I left it after I sponged it yesterday. We did have a bit of rain last night, but not much. I'll keep watching it. Thanks again!
HERE IS WHERE YOUR WATER IS COMING FROM
Your keel is hollow above the lead. This fills with water over time. The water freeze and expands. This crack the fiberglass (hairline cracks). Thus water leaks into the bilge. Test in water.. Dry all the water you can out of the bidge. Spray the bottom with scrubing bubbles (I love the stuff). Now look for water running into the boat's bidge. 1990 Hunter are prone to this.
Your keel is hollow above the lead. This fills with water over time. The water freeze and expands. This crack the fiberglass (hairline cracks). Thus water leaks into the bilge. Test in water.. Dry all the water you can out of the bidge. Spray the bottom with scrubing bubbles (I love the stuff). Now look for water running into the boat's bidge. 1990 Hunter are prone to this.
Sherry please keep us in the loop
Enquiring minds want to know. There have been a lot of long distance diagnostic opinions expressed but none of us have been sitting in the boat looking for trouble for a rainy weekend. However if you want anyone the sit in the boat with you on a rainy weekend looking for the source of your troubles I am sure that there is someone here that would be glad to help. Sorry I'm Gonna be with my wife of 39 years for the next two or three hundred weekends. So I guess you will have to find another volunteer.
Enquiring minds want to know. There have been a lot of long distance diagnostic opinions expressed but none of us have been sitting in the boat looking for trouble for a rainy weekend. However if you want anyone the sit in the boat with you on a rainy weekend looking for the source of your troubles I am sure that there is someone here that would be glad to help. Sorry I'm Gonna be with my wife of 39 years for the next two or three hundred weekends. So I guess you will have to find another volunteer.
What leaks in must leak out
This was the best solution my neighbors were able to bring forth last summer when I posed the same question: 1. Haul the boat 2. Fill with water 3. Watch for leaks As it turned out, there was a pin hole leak in my bilge pump hose. Some of the water pumped out slowly leaked back from the section of hose between the pump and the "loop". Here's another possibility -- the gland around your prop shaft is designed to drip a little.
This was the best solution my neighbors were able to bring forth last summer when I posed the same question: 1. Haul the boat 2. Fill with water 3. Watch for leaks As it turned out, there was a pin hole leak in my bilge pump hose. Some of the water pumped out slowly leaked back from the section of hose between the pump and the "loop". Here's another possibility -- the gland around your prop shaft is designed to drip a little.
the mystery continues , , ,
Unfortunately, I'm 2 hours from my boat, and we don't get up there as often this time of year. Thus far I think that Higgs' answer is the most logical - boat gremlins
Otherwise, I think it has to be something related to flexing from change in water temp. My gut feeling is that it is not rain water; we endured hurricane remnants all summer, and she didn't leak at all then. But I guess it's possible that the colder weather has caused something to contract, allowing rain water in. So I'll just have to keep watching and checking. And Ross, I'm sure my husband of 20 years will be glad to hang out with me in the boat on a rainy weekend
Unfortunately, I'm 2 hours from my boat, and we don't get up there as often this time of year. Thus far I think that Higgs' answer is the most logical - boat gremlins
Otherwise, I think it has to be something related to flexing from change in water temp. My gut feeling is that it is not rain water; we endured hurricane remnants all summer, and she didn't leak at all then. But I guess it's possible that the colder weather has caused something to contract, allowing rain water in. So I'll just have to keep watching and checking. And Ross, I'm sure my husband of 20 years will be glad to hang out with me in the boat on a rainy weekend Maybe...
Many boats take some water down the mast whenever it rains. Either through poorly sealed electrical thru-deck fittings, hardware, or associated gear, there are several places water can intrude. A good way to find it is to use dry tissue paper - you can dab it in a lot of locations fairly quickly.
Many boats take some water down the mast whenever it rains. Either through poorly sealed electrical thru-deck fittings, hardware, or associated gear, there are several places water can intrude. A good way to find it is to use dry tissue paper - you can dab it in a lot of locations fairly quickly.
Sherry I just another
idea about this water problem. You said that during the remnants of of the hurricanes you didn't get water into the bilge......so the problem may be seasonal, as in leaves and other debris forming little dams that plug the drainage channels around the cockpit hatches. Should this happen, and it does on my boat, then rain water flows over the raised edge of the locker opening and finds its way into the bilge.
idea about this water problem. You said that during the remnants of of the hurricanes you didn't get water into the bilge......so the problem may be seasonal, as in leaves and other debris forming little dams that plug the drainage channels around the cockpit hatches. Should this happen, and it does on my boat, then rain water flows over the raised edge of the locker opening and finds its way into the bilge.
i'll check the exterior for debris
Ross - good suggestion. I don't recall seeing much debris on the boat, but I will check. Also, it could be that wind blew, debris fell, rain came, water went to bilge, then debris dried and wind blew it away before I ever saw it. . . . Wish I could run up there today to check
Ross - good suggestion. I don't recall seeing much debris on the boat, but I will check. Also, it could be that wind blew, debris fell, rain came, water went to bilge, then debris dried and wind blew it away before I ever saw it. . . . Wish I could run up there today to check
Sfternoon Sherry
I keep a boat down at Aqua Yacht so I know the weather conditions that you deal with. Folks have several good theories and suggestions and there could be something to every one of them. Another consideration is condensation from the un-insulated areas of the hull. The boat interior heats up during the day and retains the heat. It cools down at night and condensation occurs under the v berth, storage areas, and other sealed in un-insulated areas above the water line, draining into the bilge. I've found moisture in these areas, only during the winter months. A small leak here, a little condensation there and the next thing you know you have a couple of gallons a day going into the bilge. I stopped worrying about it after expending all efforts to find a leak and not finding one.
I keep a boat down at Aqua Yacht so I know the weather conditions that you deal with. Folks have several good theories and suggestions and there could be something to every one of them. Another consideration is condensation from the un-insulated areas of the hull. The boat interior heats up during the day and retains the heat. It cools down at night and condensation occurs under the v berth, storage areas, and other sealed in un-insulated areas above the water line, draining into the bilge. I've found moisture in these areas, only during the winter months. A small leak here, a little condensation there and the next thing you know you have a couple of gallons a day going into the bilge. I stopped worrying about it after expending all efforts to find a leak and not finding one.
still dry
We drove up to the boat for a while today. The bilge was completely dry. Some rain last week but not a huge amount. The bottom of the compression post seemed damp. So I don't think I have any kind of hull/keel bolt leak. If rain water is coming down the compression post, is that happening inside the post or on the outside of the post? Where do I look to ascertain where it's coming from, and how do I stop it?
We drove up to the boat for a while today. The bilge was completely dry. Some rain last week but not a huge amount. The bottom of the compression post seemed damp. So I don't think I have any kind of hull/keel bolt leak. If rain water is coming down the compression post, is that happening inside the post or on the outside of the post? Where do I look to ascertain where it's coming from, and how do I stop it?
The compression post
should be solid. The most likely place for a leak in that area is the electrical feed through fitting for the lights on the mast. Try wrapping apiece of cloth, stained with food coloring and allowed to dry, around the post. That way if water is coming in there, the color will run. Brown paper, like grocery bags will warp if it gets wet so you could place nice smooth paper in areas that you suspect and if they have gotten wet in your absence they will still bear evidence.
should be solid. The most likely place for a leak in that area is the electrical feed through fitting for the lights on the mast. Try wrapping apiece of cloth, stained with food coloring and allowed to dry, around the post. That way if water is coming in there, the color will run. Brown paper, like grocery bags will warp if it gets wet so you could place nice smooth paper in areas that you suspect and if they have gotten wet in your absence they will still bear evidence.
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