i seem to have more water in my bilge this year than in past years, but it's been a very rainy year. could it be rainwater coming down the hollow mast?
bilge water
- Thread starter mortyd
- Start date
The primary source of water in thee bilge is the prop shaft packing gland. If you have some type of dripless packing than you can get water down the mast.
BTW, the water coming down the mast has been known to cause water to get into the plywood core under the base of the mast. Last year I this condition when I was re-rigging the mast. I was able to cut out a small section of wet core and rebuild it with solid fiberglass boards and resin. The patch was small enough that I could cover everything with the mast plate I was already planning to add so that I could run more stuff back to the cockpit.
BTW, the water coming down the mast has been known to cause water to get into the plywood core under the base of the mast. Last year I this condition when I was re-rigging the mast. I was able to cut out a small section of wet core and rebuild it with solid fiberglass boards and resin. The patch was small enough that I could cover everything with the mast plate I was already planning to add so that I could run more stuff back to the cockpit.
hayden, i should have mentioned that the water seems to accumulate when the boat is moored so i guess it's not a shaft leak since the engine is not runniing. no?
I assume that you have a conventional packing gland on your boat. If it is adjusted perfectly with good flax then it should drip about 2-3 drops per minute when the shaft is turning and none when the shaft is not turning. I have found that this degree of perfection has usually eluded me. If you get no drips when it is turning then the shaft will likely over heat. If it drips more than this it will probably also drip (at a slower rate) when the shaft is not turning.
Being cautious by nature I tend to have a few drips per minute when the shaft is not turning so that I know that I will not overheat the shaft.
Two other possibilities:
There is a cockpit floor plate aft of the pedestal that covers the steering quandrant. Water collects underneath the plate and if the drain is clogged, water will overflow into the bilge. There is also the chance that the wood stiffener under the plate is rotten and needs to be replaced.
The cockpit drain hoses may be leaking and if so should be replaced.
There is a cockpit floor plate aft of the pedestal that covers the steering quandrant. Water collects underneath the plate and if the drain is clogged, water will overflow into the bilge. There is also the chance that the wood stiffener under the plate is rotten and needs to be replaced.
The cockpit drain hoses may be leaking and if so should be replaced.
Mortyd
There is a quadrant drain hose. I have the open transom and believe I've traced bilge water coming from my steering quadrant. If you open it up and hose in some water it should drain out I believe the port through hull next to the bilge through hull in the transom. As part of my spring commissioning I vacuum out the quadrant add water and wet vac the thru hull sucking out any debri until water flows freely.
There is a quadrant drain hose. I have the open transom and believe I've traced bilge water coming from my steering quadrant. If you open it up and hose in some water it should drain out I believe the port through hull next to the bilge through hull in the transom. As part of my spring commissioning I vacuum out the quadrant add water and wet vac the thru hull sucking out any debri until water flows freely.
thanks bob s , but the boat is now in the yard and i'm hoping it's only a stuffing box problem. i sort of emlinmated your solution because my pump still empties the bilge, which i guess it wouldn't if the thru hull was clogged. here's to a heineken or six to celebate keeping another mechainic working.
for those who prefer folklore to dealing with a manucacturer. a nice conversation with warren at catalina about cracks in my toe rails confirms that they are common and if not big, nothing to worry about, as opposed to a lot of wrong and expensive folklore i have encountered.