I have a 1985 Oday 26. I keep getting water in the bilge when it rains. It appears as though it's coming from the anchor well. I can put a hose into the well and remove the storage from the v-berth and watch the water trickle down to the weep hole. When I inspect the anchor well there is no evidence of any issue that would cause a leak. In addition, after I pump the bilge and go for a sail the bilge has more water in it. I assume water is "hiding" somewhere and is shaken loose by heeling. I am over perplexed. Any advice?
Bilge water
- Thread starter Stormy26
- Start date
On my 25 the anchor well has a through hull in the bottom. A hose connects this to a pipe fitting that is glassed in to a hole on the bow. I had to remove the hose and plastic through hull fitting, reseal it with 3m 4200 and use epoxy on the pipe fitting, which was loose. Installed a new hose and no more leaking.
Stormy, when you use the term weep hole, are you referring to the anchor locker drain.....? Anchor lockers can leak..our good friends had an Erickson 28 which had a really bad leak in the anchor locker that drained into the v-berth area....they finally had a fiberglass fellow fix the leak, but it was not an easy fix as I remember. Pat
I think he means the drain hole through the hull stringers into the bilge.
I would check that locker drain. How full are you getting the anchor locker? Do you have an eyelet or Ubolt for the rode to tie off that might be leaking?
I would check that locker drain. How full are you getting the anchor locker? Do you have an eyelet or Ubolt for the rode to tie off that might be leaking?
I have checked the drain for the locker and its dry as a bone. No leakage there. The bow eye isn't the problem either. When I turn the hose on the water does drain through the drain hole and out through the bow just like it's supposed to. It's crazy. More puzzling is the water appears to be "stuck" somewhere and drains to the bilge when the boat heels after I already pumped the bilge.
Check your forward hatch. My friend has an Oday 26, and the plexi had separated from the plastic frame of the forward hatch. You could not see it, but it was leaking.
Water would appear in his bilge whenever he motored. Not when sailing, but when he motored. Weird.
But check it!
Water would appear in his bilge whenever he motored. Not when sailing, but when he motored. Weird.
But check it!
I just chased the same problem. After a month of trying to figure out what it was. Bingo! The drain plug insert from the anchor locker. When the boat was built they did not use sealant and when we hit waves comes in between hull from forepeak. You can try spraying your anchor locker and wont leak comes from the gap at the bow above the eye.. I was so pissed. Sailing on the Pacific Ocean hitting wave after wave brought a good amount of water. Hard to even see the gap but its there. Not anymore after I put 5200. Never ever will leak again.Stormy26 said:
MT,
On my 25 it was just a pipe nipple stuck partly into a hole in the bow. Mine was loose so I can see how, with it loose, the locker drain would not leak but waves against the bow would leak between the hole and the pipe nipple. Looking into the bow drain hole you could see the pipe nipple. I used thickened epoxy to seal and taper the end of the pipe nipple to the hole edge.
Stormy,
I find some of my leaks by shining a powerful flashlight onto the hull through the storage locker openings. That's how I found the leak running down the v of the bow and then traced it to the anchor locker drain. Also found the cockpit drain hose was dripping when I shone the flashlight into the lazaret. Worth a try.
On my 25 it was just a pipe nipple stuck partly into a hole in the bow. Mine was loose so I can see how, with it loose, the locker drain would not leak but waves against the bow would leak between the hole and the pipe nipple. Looking into the bow drain hole you could see the pipe nipple. I used thickened epoxy to seal and taper the end of the pipe nipple to the hole edge.
Stormy,
I find some of my leaks by shining a powerful flashlight onto the hull through the storage locker openings. That's how I found the leak running down the v of the bow and then traced it to the anchor locker drain. Also found the cockpit drain hose was dripping when I shone the flashlight into the lazaret. Worth a try.
Last edited: