Billage water

[Deucer]

Bob,

It's just a simple hand pump. I can snake the intake hose under the sole from the starboard inspection hatch in the bunk. I do think the water is a function of how much I heel. But, it's been sporadic. What I can't tell is exactly how much room between the sole and the top of the tank. I think it's only about 1/4 inch or less. That makes putting in a inspection port a little dicey. Just haven't had the time or courage to do it, yet.

 

[BobSail]

Deucer:

Thanks. I'm not sure how much room there is either. At one point, I pumped four gallons of water out by threading a hose down along side the vent extension area under the companionway step. We could hear the water squish while walking on the sole, so I'm assuming it was partly submerged in the tank recess area.

 

[soling42]

Ahh, the leakey 26/260 issue resurfaces. My brain child was that these boats had no air loop in the bilge pump outlet so I added 4' of hose and went on a week long cruise and yesterday found 3gals of saltwater in my bilge. I had previously sealed the gap in the compression post well and it's still completely dry so a CB/compression post leak is out . Also sealed the gap under the companionway step in the vent/fill/drain area and it's dry too.

There's only a few penetrations in this hull and I've gone over every one. I hate to admit it but the only two culprits left are the unthinkable leak in the ballast tank to hull joint or, as mentioned, the stern joint which will be next seasons haul-out project. It's not the first time I've heard about the stern hull/deck leak so I can almost guarantee that's our culprit.

On the up side it's only a few gals so I can easily deal with it as long as the deck doesn't let go......now there's a thought to dwell on in a nasty seaway
Mike

 

[Chiriqui]

It's taken a while but I've come to the conclusion that I don't have a leak!

Being that I'm new to the boat and it features may account for the reason that I let sea water accumulating on top of the ballast tank. I became conscious of it only when it started showing up through the floor of the boat and in under the cabinetry/kitchen sink.

It took considerable effort but eventually I got all the water out of this space between the floor and the top of the ballast tank. I was unsuccessful doing this while the boat was on the trailer.

Focusing my attention on Wing Nut and Air Port found in the step compartment of the cabin ladder
I filled the tank with tap water while it sat on the trailer which I dyed red.
I tightened down the Wing Nut and Air Port plug that has a lever like a soda bottle plug (to my knowledge there is nothing in the manual saying to tighten either of these after filling the tank) I had not been do this when I took the boat out to sea!
I used the marine tractor to move the boat around to simulate the boat at sea. I saw no red water but I kept finding more trapped water that now moved to the stern that I sponged out.
I left the boat hitched to the boat. I pulled the Air Port plug and no water escaped with the small amount of air pressure that had built up
The next day I returned. The boat had been detached from the tractor, which required lifting the bow end to lower the trailer's support wheel.
I found red dyed water around bilge pump!
On inspecting the wing nut, air plug port I found a small amount of red water in this compartment. I started to release the air plug. Water and air shot out. Apparently pressure built up when the boat was unhitched. Enough so that it forced water out of the air plug port, even though this plug was firmly in the with the expansion lever down.
I took the boat for a sea run filling the tank again which mixed sea/salt water with the 1/2 tank of red dyed fresh water in the ballast.
Out at sea more water trapped onto of the ballast tank found its way back to the stern in the area of the bilge pump. No red ballast water.
I checked the pin to the center board under the cabin table. It was dry. We sailed in 5 foot swells.
I left the boat in the water over night. The bilge stayed dry.
I sailed again and no water came into the stern bilge, colored or otherwise.

The problem all along was the air plug. I found a piece of bicycle tire with a diameter that fit snugly over the plug. It's difficult to put the plug in but it gave it a better seal.

No water in the bilge!