Bow Heavy

[Randy Miller]

I have a 1987 34" Hunter sailboat and recently noticed it is sitting low in the bow and lisping slightly to starboard side. Naturally. I thought I could have water leaking in at the hull to deck seem but after a good rain there was no water in the bilge area. I know these boats have a cavity in some areas between the hull and inside liner and was thinking there could be water between those two sections or maybe I could have sprung a leak where the keel is attached to the hull.
Any Ideas out there....?

 

[Mikem]

I have a 1987 34" Hunter sailboat and recently noticed it is sitting low in the bow and lisping slightly to starboard side. Naturally. I thought I could have water leaking in at the hull to deck seem but after a good rain there was no water in the bilge area. I know these boats have a cavity in some areas between the hull and inside liner and was thinking there could be water between those two sections or maybe I could have sprung a leak where the keel is attached to the hull.
Any Ideas out there....?

Did you check the anchor locker?

 

[ggrizzard]

Bremerton? As in Washington?
Have you checked for stowaway seals?

 

[jssailem]

What is stored in the bow or spaces in front of the mast?

 

[jssailem]

@ggrizzard while Bremerton is in Washington, the OP lives in the Bay Area. His home is listed as Pittsburgh CA.

No Sea Lions have been photographed on boats in the SF Bay. At least not yet.

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

Ditto on Mikem. Check your anchor locker. If the drain got plugged up then you will have water accumulation. On the 34, the drain is in the bottom of the locker, connected to a rubber hose which goes to a through-hull. The area under the anchor locker is a dry section of the bilge, as well as the area under the V-berth. However if there is a problem with the rubber hose itself leaking, or a broken collar on that hose, then water will accumulate under the anchor locker. You need to remove the small bulkhead in the front area of the V-berth to access that section of the bilge and fix the problem if indeed it's that "

 

[jssailem]

I would think if it is water, and well it may be, there will be signs. Mold and mildew, smells, discolored cabinets, damp bedding, etc.

 

[SG]

I have a 1987 34" Hunter sailboat and recently noticed it is sitting low in the bow and lisping slightly to starboard side.

How low; and how much of a lisp? Is this a new issue, or did you just notice it?

Depending, it might nothing, or it might mean something. Possible it's multiple issues. (e.g., water tanks, or holding tanks, filled funny; or chain; or "entrapped" water.) I think you'd need a lot incidental water to do much on a 34' sailboat.

If you have someone stand on the dock, then move someone (with some heft) around the deck. See if you can get a sense for what would "level" her out in port-to-starboard, and, then bow-up/bow-down.

I

 

[Roland5048]

I have a 1987 34" Hunter sailboat and recently noticed it is sitting low in the bow and lisping slightly to starboard side.

Definitely check for water in the bow although a good speech therapist might be able to help that lisp.
Happy Holidays, all.

 

[Capt Robbie]

Randy,
I have a 1983 h34 basicly the same boat.
First Check your aft water tank and make sure it is full, if not full the bow will set low.
Second under the v-berth there are storage compartments that a lot of dealerships utilized to install knot meter transducers that the thru hull maybe leaking.
Third check anchor locker for excessive waigh, such as anchor chain.
There is an inspection plate in the v-berth that allows access to the anchor well hose drain, that thu hull fitting on both ends of the drain hose are common to fail from ice that cracks the connections. That rain water will then run down the hull and settle into the forward storage compartments.

The starboard list is due to poor weight distribution from Hunter.
They put too many heavy items on the starboard side.
Holding tank, hot water heater, fuel tank, battery bank just to name a few.
Some owners have moved the batery bank to the aft locker or allong side the port water tank. They claim that this has helped.

The liner cavity you spoke of is sometimes referred to as a false bilge.
That will only accumulate a gallon or so of water. If you have not done this modification, you should. You will be amazed how much of a diferance it makes.

Hope this helps