Dry Bilge in Winter?

[chrisyse]

Has anyone experienced hull or keel bolt damage due to one or two inches of water which froze?
One to two inches of water gets into the bilge of our 1989 C34 during rain storms, even with a winter cover. We are in CT and it goes through several freeze/thaw cycles before we remove it. As a safety, we put in a gallon or so of antifreeze. My partner argues a few inches of water should be of no concern and will not cause damage.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Your partner is right.

As long as water has room to expand it is not a problem. If your keel bolts are leaking however, that is a different problem.

 

[quadrille38]

If you are worried pour the gallon of anti freeze in the bilge it is cheap comfort. I used to do that with our C34.

 

[dziedzicmj]

how about a garboard drain plug? it requires installation, but if you are already on the hard, it is not that complicated.

 

[Dalliance]

I would be more concerned about ice damage to the bilge pump or float switch. The anti-freeze is cheap insurance. I would also be looking for where the water is getting in during rain storms. Are you sure it's not condensation from temperature and humidity changes?

 

[quadrille38]

I would be more concerned about ice damage to the bilge pump or float switch. The anti-freeze is cheap insurance. I would also be looking for where the water is getting in during rain storms. Are you sure it's not condensation from temperature and humidity changes?

Had a Catalina 34 for 17 years - it tends to come down the mast. I know it's hard to believe that the small openings at the top of a keel stepped mast can be a source of water in the bilge but it is. I vacuumed the bilge dry ever fall, put a gallon of anti freeze in and in the spring came back to a few inches of water. Worse when it's a rainy fall/winter until it turns to snow.

Friends just bought a 34 and in the month the owned it before haul out they have already remarked about water in the bilge that is coming down the mast.

lots of positives with a keel stepped mast but this one oddity isn't one of them.

It's a great boat by the way. We loved it. Only traded it because we had an opportunity to get a brand new boat that had more of the features that will allow us to sail well into our elder years (a furling main, the Hunter arch, and some creature comforts).

 

[njlarry]

how about a garboard drain plug? it requires installation, but if you are already on the hard, it is not that complicated.

Second that. Amazing how many boats do not have one. Cheap and easy insurance against leaks over a long winter away from the boat. A little antifreeze would not hurt the pump.

 

[Dalliance]

A keel stepped mast would certainly explain where the water is coming from when it rains. It didn't even occur to me at the time. SailboatData.com shows the Catalina 34 had a deck stepped mast in '85-'86, then switched to keel stepped in '87. Chrisyse has an '89. Interesting that Catalina changed the design....

 

[quadrille38]

A keel stepped mast would certainly explain where the water is coming from when it rains. It didn't even occur to me at the time. SailboatData.com shows the Catalina 34 had a deck stepped mast in '85-'86, then switched to keel stepped in '87. Chrisyse has an '89. Interesting that Catalina changed the design....

Not a change an option. See information from the C34 association site. I had keel stepped tall rig with fin keel.

The original C34 was introduced in 1986 (first hulls produced in 1985). Designed by Frank Butler, it quickly gained popularity as a fast, stiff, and sturdily built cruising yacht. It is a great light-air performer with commodious accommodations. The C-34 has evolved since 1986, always having the choices of the tall (approximately 52 feet) or the standard (approximately 50 feet) mast, and later in-mast furling. Additionally, the early models had the OPTION of keel or deck-stepped masts (see 1986 price list), then switched to deck-stepped.

 

[chrisyse]

Thanks for your comments. I like the idea of a drain plug but, for now, I'll just use antifreeze since no one mentioned having experienced hull damage due to ice. I have a mast drain into a bucket, so I'm pretty sure that's not a source of water.

 

[waternwaves]

Doesn't that model have a pan liner which can trap water behind the limber holes???

 

[chrisyse]

My model has several compartments with sealed liners, and water can flow from deck leaks under the liners to the bilge.