Glassed over drain on Hunter 23

[JamieDaniels]

My Hunter 23 is on the trailer. Over the winter it had a leak, and there was a foot of water in the bottom. I fixed the leak and bailed it out, but water keept seeping back into the bottom. There is a bad glass job in the hold in the bottom of my boat and when I pryed back where the bad glass had seprated from the original hull, water ran faster into the hold. I did this after I kept pumping it dry and would come back later to find water back in the hold.

So, here is what I think; any water that gets into the hull, either in the cabin or from behind the bulkhead, drains to this low point. Also a previous owner may have thought that this was a leak and put glass over it. Does anyone have an opnion if this is corect, or a picture of what this hold is supose to look like before someone slaped a sheet of fibeglass in it? Any help would greatly be appreciated.

 

[Deleted member 78819]

I owned a 23 for many years. I believe you are talking about the lazarette storage area under the cockpit when you refer to your hold? If so, water can come in around the lazarette cover during heavy rain or when washing the boat. Water can also be coming from a bad cockpit drain hose or its connection to the through hull, or the through hull itself. Dry everything off as well as possible and watch for drips and trickles. Run a hose in the cockpit and watch the drain hose... Also check the pintles for your rudder mount. Mine were very loose and the lower pintle is below/at the water line. I had a constant trickle coming in on mine before I put fender washers and sealer on them and tightened them up. That was actually my worst leak. After fixing that I had a dry boat. One more check: the anchor locker drain hose. It is hard to get at but if it is leaking water will also work its way between the liner and hull and eventually to your shallow bilge.

Get everything tight and sealed and you have a wonderful boat. I loved mine. A bit tender, reef early, but fast for her size and the cockpit was big enough for a small family and occasional friends. I also liked the way the setees converted into a full birth. Very comfortable.

You have next to nothing for a bilge on a 23. You have a liner pan attached to the hull. There are supposed to be small weep holes allowing water in the pan to trickle into the bilge. I'm sure you have water trapped under your floor in between the hull and liner. A shop vac can help you suck water out of the weep holes.

 

[isaksp00]

I have an H23, 1991. New to me, but I also had water in the lazarette area - I believe it had filled the cockpit on the trailer over the winter, because the scupper drain at aft end of cockpit had covered with leaves. There is a round access hatch on the aft side of the gas tank storage space, and I suspect it leaked in through this.

When you say you pried up the bad glass, and water keeps re-entering the lazarette area, where is the glass you refer to? On mine, there is glass tabbing in the wood bulkheads at the fore end of the lazarette. Check every one of the storage areas under the seats, especially the one on the starboard side way at the aft end. I had about 5-6 inches of water in that, had to use my hand pump and sponge. Check the "bilge" - I mean, the top of the keel where the keel bolts are. I think there may be a compartment or two, like under the sink/stove area, that do not have wood access hatches. Mine has a weep hole, but I kind of wonder if it is now 100% dry.

Mine was on the trailer for maybe 2 months after I bought it, while I worked on it. I did get some more water in the cockpit when more leaves clogged the scupper, but luckily not so high that it got into the now dry lazarette. As long as I cleared the leaves often enough, it stayed dry. It has been on a mooring now for maybe 3 weeks, and so far, no water inside.

 

[peptobysmol]

Give us a pic of where you are talking about and we'll be better able to advise you. Sounds to me like your talking about one of the "bilge areas" under the cabin sole.