Hunter 23 gets a little water around the keel bolts.

Aug 10, 2021
3
hunter 23 apollo beach
There are 3 pockets for the keel bolts with small holes on either side of the keel bolts allowing water to come in and out. I don't know where the water comes from; perhaps it is a water ballast keel?
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,026
-na -NA Anywhere USA
This is not a water ballast boat but a wing keel fixed boat. The first 10 boats was a swing keel with winglets which was not accepted by consumers.

You probably have a topside leak. First is the boat out of the water? Then I can go from there or is the boat out of the water on a trailer?
 
Aug 10, 2021
3
hunter 23 apollo beach
The boat is in the water. When you look at the keel bolts, on either side there is a small hole to allow water in and out. It appears to be designed that way. I have thought of plugging those holes but since it seems to be a design thing I think I should try to find out.
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
Welcome to the forum!!

Same issue came up on this thread on a Hunter 23: Hunter 23 Cabin Leaks : sailing (reddit.com).

Have you traced the source of the water? If it coming in from outside, seal the boat up and perform a water tightness check with a hose spraying water on the deck and mast witth someone inside to observe where the water is coming in and traveling to/from. Once you find the source then you can develop a seal strategy.
 
Last edited:
Aug 10, 2021
3
hunter 23 apollo beach
I appreciate the reply. Note that there is water entering the keel bolt pockets through the small holes that are on either side of the bolts. They seem to be there to allow water to come and go. I just don't know why those holes are there and where the water comes from.
 
Apr 27, 2010
1,236
Hunter 23 Lake Wallenpaupack
I think you are referring to limber holes. My 23 has them, don't know if it came this way from the factory or added by previous owner. I would always get some draining from chambers both fore and aft of the accessible bilge above the keel after I'd first launch it after being on the trailer all winter. I think water would get in from the anchor locker into the space under and just behind the v berth and then seep into the bilge. Same for the area under the cockpit. It sometimes took a few days to vacate these areas. If you find it keeps seeping in for a while, particularly after rain, follow Crazy Dave's advice on how to pressurize the interior to track topside leaks. I found that the covers around the chain plates were leaking and damaged the wood bulkheads. I used butyl rubber to seal them.
 
Oct 3, 2006
1,003
Hunter 23 Philadelphia
This is not a water ballast boat but a wing keel fixed boat. The first 10 boats was a swing keel with winglets which was not accepted by consumers.

You probably have a topside leak. First is the boat out of the water? Then I can go from there or is the boat out of the water on a trailer?
There were only TEN??
Mine's been sold a few years but don't think I ever knew it was such a rare bird. I liked that swing keel.
 
Oct 3, 2006
1,003
Hunter 23 Philadelphia
Just sharing a funny little memory from that photo.
There was a time when I owned a 1988 Bronco II
It went to the scrapyard. But the wheels shared the correct bolt pattern for the boat :)

1629333666144.png
 
Jan 4, 2023
7
Hunter 23 Pymatuning
1990 Hunter 23 and same issue around the keel bolts. have looked for leaks but couldn't find anything. someone said maybe condensation (it's on a trailer and mostly covered. 1/2 bucket with sponge, seems like a lot. leftover from being in the water maybe?
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,026
-na -NA Anywhere USA
@steve_d
You probably have a topside leak. The first thing i would check are the shroud chain plates that has four screws at the base which the caulking has given out. However, there is another way to find pesky leaks.
Close the forward hatch and any opening port holes. Cover the enitre companionway with a solid sheet of plastic taped down to the boat. Cut a slit in it so you can fit the sleeve of a leaf blower thru and tape that too. Have someone on top of the boat with real soapy water in a bucket brushing everything to see if air is escaping which would be indicative of a leak. What you are doing is pressurizing the cabin and air has to escape somewhere
 
Jan 4, 2023
7
Hunter 23 Pymatuning
Thanks for the reply and advice for finding the leak. Will be nice to see that dry under the floorboards, since the underside veneer seems to be separating/bubbling due to the constant moisture. Appreciate it. Thanks again
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,026
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Besides the shroud cover plates, another area to look at is the cockpit drain accessible by removing the forward V Berth plate which is screwed in place. Be cautious as it is a tight fit
 
Jan 4, 2023
7
Hunter 23 Pymatuning
Thanks for the additional info. Didn't know of a cockpit drain. Will check that out.
 
Apr 27, 2010
1,236
Hunter 23 Lake Wallenpaupack
There are two drains to check. One is the cockpit drain that should be at the aft end of the cockpit floor, that exits a through hull at or below the waterline in the transom. There is a hose between the drain and the through hull, very important to make sure it doesn't leak, has double hose clamps, can't be pierced by something in the lazarette, etc. There is another ahead of the v berth that drains the anchor locker to an above water line through hull. If that gets clogged or the rather flimsy hose under the anchor locker were to crack it would let rain or sea water into the hull.
 
Jan 4, 2023
7
Hunter 23 Pymatuning
Appreciate the reply. Would both of those leak to the keel bolt area if there was a problem? Will check them out. Thanks
 
Jun 11, 2023
1
Hunter 23.5 Lake Nockamixon
I am having this problem with my 1986 23 Hunter as well. This thread is very helpful. I have a couple additional questions. I did not realize until after we put boat back in the water Apr-2023 that quite a lot of water had accumulated under the cabin floor boards in the recessed keel bolt spots. The PO had laid rubber matting on the cabin floor. i could feel under the matt the floor was not solid and pulled up the matt. The aft floorboard nearest the companionway was completely rotted out. The recessed area was pretty completely filled. The other two had a little water. I’ve been hand pumping the water out, letting it fill back up and pump it out again. (The forward two recesses are now dry - I think maybe they just had overflow sloshed in from the aft one.). Little by little, less and less water comes back. There is very little now. it seems like once i remove enough water that it no longer seeps into the keel bolt recess, is there still most likely water between the cabin sole and the hull? I have no idea how much water may still be in the boat when it gets to a point where it’s no longer seeping into the cabin floor. How do I remove that water? As far as I can tell, I can’t access that area. I’ve looked at the bilge pump under the v-berth. That area is completely dry. Someone told me they thought that should empty into the area where the bilge pump is and get pumped out. That is definitely not happening. I looked in that space for a hole or some place that looked like water could drain in. I didn’t see anything. I don’t think that person knows this specific boat. Seemed like a general stmt. but is it correct? Should that happen? There is also a bilge pump in the aft locker on the port side where the battery is. Also totally dry.
Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge,

Yes as there are weep holes underneath the cabin floor
 
Last edited: