Hunter 33 strange leaks

[Jim Logan]

Do any of you h33 owners have any experience with leaks around either the rudder shaft or keel bolts on your boat? I'm going to pull the boat for a bottom job, and replace the stuffing box with a dripless shaft seal, But since I am tired of the water in the bilge, I want to fix all the problems at once. How do I tell whether I have a keel bolt leak versus a rudder shaft leak - both areas are damp, but I can't see any drips or running water, yet my bilge pump cycles about once every 2 hours when sailing, and there is usually some (not much) water in the bilge when at dock. Even when I stop the drips totally on the shaft stuffing box, I still get the water when sailing. Any ideas?

 

[David McKie]

33 leaks

I had a similar problem and found the rudder post stuffing box need adjustment.

 

[Mark Mowery]

H33 leaks

I had the same problem with my H33 and it turned out to be the rudder stuffing box. It only leaks under sail, because when the boat is at rest, the stuffing box is above the water line. A simple partial turn of the nut eliminated the leak in my case. If you open the engine compartment while under way and shine a flashlight on the hull behind the engine you'll probably see a slight trail of water running from the general area of the rudder aft of the shaft stuffing box, down under the engine pan and into the bilge.

 

[Ken Palmer]

Try talcum powder

I guess I'm lucky my H33 doesn't have strange leaks. You might try sprinkling a little talcum powder in the area around the rudder post, or any other place that you suspect a slow leak. If the powder gets wet, you know the source.Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty

 

[Mike Layman]

H33 Leak

Might be the shaft strut bolts?

 

[Jim O'Brien]

Same thing

I experienced the same thing on my 82 H33. I also suspect the rudder stuffing box as the source of these leaks. (and only under sail) I will be curious to hear if getting to the Post is difficult. I plan on fixing this problem in the spring before relaunch.