I just got Macgregor 19 and the water ballast floods and fills even when compartments are close.
- Thread starter Ronald A. Berliner
- Start date
While not an authority on the 19, I would suspect that those who might be would want more information such as where you are seeing leaks, photos, etc. Really not possible to provide much help without more details.
What "compartments"? If it's like my M26S, you should have a hull valve below the water line that lets water in and out of the ballast tank. It is controlled by a rod threaded up to the inside cabin space.
You may just need the gasket. Blue Water Yachts might have them. Some members here have made their own.
It's a good idea to replace the drain plug under the companion way steps. Make sure it closes tight.
Any boat store will have the plugs for a few bucks.
Any boat store will have the plugs for a few bucks.
I've never been on board a 19 but our old 26D had a leak around the deck to hull joint all the way around which is a difficult thing to fix indeed. Some people have been known to find leaks on sailboats by using a shop vac and pressurizing the hull and then using soapy water to find where the air comes out from the outside.
Hi Ronald,
Congrats on acquiring your Mac19–it’s an awesome little boat and they’re hard to come by.
Most likely your 2” Valterra ballast fill gate valve on the transom is leaking. You can order a new one online—it is a common and inexpensive RV part and easy to replace. You should also check out your centerboard to make sure there is no damage to the trunk and that the swing bolt is sealed. You can access the interior of the ballast tank by unscrewing the two 6” inspection plates from the cabin sole. Make sure you properly clean and reseal the plates when you re-install (if they leak the cabin will flood when the ballast tank is filled). I resealed my centerboard swing bolt and inspection plates with LifeCalk.
I use my Mac19 almost exclusively as a power boat, so I removed the gate valve from the transom and replaced it with a 2” stainless steel/neoprene expansion plug which keeps the ballast tank water-tight (filled or empty) but is a pain-in-the-rear to remove/install when on board. Install a new expansion plug in the ballast tank air vent under the cabin step while you’re at it to prevent the cabin from flooding.
I do not recommend using air pressure to check for ballast tank leaks—the tank is not designed to handle that type of load and you could actually cause a leak if you blow out a weak tank-to-hull seam somewhere. And because ~90% of the ballast tank is inaccessible (without tearing out the inner hull liner) there’s a good chance you couldn’t find or repair a ballast tank leak anyway. Furthermore, unless you have damage to your hull or centerboard trunk, a leak in the ballast tank joint would only cause the hull to slowly flood when the ballast tank is filled.
Hope that helps & happy to answer any other questions you might have!
Congrats on acquiring your Mac19–it’s an awesome little boat and they’re hard to come by.
Most likely your 2” Valterra ballast fill gate valve on the transom is leaking. You can order a new one online—it is a common and inexpensive RV part and easy to replace. You should also check out your centerboard to make sure there is no damage to the trunk and that the swing bolt is sealed. You can access the interior of the ballast tank by unscrewing the two 6” inspection plates from the cabin sole. Make sure you properly clean and reseal the plates when you re-install (if they leak the cabin will flood when the ballast tank is filled). I resealed my centerboard swing bolt and inspection plates with LifeCalk.
I use my Mac19 almost exclusively as a power boat, so I removed the gate valve from the transom and replaced it with a 2” stainless steel/neoprene expansion plug which keeps the ballast tank water-tight (filled or empty) but is a pain-in-the-rear to remove/install when on board. Install a new expansion plug in the ballast tank air vent under the cabin step while you’re at it to prevent the cabin from flooding.
I do not recommend using air pressure to check for ballast tank leaks—the tank is not designed to handle that type of load and you could actually cause a leak if you blow out a weak tank-to-hull seam somewhere. And because ~90% of the ballast tank is inaccessible (without tearing out the inner hull liner) there’s a good chance you couldn’t find or repair a ballast tank leak anyway. Furthermore, unless you have damage to your hull or centerboard trunk, a leak in the ballast tank joint would only cause the hull to slowly flood when the ballast tank is filled.
Hope that helps & happy to answer any other questions you might have!