For the last month, I decided to embark on some leak hunting. I was unable to dry out the bilge (it just kept coming from the stringers, slowly) and started to get concerned i had a keel joint leaking.
Invested in a seaflo dry bilge pump, which runs 2 minutes, 3xa week, and it's just filling a trash can. I wanted to keep the bilge low, so that the stringers could actually drain, but also track water removed.
Determined though this process that the wiring penetration in the mast was a major source of water, and actually drilled a 3/16 weep hole in the compression post base (which had at least a quart come out).
I managed to seal up the penetration, which is about a 1 inch pvc pipe, with HVAC line putty, applied with some special tooling ( an aluminum bottle opener) . It's not easy! The hole is only accessible through a hole in the side of the compression post. Had to remove some of the fiberglass to get access, though this is all behind the (fell apart when removed) cover plate.
Very hard to see, but i got 2/3 of an entire 1lb brick shoved into that tube, taking care to go on both sides and in between the wires. My fingers still hurt.
Fast forward 2 weeks of not getting to the boat, and several torrential rainstorms. Today i find, not only a dry bilge (NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE) but zero water in the bucket. I have two other small drips ( hatch and a side window), but those are known and could not explain the volume in the bilge every visit. The mast was it!!!
Lots more to do, but this is a huge milestone going into northeast winter haul out season, as accumulation and freezing of water in the stringers is a worry of mine, and there's definitely at least one that needs some glass repair.
!!
Invested in a seaflo dry bilge pump, which runs 2 minutes, 3xa week, and it's just filling a trash can. I wanted to keep the bilge low, so that the stringers could actually drain, but also track water removed.
Determined though this process that the wiring penetration in the mast was a major source of water, and actually drilled a 3/16 weep hole in the compression post base (which had at least a quart come out).
I managed to seal up the penetration, which is about a 1 inch pvc pipe, with HVAC line putty, applied with some special tooling ( an aluminum bottle opener) . It's not easy! The hole is only accessible through a hole in the side of the compression post. Had to remove some of the fiberglass to get access, though this is all behind the (fell apart when removed) cover plate.
Very hard to see, but i got 2/3 of an entire 1lb brick shoved into that tube, taking care to go on both sides and in between the wires. My fingers still hurt.
Fast forward 2 weeks of not getting to the boat, and several torrential rainstorms. Today i find, not only a dry bilge (NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE) but zero water in the bucket. I have two other small drips ( hatch and a side window), but those are known and could not explain the volume in the bilge every visit. The mast was it!!!
Lots more to do, but this is a huge milestone going into northeast winter haul out season, as accumulation and freezing of water in the stringers is a worry of mine, and there's definitely at least one that needs some glass repair.
!!