I have a '76 C22. After sailing last weekend for the first time this year, I found some water in bilge area (near the battery). Since I had a previous rain water leak from the starboard combing compartment (yes I know it's not supposed to leak, but it did!) I sponged it up and forgot it. After sailing in moderate winds on Monday for about an hour, I again noticed some water in the same area. I checked all the usual spots (cockpit drains, volcano fitting, etc.). Finally, when I checked with a light and mirror, and sponged out about two cups of water, I could see some cracks between the hull and keel trunk on both the starboard and port sides. It's located about where the keel hangers connect to the hull (and probably where the major weight stresses are). Water did not seem to be coming in while at the slip, but my supposition is that with the flexing movements encountered during sailing the cracks open sufficiently to allow water in. Has anyone encountered a similar problem, and what was your fix? A 1999 Archives reply from "Pirate of Sha-lin" describes a similar problem, but I could find no place where he described his fix, nor could I locate his email address. Any help or advice would be appreciated.
Keel Trunk/Hull Cracks
- Thread starter Dave S.
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Leaks are Challenging
Dave: Please read my "I was just there", reply under the "Cockpit Drains" article. It's still on this forum. I had a leak it the battery area, actually 2 leaks, that collected in front of the battery, (on the port side of the keel), and they were from around the thru-hull, and from the port cockpit drain. If water was coming in from around the keel, it would collect in the port seat compartment where the keel lock bolt is. I have written several times about how I have used a "grease stick", and silicone sealer, to keep water from coming into this compartment, when the boat is heeled. I don't know how or where water would come in on the starboard side of the keel. From my experience, the fiberglass around where the keel is mounted is incredibly strong. I have hairline cracks inside the port compartment but don't get any water in there. Sometimes, when I am trying to track down a leak, I place tissues in strategic places where I think the water may be coming from, to help isolate where the path that the water is taking. It can be very challenging to track down where a leak is coming from. But it is nice once you have the leaks fixed and the bilge is bone dry again. Good luck, Aldo
Dave: Please read my "I was just there", reply under the "Cockpit Drains" article. It's still on this forum. I had a leak it the battery area, actually 2 leaks, that collected in front of the battery, (on the port side of the keel), and they were from around the thru-hull, and from the port cockpit drain. If water was coming in from around the keel, it would collect in the port seat compartment where the keel lock bolt is. I have written several times about how I have used a "grease stick", and silicone sealer, to keep water from coming into this compartment, when the boat is heeled. I don't know how or where water would come in on the starboard side of the keel. From my experience, the fiberglass around where the keel is mounted is incredibly strong. I have hairline cracks inside the port compartment but don't get any water in there. Sometimes, when I am trying to track down a leak, I place tissues in strategic places where I think the water may be coming from, to help isolate where the path that the water is taking. It can be very challenging to track down where a leak is coming from. But it is nice once you have the leaks fixed and the bilge is bone dry again. Good luck, Aldo
Gudgeons
It is hard to track down a leak. I had a similar experience, fine at the dock but leak after sailing. It turned out to be the lower gudgeons that support the rudder. When uderway, especially when motoring, the gudgeon was under-water and leaked. The water goes down the inside of the transom and runs to the bilge. I made a rubber gasket for the gudgeon and no more leaking. Good luck. Randy
It is hard to track down a leak. I had a similar experience, fine at the dock but leak after sailing. It turned out to be the lower gudgeons that support the rudder. When uderway, especially when motoring, the gudgeon was under-water and leaked. The water goes down the inside of the transom and runs to the bilge. I made a rubber gasket for the gudgeon and no more leaking. Good luck. Randy
Thanks, but...
Thanks for you replies, Randy and Aldo. My keel lock-down bolt is greased and no water seems to be entering at that point (it's completely dry under the forward port dinette bench area), and the thru-hull connection at the volcano is bone dry. Nor does the water seem to be coming from the aft of the boat--it seems to be coming from forward of the battery area on both the port and starboard sides of the keel trunk. I did notice some water drip lines on the inside of the hull, under the starboard cabin bench apparently from the area of the hull/deck connection. Perhaps part of leak is coming from that location? Or maybe it's leaking behind the rub rail? It's a mystery, but Aldo, I agree it will be wonderful when the bilge is once again dry. Any other ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for you replies, Randy and Aldo. My keel lock-down bolt is greased and no water seems to be entering at that point (it's completely dry under the forward port dinette bench area), and the thru-hull connection at the volcano is bone dry. Nor does the water seem to be coming from the aft of the boat--it seems to be coming from forward of the battery area on both the port and starboard sides of the keel trunk. I did notice some water drip lines on the inside of the hull, under the starboard cabin bench apparently from the area of the hull/deck connection. Perhaps part of leak is coming from that location? Or maybe it's leaking behind the rub rail? It's a mystery, but Aldo, I agree it will be wonderful when the bilge is once again dry. Any other ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Try the tissue idea
I suggest you lay out tissues or paper towels like Aldo suggested. I was convinced that my fixed keel bolts were the source of the leak or that it was the hull flexing but it turned out to be the gudgeon. The water goes everywhere as you tilt back and forth. You cannot judge where the leak is by what is wet. You really need to track it down systematically. I put a towel aft of the companionway to finally find my leak. Happy hunting. Randy
I suggest you lay out tissues or paper towels like Aldo suggested. I was convinced that my fixed keel bolts were the source of the leak or that it was the hull flexing but it turned out to be the gudgeon. The water goes everywhere as you tilt back and forth. You cannot judge where the leak is by what is wet. You really need to track it down systematically. I put a towel aft of the companionway to finally find my leak. Happy hunting. Randy
Water in the bilge
I always seem to have just a little water in the bilge of my '86 C22. I have removed and rebedded all the deck fittings and still it is there. I sit on a mooring and I think that sitting in the sun and being in cold water that my problem is condensation. Any thoughts?
I always seem to have just a little water in the bilge of my '86 C22. I have removed and rebedded all the deck fittings and still it is there. I sit on a mooring and I think that sitting in the sun and being in cold water that my problem is condensation. Any thoughts?
Going to try tissue
I intend to try the tissue/paper towel approach and see if I can pin down the source of my leak. The good thing is the amount is small and it doesn't seem to leak in the slip, so I'm not concerned with it sinking at the dock. Charley, I don't think condensation could be my issue since it's a good deal more than that. I never noticed any water in my bilge when my boat was previously on a mooring. Actually, here in Minnesota lately we should probably be more concerned with frost and icing since night time temps are in in the 40's and we had a wind chill last week of 28 degrees! At least it helps control the mosquitos ;-)
I intend to try the tissue/paper towel approach and see if I can pin down the source of my leak. The good thing is the amount is small and it doesn't seem to leak in the slip, so I'm not concerned with it sinking at the dock. Charley, I don't think condensation could be my issue since it's a good deal more than that. I never noticed any water in my bilge when my boat was previously on a mooring. Actually, here in Minnesota lately we should probably be more concerned with frost and icing since night time temps are in in the 40's and we had a wind chill last week of 28 degrees! At least it helps control the mosquitos ;-)
Water source...
While sailing, I noticed water gushing up the "Volcano" when hitting large wakes...Could this be your case?
While sailing, I noticed water gushing up the "Volcano" when hitting large wakes...Could this be your case?
Ken, How about a few more words
Ken: Everything is very dry on my boat at the moment, but for future reference, please tell us how you use chalk lines to help track down the source of leaks. Thanks, Aldo
Ken: Everything is very dry on my boat at the moment, but for future reference, please tell us how you use chalk lines to help track down the source of leaks. Thanks, Aldo
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