Lancer 25 leaky rudderpost? mystery

[M]

Any thoughts are appreciated. I recently bought a Lancer 25. A small compartment with a 6" screw cover in the lazarette was filled with saltwater and had been for some time. It rotted the adjacent wood bulkhead too. I emptied the compartment. Sitting at the dock it does not fill. When sailing it fills -- and leaks to the bilge. The rudder shaft enclosure goes thru this compartment and exits the hull at the bottom. In 15 knots it took on enough water to land me in dry dock. Here's the mystery: I filled the compartment (in dry dock) from above, and no water leaks to the hull even with rudder movement, so I can't identify the problem. The cockpit drain exits on the platform that includes the screw top for the water filled compartment then goes to the drain hole to outside (aft). One person speculated water was coming in the drain hole since it's only maybe 3" above the waterline, although it would be slightly strange to get thru the screw cover or otherwise make it to the wet compartment.

Any ideas or related experience?

Thanks!

 

[Brian D]

That is a mistery

Are you 100% positive it is coming from the rudder post? Think you might have a fracture that only opens when the rudder is being pushed away from the boat by water pressure flowing past. Have you tried to pull the rudder away from the boat while on the hard? You said turning the rudder like in normal sailing didn't result in any leak.

Yep, got me.

 

[M]

a few drips

I did see later a few drips coming down the rudder post, which I assume is telling of a bigger leak when under load. I guess the answer is to rip out the lazarette floor for access and re-glass the rudder post. (expensive -- ouch!)

 

[M]

here is the boat, by the way

1975 Lancer 25. Previous owner glassed in a hard dodger.

 

[Brian D]

Try this...

Capt'n Tolley's Creepy Cure

 

[BobM]

got a photo?

Is it in the floor of the lazarette? I used to have water drip down the outside of my rudder post and I could never figure out where it was coming from. I always wondered if there was a false floor to the lazarette which had water under it, but never figured it out.

 

[M]

update

I had a fiberglass expert from the expensive boatyard rip out the lazarette floor and re-glass the rudderpost, bulkhead that had rotted (basically aft of the cockpit)and redo the laz. floor. He found a "hole" or hollow space at the aft part of the under lazarette floor beneath the exhaust exit (inboard Yanmar) and drain exit just below.

When I went back out I took a peek and water was entering thru the drain pipe, which exits the transom just 5" or so above the still water line. Under load, this drain is below water and the lazarette floor gets flooded. I assume this is a modification the prior owner made, since I can't imagine a manufacturer creating such a problem.

So I guess I'm looking for a new one way valve for the drain exit, and glad I have a solid bulkhead again for when water does eventually fill the below-lazarette area.

 

[BobM]

Thanks for the valuable info

I always suspected there was a floor in there, but I just never got around to tackling it. I suggest you caulk around the top of your rudder where it meets the post as that also helped stop the influx of water into my rudder.

By the way, my boat had a hole in the transom in the location you describe. I never had a problem with water getting in it.

 

[M]

Sounds Right!

So the cockpit draining to the lazarette floor, then out a pipe thru the transom (about 6" above the water line when at dock, but below water line when moving under sail or power) is not unique to my boat. Seems like a poor aspect of the design. I am thinking of putting a one way valve on the exhaust and that drain. Reglassing the laz. floor did solve the problem of water going into the bilge.

Check out where the drain and exhaust (above) outpipes are in the photo.