leaking daysailor

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dennis

i can't find the leak in the floor of my daysailor. if it is coming in through the lines that comes through the hull lines that pull the swingkeel up, i need to find replacements, as one of mine is broken. otherwise, i love my daysailor..... jdink@aol.com
 
Jan 22, 2008
519
Sundance Sundance 20 Weekender Ninette, Manitoba, Canada
leaky line hole fix

Bob Hunkins posted this item on his website just for us DS II sailors with leaky inner hulls. It involves inserting threaded brass nipples available at most harware stores for a few dollars. The author recommends a pipe threader and epoxing them in, but, I hope to try it without the pipethreader, and simply siliconing them in. Will let you know how it works in a couple of weeks, including pictures hopefully. Cut and paste this URL into your browser and download the PDF file on this topic or follow the link below. http://www.bobhunkins.com/mt-archives/DS2CBTLK_100.pdf The other place to check for leaks is at the pivot bolt accessible through the inspection ports. Typically this fix requires a tightening of the nuts, (3/4") with a socket wrench on one side and a box wrench on the other, followed by at liberal slathering of silicone (use latex gloves to apply) over both nuts and onto the surrounding fg. The final place to check for a leak is the external fitting of the self draining cockpit. I am going one step further by putting a gasket around the mast support jack, where it goes through the cuddy roof. Another daysailer (Rod Johnston) of Mass prides himself at keeping his daysailor moored through the season, and maintains that he can collect dust in the inner hull! That is how dry I want my boat to be. Good Luck
 
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Rodney Johnson

Except when it rains!

I have more trouble with rainwater than hull leaks, but the water that leaks in during rainstorms would (should?) normally drain out of the cuddy through the 2 drains into the cockpit. Water gets into the bilge of my DS II through an access panel that I cut into the cuddy "floor" to repair the maststep. I'm presently working on fixing that leakage. Anyway, those plastic donuts are available from D&R Marine as are just about any "O'Day-specific" replacement parts (and a few general items). Rudy Nickerson stocks a lot of parts and knowledge! The line that is used to lower the CB is 29" of 5/16" dacron, the loop of line used to control up/down is 15 1/2' of 1/4" dia. dacron and the s.s. wire is approx. 27" long (the assembly is available from D&R for about $30 including a new tang, donut, washer and block) I still have copies of the DS II Owners Manual that I created, if any owners would like one let me know! ($7.00 for printing and postage)
 
Jan 22, 2008
519
Sundance Sundance 20 Weekender Ninette, Manitoba, Canada
access port leaks

Rod, if I remember correctly for a previous exchange on the subject of your access hatch, this is inside on the cuddy floor on your boat. I was hoping to get at the space underneath the cuddy to store some extra supplies, so wanted to put a larger access port there. How big is the access port you made, but more importantly, how much space is there between the two athwartships reinforcing struts fore and aft of the mast? I'd like to put about an 8 or 10 inch access port about 6 inches to the right of the mast support post base. What can you tell me about the configuration down there? As well I have another similarily related question. I want to install a traveller, and would like to place it immediately aft of the cb trunk, on the cockpit sole. (yes to avoid banging my shins) To access the back of it, I would like to put in a single access port of 5" diameter dead center of the cockpit slightly aft of where the traveller would be placed. Do you know if I will run into a center support member under there or do I have to put in two separate access ports, one on each side of the centerline? If I can get away with only one access, I can reach both ends of the traveller backing plate from this hole, as it is only 24 inches from one side of the cockpit to the other. As for the problem with your leaky access port, I am hoping to do a couple of things in the next few weeks to stop the rainwater from coming in. This is over and above what I plan to do as mentioned earlier to stop the lake water from coming in through the cb line holes. (I think the original design of the donuts you were mentioning, allows the line to eventually wear through them, hence the brass nipples) The nipples hopefuly will take care of the lake water. To take care of the rainwater coming down the mast, I have acquired a rubber hose joiner, (I can't remember the exact size now, but it approximates the size of the mast support post.) It has a ridge or lip on the inside right around the middle. It is only about 3 inches long, and is quite flexible and easy to invert so that the lip is on the outside. I hope to remove the support post, slide this rubber hose connector up the mast support until it is near the top, then reinsert, (snugly) the post into the cuddy top. I hope to trim the rubber about 3/4" above the lip, just underneath the mast hinge. This should create a snug and hopefully waterproof fit for the support post, and stop water coming in from there. I also want to redo the cuddy hatch so that water does not run in from the top of the 'door'. I hope to install companionway 'wash boards' (just like on the big boats) that will slide in, with perhaps a rubber gasket along the inside top of the topmost board to seal agains water entry. I also found some large o-rings that could be mounted inside the inspection ports, but mine fit so snugly, that I don't suspect that they are allowing water in. Let me know the distance between the two supports under the cuddy floor the next time you are able to get your hands down your inspection port, and what you think about the presence of absence of a centerline support aft of the cb trunk. I hope to pull my boat home in a couple of weeks to do some driveway based work until the water is soft enough to splash her up here in middle Canada.
 
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Rodney Johnson

I'll check the ribs on Monday

Roger, I can measure the distance between the ribs on Monday, but there is not much distance between them (fore & aft), maybe 6" +/-. I do know that a Bomar Inspection Hatch (8 3/16" x 12 3/16") will fit between the aft rib and the cuddy bulkhead, this is a hinged access hatch ($26 US from Sailnet) and I bought one for another use (changed mind, so looking at other uses) I would think that would work for storage access and yet not leak. Also works better for bailing out bilge instead of reaching through the cockpit bailing ports! I may buy another and then have one on each side. About the cockpit access to add a traveler, there is a support rib running down the centerline of the cockpit sole, it is the same as the ribs under the cuddy floor (foam-filled fiberglass). I added a 4" inspection port about 12" or so aft of the CB trunk and ended up cutting through that rib. I installed a pair of plywood pieces, one each side of the hole and bolted them under the cockpit sole using the same bolts that hold in my added inspection port. This seems to have returned the structural strength lost by my "oops" of cutting through that rib. Unless you are very nimble in your hands (like triple-jointed?) there is not much space between the cockpit sole and the bottom of the boat (less than 6") and there are a pair of fiberglass "angle-irons" that more or less connect the cb trunk to the cockpit sole. You may be OK if you use 2 ports, one each side of that rib (each about 1.5-2" off-centerline of cockpit. I'll try ot get some dimensions for you, but won't get to my boat until Monday (only day-off from work for me is Mondays and every other Sunday)
 
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Rodney Johnson

One more thing!

Roger, about the fact that the top of the cuddy access panels (weather boards) don't seal at top, I have a couple of pictures that I snagged off eBay of a DS II that had a teak (might have been oak?) strip across the top of the cuddy above the opening to divert rain away from the top of the opening. I'll see if I can send you a copy of that picture as well. I am thinking of trying that idea myself, it may work for me? I guess it would be an effective "gutter"?
 
Jan 22, 2008
519
Sundance Sundance 20 Weekender Ninette, Manitoba, Canada
thanks for measuring and checking

I am bringing the boat home to the driveway for a few weeks so that I can work on it evenings and with electricity. I was limited to 5 amps converted from my truck battery last summer. Thanks especially for identifying that center member behind the cb trunk under the sole. I suspected there might be something there! I actually thought it might be a full brace between the inner and outer mouldings, but thanks from letting me benefit from your 'oops'. I will buy a couple of 5" inspection ports to attach a traveller on the sole. (I have fat elbows; the existing 4"ers are a real tight squeeze, and only work if my elbows are greased) I had thoughts of running the traveller across at the seat height, but read of many bruised shins with this arrangement. I don't race, so the main reason for a traveller was to trim in and point higher, than trim out to maintain sail shape. Although an additional 12 inches of travel will help a bit when off the wind, I suspect that the real advantage will be the ability to point an additional five degrees higher before putting her in irons. I can already point 25 degrees off the wind, so being able to have a no go zone of only 40 degrees in total will be a real feat. As for the hatch, I will await your pictures as well. I did pick up some salvaged mahogany (old door frames) from a recycle store and planed the finish off of them in anticipation of this project. I hope to install a side runner (grooved) on each side of the opening, and across the bottom to hold the trapezoidal shaped hatch board. The top edge is a concern, have thought that a snug gasket may stop the rainwater from finding its way in. Looking forward to your pictures and advice.
 
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