Oday slow leak help?

[cliff02138]

I'm excited - this is my first post to this forum!

A few years ago my parents gave me the boat I grew up sailing on - an Oday Widgeon. We took good care of her and never had too much trouble with riggings or repairs.

Now, when I take her out for a few hours, inevitably I end up with a few gallons of water sloshing at the bottom of her double hull. She's 30+ years old and my main suspicion is that there are some sort of gaskets along side of the hinge pin that attaches the centerboard to the boat that may have broken apart/deteriorated. I'd love to moor her for the summer in a year or two, but in her current state, she'd probably sink after a few days on the water.

Has anyone else had trouble with this? What kind of a repair project is it? Thank you for the help!

 

[Brian S]

Small daysailers often have a centerboard pivot pin through the centerboard trunk, with neoprene washers under a bigger metal washer to seal up the hole. Remove the nuts and replace as necessary. Also, they often have a transom plug down near the bottom center of the transom. Again, replace as necessary. Sometimes, there's a flange screwed into the transom that holds the plug. You may have to remove and reseal that, or replace as necessary. For old plastic, replacement becomes more likely. Finally, if it isn't one of these, then it's not a bad idea to start with a dry boat, and put some water in the bottom with a hose, then look underneath to see where it's dripping out.

Not definitive Widgeon answers, but should give you enough info about what to start looking for.

 

[cliff02138]

Thank you for the reply, Brian.
I'm not much of a handyman, but this might just be the type of project I can tackle on my own, assuming it's not too challenging based off your description of the process. I guess I can always start work on it and if I find myself in over my head, bring it into a shop to get some help then.

This boat does have a plastic threaded transom plug that I've managed to hang onto, as well, but that one drains exclusively from the seating area and not the bilge.

 

[njlarry]

Welcome.
The longer you own a boat the better the handyman you will become. It is always a learning experience, enjoy it. Start small and work your way up engine rebuilding. Just ask for help when in doubt.
Good luck.
(the leak could also be a portion of the hull/deck joint but Brian's suggestions are more likely.)

 

[Sunbird22358]

I posted a reply to you over on the Daysailers page, but njlarry has a good point about the hull-deck joint. My 1979 DS II has the same type of hull-deck joint as your Widgeon and some of the filler O'DAY used to seal the gap had fallen out and I did have some leaking there after sailing for an hour or so and occasionally dipping the lee rail. I used some marine sealant on the gaps and cured the leaking. I think that is far more likely that the CB pivot bolt. Still not a bad idea to replace the CB gaskets anyway or at least squirt some sealant around the bolt after loosening it enough to get the sealant between the gaskets and the sides of the trunk. Cost is $7.00 for the pair of neoprene gaskets.

 

[cliff02138]

Could either of you say more about the hull/deck joint? I'm trying to place where exactly that would be on the Widgeon.

 

[Brian S]

Usually the hull/deck joint is underneath the rubrail.

 

[Sunbird22358]

See my latest answer over on the daysailers page. I posted a drawing of the typical hull-deck joint for a small O'DAY vintage 1971 and later.