My boat is an Oday 28, but this may apply to other models so if you have experience with this, please weigh in. Earlier this summer I had what I thought was a leaky thru-hull. Boat was taking on two to three gallons per day. Hauled boat, replaced thru-hull, leak was better but still not stopped (now leaking one to two gallons per day.) After much head scratching, inspection, and a couple of Red Stripes to geat the ol' thinking gears grinding, figured out that the boat was leaking through the back end of the bilge. Recalling that when the boat was hauled I could see a small separation at the back of the keel, where it joins the hull. Scratched head some more. May need to reseat the keel, but no keel bolts to be found..... Called Rudy @ D&R. My 28, and a lot of others but perhaps not all, if I understood Rudy correctly, have internally ballasted keels where the keel is formed with the hull, filled with lead, and sealed over with epoxy. So what I thought was separation was really a small hull crack... Simple fix. Underwater epoxy. Thank God Lake Michigan is clear. Dove under the boat and plugged the leak. Will fix in the spring. Now, HERE'S THE QUESTION THAT BUGS ME. Is it possible that I have water trapped down lower in this fiberglass bucket I call a keel? I'm new to this haul-out-for-the-winter routine in the north as I just brought the boat up from Tennessee this summer. It has never been on the hard for the winter. My worry is that there is water trapped in the keel and it will freeze, expand, and crack the keel. Anyone have experience with this sort of thing? Bob s/v "Simple Dreams" Chicago
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Don Evans
Difficult to Say...
But it's not impossible that water is trapped in the voids within the encapsulated keel. Depends I guess on how the ballast was sealed within the keel. If the factory sealed all the voids, then there would be very little chance of water trapped in there. In Don Casey's book "Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair", he demonstrates a method for bleeding off entrained water within the keel cavities (this is for poorly filled keels with massive void areas-not likely O'Days). Simply drilling holes through the bottom of the encapsulated keel up into the voids (either side of the centreboard slot) and letting the water drain out. Then sealing the holes with epoxy plugs in the spring, after any water had drained out. This would be assuming you got at the cavities with the drill. If the water pockets are up higher near the hull you would never tap them. Coincidentally, you are the second poster to report leaks in the bilge area. I still think this a rare defect. Do you know how the the leak occurred? Did you wallop the front of the keel? Perhaps the previous owner was not forthcoming with this? If it was me I would not do anything further to the keel. I would winterize it as usual and fix that crack properly in the spring. Both from the outside and inside. I'll be interested to hear what others think. Don
But it's not impossible that water is trapped in the voids within the encapsulated keel. Depends I guess on how the ballast was sealed within the keel. If the factory sealed all the voids, then there would be very little chance of water trapped in there. In Don Casey's book "Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair", he demonstrates a method for bleeding off entrained water within the keel cavities (this is for poorly filled keels with massive void areas-not likely O'Days). Simply drilling holes through the bottom of the encapsulated keel up into the voids (either side of the centreboard slot) and letting the water drain out. Then sealing the holes with epoxy plugs in the spring, after any water had drained out. This would be assuming you got at the cavities with the drill. If the water pockets are up higher near the hull you would never tap them. Coincidentally, you are the second poster to report leaks in the bilge area. I still think this a rare defect. Do you know how the the leak occurred? Did you wallop the front of the keel? Perhaps the previous owner was not forthcoming with this? If it was me I would not do anything further to the keel. I would winterize it as usual and fix that crack properly in the spring. Both from the outside and inside. I'll be interested to hear what others think. Don
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Bob
Thanks, Don
Thanks for the response, Don. My boat is a fin keel and to my knowledge it has not been grounded. Certainly not in the 18 months I've owned it (I'm still in the "those who will" category). Think perhaps it happened when I had the boat transported up from Tennessee. I think you're right about the Oday keel being packed pretty tight, I have never sensed any cavitied and I have knocked on it a few times. I'm going to try Rudy and ask him again. The leak is coming through some pinholes in the aft end of the bilge and the bilge is designed to hold a small amount of water all the time from the prop shaft gland, the shower, and the icebox, so if water could migrate into the keel it would do so from above rather than this hull crack. But it pays to be certain. Bob
Thanks for the response, Don. My boat is a fin keel and to my knowledge it has not been grounded. Certainly not in the 18 months I've owned it (I'm still in the "those who will" category). Think perhaps it happened when I had the boat transported up from Tennessee. I think you're right about the Oday keel being packed pretty tight, I have never sensed any cavitied and I have knocked on it a few times. I'm going to try Rudy and ask him again. The leak is coming through some pinholes in the aft end of the bilge and the bilge is designed to hold a small amount of water all the time from the prop shaft gland, the shower, and the icebox, so if water could migrate into the keel it would do so from above rather than this hull crack. But it pays to be certain. Bob
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J.B. Dyer
Aqua Yacht
Hi Bob! If you are who I think you are, you should have stayed at Aqua Yacht. Me and the rest of the bunch would have helped you plug the hole. We're having a party, as usual, tomorrow (Saturday), you should be there. J.B. "Suspicion"
Hi Bob! If you are who I think you are, you should have stayed at Aqua Yacht. Me and the rest of the bunch would have helped you plug the hole. We're having a party, as usual, tomorrow (Saturday), you should be there. J.B. "Suspicion"
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Bob
Hey J.B.
Of that I have no doubt. Always a lot of helping hands around "C" dock at Aqua. Yes, it is me. Wish I could be there, I do miss everyone on "C" dock. Give everyone my best. Sailing up here is a lot of fun, but think of all of us sailors up here while you're cruising the lake in November and March. I'm pulling out next weekend for the winter. Take care, Bob
Of that I have no doubt. Always a lot of helping hands around "C" dock at Aqua. Yes, it is me. Wish I could be there, I do miss everyone on "C" dock. Give everyone my best. Sailing up here is a lot of fun, but think of all of us sailors up here while you're cruising the lake in November and March. I'm pulling out next weekend for the winter. Take care, Bob
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Arnie Hoffman
Opinions are like .............
I concur with the other reply, the voids are probably negligible in the keel cavity. Also regarding freezing if there is water in there, unless its a huge quantity I would think the structure of the keel cavity shell and lead would prevent any damage from occurring. I'm no expert but have a 30 and can envision your problem.
I concur with the other reply, the voids are probably negligible in the keel cavity. Also regarding freezing if there is water in there, unless its a huge quantity I would think the structure of the keel cavity shell and lead would prevent any damage from occurring. I'm no expert but have a 30 and can envision your problem.
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Rodney Sheaffer
Crack in the haul
Most of my water in bilge is from leaking water tanks. But I did have cracks in the front and back of my keel. Ground out around it and filled with glass and epoxy. The cracks came form running aground and the haul flexing.
Most of my water in bilge is from leaking water tanks. But I did have cracks in the front and back of my keel. Ground out around it and filled with glass and epoxy. The cracks came form running aground and the haul flexing.
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J.B. Dyer
Bad News Aquayacht
Thought I would pass this along. Jim Hurley (Alachua) passed away a couple of days ago. Looks like his heart gave out on him.
Thought I would pass this along. Jim Hurley (Alachua) passed away a couple of days ago. Looks like his heart gave out on him.
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