School me on centerboard access bolts (26s)

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May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
I have a friend that's boat is leaking. not sure from where yet, but we think its coming from the centerboard bolts.

my limited knowledge on the S was there were 2 versions.

one accessed the pivot bolt from the outside bottom of the boat. and another that had plates covering the nuts and bolts from the inside.

this boat appears to have the bolt and plates from the inside.

is there a seal for these bolts? is that bolt below the natural water line? what keeps the water out.

thanks in advance.

pics will be appreciated.
 

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
I have a friend that's boat is leaking. not sure from where yet, but we think its coming from the centerboard bolts.

my limited knowledge on the S was there were 2 versions.

one accessed the pivot bolt from the outside bottom of the boat. and another that had plates covering the nuts and bolts from the inside.

this boat appears to have the bolt and plates from the inside.

is there a seal for these bolts? is that bolt below the natural water line? what keeps the water out.

thanks in advance.

pics will be appreciated.
Ours is a 90 with bolts onoutside and they go into ballast tank so can't leak.

I think yo get to later ones under sink? by removing acess on ballast tank that probably lcould eak.

Is boat on trailer? Look at bottom and you would know which you have.

Sum
 
May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
boat is in the water... but being pulled shortly... want to find leak before its pulled.

owner said when he removed old bolt there were no seals, and replaced the bolt (from BWY), put it back as removed.

lots of water in the boat, last night... almost tested the foam.
 
Sep 26, 2010
808
Macgregor 1993 26S Houston
Mine is a '93 and has those covers.
I haven't tried to access them but my cover bolts look bad. (not SS)
It does look like they were put on with a sealer of some kind.
Mine doesn't have any holes. I would assume the underside would be in the water. It seems to be about level with the top of the ballast tank, so theoretically you could blow out the ballast and open the covers and they would be above the waterline. The keel bolts, probably not above the line.
 
May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
did you click the pic? its a video, looks like there is a hole with slow trickle of water...

so there is a puncture in that plate? -I'm not sure what I'm looking at..

-boat is in the water...
 
Sep 26, 2010
808
Macgregor 1993 26S Houston
did you click the pic? its a video, looks like there is a hole with slow trickle of water...

so there is a puncture in that plate? -I'm not sure what I'm looking at..

-boat is in the water...
Yep.
Mine don't have the holes. I would expect there is water inside mine too.
Not sure if they expect the actual keel bolts to seal or not. Maybe those covers are considered a secondary backup??
I would think it would be obvious after you get the cover off and look inside.
While they are off, you could do a quick fiberglass patch on the bottom side of the cover so it will seal when you put it back on.
Have you looked at the other cover? It's under the sink.
Jim
 
Sep 26, 2010
808
Macgregor 1993 26S Houston
Since you have water coming out that hole , you might think about emptying the ballast tank before you pull the cover. You can blow the water out of the ballast tank using a 12v air mattress inflator. (about 10-15$)
You will have to build up the end of the hose with electrical tape or something until it fits snugly in the air vent hole. then open the water valve all the way and turn it on. Mine seems to take about 10 minutes or so.
On this boat you will have to put something on the hole to keep air pressure inside while the air pump is running. After the tank is empty, close the water valve and turn off the air pump. Even if the water valve leaks a little, that should buy you some time to inspect things and put the cover back on.
 
May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
Update, (not my boat btw).

Owner pumped water out of the ballast, ordered new caps from BWY, and will reseal.
-After pumping water out of the ballast those caps are no longer below waterline.

evidently, Those plates got damaged when replacing the bolt... and the hole was the source of the water in the cabin.


thanks for the help!
 
Jun 30, 2007
277
Macgregor - Spring Creek, FL
The plates on my boat are screwed down with stainless screws. There was a caulk of some sort sealing them. One was leaking a bit through the caulk. I pulled them and resealed with boatlife. Stay away from 5200 here! Before you remove them make a mark with a felt tipped pin on the edge of the disk and tank top. The holes don't line up but one way and the mark will help when you put it back.
 
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