I continue to get a stream of seawater into my cabin of my sailboat when sailing. Its really strange. It amounted to about 1/2 gallon of water when the boat was sailing and we were on what I call a starboard tack - the boat was leaning to the starboard side with the sails up. The water comes onto the floor of the cabin from the wall near where the mast wall is in the boat. I had the seacocks closed to eliminate any confusion. While the boat isn't moving water doesn't enter. I have been chasing this leak for a couple of years now. Does leaning in a certain direction cause the pysics of the toilet (head) to make water go elsewhere via hoses? Its just so hard to see where the water is coming from because what I'm trying to see is perhaps behind a wall or under the boat. Sorry this question might seem confusing but I'm about to pay a service guy to sail with me and have him try to troubleshoot it while moving. Thanks, pres broussard
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I saw this problem once
The owner had installed a magazine rack by drilling the mounting screw holes into the hull from the inside. The screws had penetrated the entire hull and the guy just ground off the ends and painted over them. The screw holes were just above the waterline and would only leak when the boat heeled over. I hope that you do not have a similar problem.
The owner had installed a magazine rack by drilling the mounting screw holes into the hull from the inside. The screws had penetrated the entire hull and the guy just ground off the ends and painted over them. The screw holes were just above the waterline and would only leak when the boat heeled over. I hope that you do not have a similar problem.
First thing to do is
determine if the water is fresh or salty (assuming you sail in "seawater"). Only way I know to do that is dip your finger into it and taste. I know, it's yucky. If it is seawater, check to see if you have any through hulls, like a faucet drain from your head, that is at or just above the waterline of your boat -- like a lot of boats have (like mine, for example). I know you said you closed all your seacocks, but if you have such a drain or two, have they been properly sealed? Some have gate valves that could seem like they are closed, but really are not. Some boats also have a bilge pump outlet just above the waterline, and may not have a check valve to prevent water from draining back into the line. If the water is fresh, you may have a cabin top leak that is running down between your hull and hull liner. Finding these kinds of leaks can be really hard and usually mean having someone spray a hose on deck while you artificially heel the boat in its slip using the main halyard while standing on your head whistling Dixie looking for the leak... Good luck with this. I know these kinds of leaks can be a PITA....
determine if the water is fresh or salty (assuming you sail in "seawater"). Only way I know to do that is dip your finger into it and taste. I know, it's yucky. If it is seawater, check to see if you have any through hulls, like a faucet drain from your head, that is at or just above the waterline of your boat -- like a lot of boats have (like mine, for example). I know you said you closed all your seacocks, but if you have such a drain or two, have they been properly sealed? Some have gate valves that could seem like they are closed, but really are not. Some boats also have a bilge pump outlet just above the waterline, and may not have a check valve to prevent water from draining back into the line. If the water is fresh, you may have a cabin top leak that is running down between your hull and hull liner. Finding these kinds of leaks can be really hard and usually mean having someone spray a hose on deck while you artificially heel the boat in its slip using the main halyard while standing on your head whistling Dixie looking for the leak... Good luck with this. I know these kinds of leaks can be a PITA....
Starboard?
Don't know where your leak is coming from but, if your starboard side is to leeward, that is, if it the mast is leaning toward the starboard side of the boat then you are on a PORT TACK. I only mention this because it can have serious safety implications in a right of way situation.
Don't know where your leak is coming from but, if your starboard side is to leeward, that is, if it the mast is leaning toward the starboard side of the boat then you are on a PORT TACK. I only mention this because it can have serious safety implications in a right of way situation.
Pres, first off I think you were on a port tack
The tack is the side the wind is coming from or more descriptively which side of the main is the tack on in relation to the clew. If you were leaning to starboard you probably had the wind coming from the port side. Thats not the issue here though. Your question about the head makes me think that the head is installed on the starboard side and could be mounted just above the waterline, perhaps with no vented loops. As you heel to starboard you may be forcing the head down enough, that the water would back up and spill out of the bowl. Note it would not be coming out of a hose if this were the case. I like Warren Milberg's suggestion that it could be a similar situation with the bilge pump. Note that above water drains do not always have seacocks on them, and another could be an above water drain for the cockpit, not cross connected, or with a leak around the thruhull or the hose. Another drain that could be a contributer might be a head sink drain. You didn't say you heeled enough to put a rail under but if you had I would look for leaks around the chain plates. If it is none of these, it could be coming in through a keel bolt or through a thruhull outboard of the shutoff. Lots of little things to check. Good luck. Joe S
The tack is the side the wind is coming from or more descriptively which side of the main is the tack on in relation to the clew. If you were leaning to starboard you probably had the wind coming from the port side. Thats not the issue here though. Your question about the head makes me think that the head is installed on the starboard side and could be mounted just above the waterline, perhaps with no vented loops. As you heel to starboard you may be forcing the head down enough, that the water would back up and spill out of the bowl. Note it would not be coming out of a hose if this were the case. I like Warren Milberg's suggestion that it could be a similar situation with the bilge pump. Note that above water drains do not always have seacocks on them, and another could be an above water drain for the cockpit, not cross connected, or with a leak around the thruhull or the hose. Another drain that could be a contributer might be a head sink drain. You didn't say you heeled enough to put a rail under but if you had I would look for leaks around the chain plates. If it is none of these, it could be coming in through a keel bolt or through a thruhull outboard of the shutoff. Lots of little things to check. Good luck. Joe S
answer some questions please
what boat mfg/size how long to get 1/2 gal water or was it there already but unseen(I'm getting stuck on why it would stop at 1/2 gal) How far over to starboard and how high did the waves come.you didn't say if you leaned to starboard at the dock as a test.when docked and looking at the starboard side above WL what is there which is below the WL at tack? I did notice that you said seawater and that Peggy did not post. myself able to ID fresh & sea but not other - yet. The water comes onto the floor of the cabin from the wall near where the mast wall is in the boat. I had the seacocks closed to eliminate any confusion. While the boat isn't moving water doesn't enter. I have been chasing this leak for a couple of years now.
what boat mfg/size how long to get 1/2 gal water or was it there already but unseen(I'm getting stuck on why it would stop at 1/2 gal) How far over to starboard and how high did the waves come.you didn't say if you leaned to starboard at the dock as a test.when docked and looking at the starboard side above WL what is there which is below the WL at tack? I did notice that you said seawater and that Peggy did not post. myself able to ID fresh & sea but not other - yet. The water comes onto the floor of the cabin from the wall near where the mast wall is in the boat. I had the seacocks closed to eliminate any confusion. While the boat isn't moving water doesn't enter. I have been chasing this leak for a couple of years now.
Check...
Check your bilge hose. Many times DIY owners install a new bilge discharge hose with no "high loop" or "vacuum breaker" to prevent back siphoning. If the bilge discharge dips bellow water when on tack this could be another possibility. A simple check is to remove the bilge hose from the pump and plug it temporarily then sail on the tack that leaks and check it... Or don't plug it and watch to see if it lets water in..
Check your bilge hose. Many times DIY owners install a new bilge discharge hose with no "high loop" or "vacuum breaker" to prevent back siphoning. If the bilge discharge dips bellow water when on tack this could be another possibility. A simple check is to remove the bilge hose from the pump and plug it temporarily then sail on the tack that leaks and check it... Or don't plug it and watch to see if it lets water in..
Flex coupling leakage
The flex coupling on the prop shaft can be pulling out of alignment by the engine tilting during tacks. Most motor mounts allow some movement, and this is enough to un-seat the seal briefly. Have someone look down there while you are heeled over far. Hope this helps. Later, TC
The flex coupling on the prop shaft can be pulling out of alignment by the engine tilting during tacks. Most motor mounts allow some movement, and this is enough to un-seat the seal briefly. Have someone look down there while you are heeled over far. Hope this helps. Later, TC
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