Taking on water

[neil]

I'm a new owner of a 77 O'Day 23. During aggressive sailing I seem to be taking on water and have to pump the bilge. Today, during a 2 hour sail I took on so much water that it came out into the cabin throught the accesss panel in the floor.Where could this water be coming in. Possibly through the centerboard wire access? I'm looking for any & all suggestions what to look for.

 

[Bob V]

WATER

If the only time you take on water is when you're sailing hard, chances are it's coming in through one of through hull connections. I had that problem in my o'day 23 and it was coming through the sink drain on the starboard side. Since I'm on an inland lake, I simply pluged the through hull fitting. Also check the cockpit drain. You may have a split hose inside the hull. Not too easy to get at those spots but it can be done.

 

[Mike]

Other thru hull fittings

My '79 Oday 23 has thru hulls on the port side (forward sink) and on the starboard side (galley sink). I also have a knotmeter. Check all of the thru hull fittings. I have clear tubing on my boat; if you do too, it should be relatively easy to see if you are taking water aboard thru the sink drains. If you are not shipping water while at the dock, then it is not likely a leak in your centerboard fittings.

 

[Ric Shultz]

new locations thru the hull

I put all my drains into a brass thru the hull in the bottom below the keel. I also have it valved, so if I am making my wife upset from heel on a windy day, I can close the valve so she does't think she is going down. I put the bilge thru the hull at the stern of the cock pit. If I get water in there, my problems are bigger than the fitting location. Everything has been bone dry since.Ric"comes a time"Oday 25Amherst, NH