V22 Cockpit Drain

[SeamanLou]

Refitting a trashed '70 V22 (hull 315). Solved most of the problems from neglect, manufacture, design.

One of the things I found was that the cockpit drain didn't work because it was raised higher than the sole by means of a quarter inch gasket between the raised portion of the keel tunnel and the topsides. I removed it and attempted to seal it with calk, rebolting the 4 bolts from under neath. No luck. The calk quickly blew.

Looks like this has been an annoyiance to PO(s). Is it OK to seal the junction between the raised portion of the keel tunnel and the cockpit with epoxy? They are joined with 4 bolts. No water from Pendant hole. 1" hose 6" long seems to work there.

Also shipping water from forward area possible keel pivot or lock bolt.

 

[rgranger]

Different Drain Issue

... I found was that the cockpit drain didn't work because it was raised higher than the sole by means of a quarter inch gasket between the raised portion of the keel tunnel and the topsides. ...Also shipping water from forward area possible keel pivot or lock bolt.

Hello Seaman Lou:
I have also restored/refitted/rebuilt a Mac V22-2. Mine is a 1974. My cockpit drain was not raised like yours but I have found another problem. When sitting on a trailer, you always end up with one side of the boat higher than the other. And since there is only one drain and it is centered, water always pools on one side or the other. I purchased a lot of 20 through hulls on ebay for $20 and I'm going to make two new drains in the rear of the cockpit sole that exit the transom right at the water line.

As far as shipping water goes. I have had some problems at the pivot bolt. I guess I need a new rubber washer but in the meantime I just smash a plug of plumbers putty over the bolt head and that does the trick.

I've been battling a pesky leak around the front window. I've removed it, rebedded it, calked around it etc. But I still have a slow leak there.

BTW: I went to high school at Oswego (back when there was only one and the road to Fox Valley Mall was two lanes, no stop lights).

 

[centerline]

Refitting a trashed '70 V22 (hull 315). Solved most of the problems from neglect, manufacture, design.

One of the things I found was that the cockpit drain didn't work because it was raised higher than the sole by means of a quarter inch gasket between the raised portion of the keel tunnel and the topsides. I removed it and attempted to seal it with calk, rebolting the 4 bolts from under neath. No luck. The calk quickly blew.

Looks like this has been an annoyiance to PO(s). Is it OK to seal the junction between the raised portion of the keel tunnel and the cockpit with epoxy? They are joined with 4 bolts. No water from Pendant hole. 1" hose 6" long seems to work there.

Also shipping water from forward area possible keel pivot or lock bolt.

this is probably more than you were asking, but maybe it will help someone else reading it also..

does your boat still have the board that is inside the cabin below the companionway opening and going to the floor? it should have the electrical panel in it also..... it is very much a structural piece of the boat and should fit tightly under the lip of the companionway and resting on the floor/keel trunk.
it keeps the front of the cockpit from sagging and causing the drain/cableway to become dislodged and letting the floor fall away from it causing the same problem you are experiancing..... and even if it is still installed, it may have been modified. someone may have sanded the bottom or top of it so it would be a better "fit", not knowing that it needs to be TIGHT to keep the proper distance between the cockpit floor and the keel trunk/hull....
as for the pivot bolt, you can remove it while the boat is on the trailer by letting the keel down to rest on the trailer and putting a jack under the top/front end of the keel and jacking to relieve the pressure on the bolt.... this can be tricky and is best done with two people due to the springs on the trailer.... (you can be under the boat and get it free of the bolt, but then when you get in the boat to pull the bolt, your weight is on it due to the squatting of the springs)
check the bolt for wear and replace if needed.... clean the hull and hardware with alcohol and then use silicone very liberally as you reassemble it all and tighten the bolt down, but not so much you pinch the keel....BEFORE THE FINAL TIGHTENING, REMOVE THE JACK FROM BELOW TO LET THE BOLT SETTLE IN THE HOLE. then spread silicone over the bolt head and fair it down the the fiberglass so it is just a mound of silicone... that will stop the leak at that point
you can seal the lockdown bolt that is about 6 inches above it the same way if you never trailer it. if you do want to trailer it you will need some soft rubber washers to keep the water out. the best washers for this are homemade ones.... use fender washers with the soft washers sandwiched to the hull
get some baking parchment paper, a dab of vaselene, a tube of silicone, a small piece of board and 6 or 8 quarters (for spacers).... spread the vaselene on the parchment paper so very thin you dont even know its there (for the release agent), then put a 50cent size dollop of silicone in the middle and then fold the paper over on top of it..... stack three or 4 quarters on each side of it (i use 3) and then place the board over the quarters and press the silicone to the thickness of the stacked quarters and let dry for a couple days. you need 2 of these or one big piece... then cut your washer to size and it needs to fit snug around the bolt shank or it WILL leak... a hole punch is the best because it makes a smooth edged hole, and a drill roughs it up and it doesnt seal good..... the soft washer will squish down a bit and fill any inperfections in the surface of the sealing area around the bolt hole. good luck with it....

 

[SeamanLou]

this is probably more than you were asking, but maybe it will help someone else reading it also..

does your boat still have the board that is inside the cabin below the companionway opening and going to the floor? it should have the electrical panel in it also..... it is very much a structural piece of the boat and should fit tightly under the lip of the companionway and resting on the floor/keel trunk.
it keeps the front of the cockpit from sagging and causing the drain/cableway to become dislodged and letting the floor fall away from it causing the same problem you are experiancing..... and even if it is still installed, it may have been modified. someone may have sanded the bottom or top of it so it would be a better "fit", not knowing that it needs to be TIGHT to keep the proper distance between the cockpit floor and the keel trunk/hull....
as for the pivot bolt, you can remove it while the boat is on the trailer by letting the keel down to rest on the trailer and putting a jack under the top/front end of the keel and jacking to relieve the pressure on the bolt.... this can be tricky and is best done with two people due to the springs on the trailer.... (you can be under the boat and get it free of the bolt, but then when you get in the boat to pull the bolt, your weight is on it due to the squatting of the springs)
check the bolt for wear and replace if needed.... clean the hull and hardware with alcohol and then use silicone very liberally as you reassemble it all and tighten the bolt down, but not so much you pinch the keel....BEFORE THE FINAL TIGHTENING, REMOVE THE JACK FROM BELOW TO LET THE BOLT SETTLE IN THE HOLE. then spread silicone over the bolt head and fair it down the the fiberglass so it is just a mound of silicone... that will stop the leak at that point
you can seal the lockdown bolt that is about 6 inches above it the same way if you never trailer it. if you do want to trailer it you will need some soft rubber washers to keep the water out. the best washers for this are homemade ones.... use fender washers with the soft washers sandwiched to the hull
get some baking parchment paper, a dab of vaselene, a tube of silicone, a small piece of board and 6 or 8 quarters (for spacers).... spread the vaselene on the parchment paper so very thin you dont even know its there (for the release agent), then put a 50cent size dollop of silicone in the middle and then fold the paper over on top of it..... stack three or 4 quarters on each side of it (i use 3) and then place the board over the quarters and press the silicone to the thickness of the stacked quarters and let dry for a couple days. you need 2 of these or one big piece... then cut your washer to size and it needs to fit snug around the bolt shank or it WILL leak... a hole punch is the best because it makes a smooth edged hole, and a drill roughs it up and it doesnt seal good..... the soft washer will squish down a bit and fill any inperfections in the surface of the sealing area around the bolt hole. good luck with it....

Didn't have support. Had a rotten 2x6 on top of the step which leaked. Bolt holes were worn and spider cracked. I made one underneath of 1x4 oak with a 1x4 leg on each side of tunnel and bolted winch to it. Supports both winch and step.

For keel bolts, the lock was worn into a 1"x3/8 arc, but bolt is 7/16. Ground out a 2" x 3/8 fender washer to exactly 7/16" and epoxied it to tunnel. Working on a way to attach ground from mast step to keel pivot, but may have to settle for thru-hull & bolt.

As for drain, the RTV calk blew. Thinking of epoxying cotton cord around joint.

Working on an article of refit with pictures for Good Old Boat. If you want pics can send email.

 

[SeamanLou]

Hello Seaman Lou:
I have also restored/refitted/rebuilt a Mac V22-2. Mine is a 1974. My cockpit drain was not raised like yours but I have found another problem. When sitting on a trailer, you always end up with one side of the boat higher than the other. And since there is only one drain and it is centered, water always pools on one side or the other. I purchased a lot of 20 through hulls on ebay for $20 and I'm going to make two new drains in the rear of the cockpit sole that exit the transom right at the water line.

As far as shipping water goes. I have had some problems at the pivot bolt. I guess I need a new rubber washer but in the meantime I just smash a plug of plumbers putty over the bolt head and that does the trick.

I've been battling a pesky leak around the front window. I've removed it, rebedded it, calked around it etc. But I still have a slow leak there.

BTW: I went to high school at Oswego (back when there was only one and the road to Fox Valley Mall was two lanes, no stop lights).

Window leak may be in the gasket between the glass and channel in the alum. When I replaced clouded glass, I used standard storm window gasket. Works fine so far.