Water in Bilge - Hunter 25.5

[Zephyr-Jeffer]

I'm into my third summer with my 1984 H-25.5 and up until now, the bilge areas have always stayed bone-dry. The boat gets hauled out each fall since I'm on one of the Fingerlakes in New York. Since owning it I've never hit anything or ran-aground, so my guess is the stress of the keel hanging off the hull during haul-out has finally caused some stress-cracks in the hull. In the larger bilge area I can see a hairline crack and the seepage but in the compartment forward (smaller access) I can't see the problem area. I bought some "Flex Tape" yesterday and applied some which really only slowed it down to drops.
I have a 12v pump that works well, but it isn't a equipped with a float switch to make it work when needed if I were to wire it full-time to the battery. In a week's time there's about a liter of water collected - so it is slow, but persistent.
So I'm seeking suggestions. I live close enough to keep tabs on the water-level at least weekly; but is this a sure sign of real trouble for this old boat?
thanks, Jeff

 

[finefurn]

If you have a hairline crack and can see water seepage you definitely have a problem. I suspect something went terribly wrong during the last haul out. This crack is not going to heal itself. Boat needs to get hauled, open up the crack and repair. How extensive a repair, You'll find out once you get into it. I have a 1984 H27 that consistently has a small amount of water in the bilge. I have probably 1/2 dozen areas where water gets in, as far as I can tell it's all rain water. The toe rail is the main culprit and water dripping down the inside of the mast is a close second. Not a ideal situation by any means. You need to spend some in the boat during a heavy rain or at least spreads some chalk dust in suspected areas. Then rebed the offending part.

 

[Zephyr-Jeffer]

Can someone tell me how many keel bolts I should expect to find ?

 

[jaredaz]

Did you check the front ports for a depth finder or maybe just a plug? I think they're unlikely to leak, but I've only had mine out once so don't know.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

@finefurn if you have an onboard diesel which is the 1GM Yanmar, the stuffing box is designed to drop 1-2 drops of water as that is the design. Look that up but if too much, a little tightening up and replace stuffing when hauling out next time.

@Zephyr-Jeffer How about a few photos of the bilge. That would help. Not much info on the boat. Are you in salt or fresh water.

For the both of you, keels made by Mars metals out of Canada and they have a website and phone number. Many records were destroyed when the roof fell in at Hunter many years ago; this detailed info is scarce. However info can be found if you refer to boat information and ask a hunter owner by Phil Herring which is on top. Look for the website of all old information found. That is all of the records found and assimilated by two friends of mine.

Topside leaks found by yards using an old trick. Pressurize the cabin with a leaf blower but you have to close off the cabin, tape all hatches and throw/tape a piece of plastic over the companionway slitting a small area to insert the leaf blower. Tape plastic to leaf blower. Second person with brush and soapy water brushing everything topsides and where you see air bubbles coming out are potentially leak areas.

Pictures please of bilge

 

[Zephyr-Jeffer]

I have to report that what I thought was more water coming in was really the last of the original water that was probably sitting under the floorboards and because I took the boat out sailing the water sloshed around enough to end up in the front bilge.
The "Flex Tape" stopped 95% of what was happening by the hairline crack and the forward bilge has been bone dry for days.
Yesterday it rained for about 3 hours on Seneca Lake, I visited the boat by late afternoon and still found dry bilges.
Over the last weekend I replaced the rubber gasket under the cabin pop-top.
This fall I'll have the marina torque the keel bolts if needed, or if a real problem is found after haul-out we'll try something more.

 

[kaboboom]

So you probably know most of this, but the pop-top can take on water if 1) sliding its hatch closed has damaged the frame where it stops, or 2) the screw holes fixing the rails get rounded out and lets water seep into the pop-top. It then can leak at the bracketed lock-downs. I've had to repair the track end holes, and I put plastic anchors in the screw holes. I was told you can hang a small towel where the water sits on the forward end of the slide to wick it out more quickly, but I haven't done that. I drain my pop-top into a bucket after a hard rain but it's a lot better since I jammed some epoxy putty in the damage from the slide.

 

[Zephyr-Jeffer]

yeah the cabin pop-top doesn't really have a lot of pitch to it to allow surface water to run off.
I'm happy knowing the water's not coming in from below.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

@Zephyr-Jeffer
Photos of bilge please. Also send a private message early next week so I can discuss easy method of finding leaks. One requirement is to report back what we discussed and leaks found topsides.

 

[Zephyr-Jeffer]

attached a picture of the bilge area - bone-dry. No water coming in from below; that was my main concern and the reason I started this thread. The goop that shows near the keel bolt is hardened epoxy that I did not apply - I only placed two layers of Flex Tape over a hairline crack that you can sort of see.
The other picture is of the new weather striping I glued down around the cabin top.
Today it will be raining pretty much all day so maybe I can check on her by Wednesday (it's 50 miles away)