My boat always takes on a little water in the bilge just sitting there at the slip. What are some typical causes of leaks? I need to take it out of the water in about a month, so I would have time to repaint and try to reseal.
Water in Bilge of Oday 23
- Thread starter G Newboat
- Start date
Every hole in the deck is a potential leaking point, especially after 30 plus years: stanchions, hatches, ports, winches, cleats, mast base etc. all need to pierce the deck to be attached. Suspect all of them. Start isolating the source(s) - you can trace for leaks with paper towels, taping them around the inside of the hull where you suspect a problem, it will be obvious when a towel has gotten wet. Once you determine the source, remove the item and check for core rot - if found you "should" address it but your choice. Then re-bed the fitting with butyl tape - shouldn't leak for a long time.
Yes it is - sorry, was thinking rain water. Again, any piercing of the hull is a potential. On your boat, any through hulls (valves) or the center-board are the likely culprits if water is coming in without rain. I don't think your boat has any other hull penetrations under the waterline. Dry it out and place paper towels around each of them.
O'Day's are known for leaks as they used silicone to seal everything from the factory. Paper, tape and dry erase markers and a good old hose are of many methods for finding leaks. Is it after a rain, sail, etc?
Thankfully (?) I was confused. After a week of dry weather, I haven't taken in an appreciable amount of water, so it must be coming in from above. Which means the toe rails and stanchions are probably allowing water into the deck. I have a tarp over the sliding hatch (which I know leaks), so it has to be other various holes. I have some butyl tape on order. I get the feeling I'll never be done fixing this boat.
This is a common, unspoken, feeling among boat owners. Well founded. Perhaps that is why BOAT really means.
“Break Out Another Thousand “.
I don’t know if the build process is the same across multiple years of the 23 but I’ve spent the last six months pulling apart my 1978 23 so that’s where I’m getting my information.
You mentioned toe rails and stanchions as possible entry points for water. Though this is very possible, as until you take the time to do it, not many folks spend the time removing and rebedding hardware the ‘right way,’ based on how my 1978 is put together, if a toe rail or stanchion from, at least, the companionway forward was leaking, any water would hit the hull liner first and end up up running down the inside of the hull in the cabin, across seats, etc. before it found its way to the bilge through a cabin storage locker or the sole of the boat. There is no direct route for water from the stanchions or toe rails to the bilge.
At the aft of the boat, being the cockpit area, it’s a different story. Anything mounted to the deck at the aft will leak into the empty space underneath the cockpit, accessible from the lazarette. This water would run down into the bilge.
There are also some old thru-hull type instruments, accessible through the seat lockers in the cabin (in my boat) which, if those were leaking, would run straight into the bilge but, since you’ve said after some dry weather you noticed a decrease in water in the bilge I would focus your attention on the anything aft first, unless you notice your hull liner is wet to the touch or there’s an obvious water trail, because anything aft would run straight into the bilge.
I can provide some photos of what my boat looks like stripped if you’d like. I’m at a stage of the process where I have access to everything, including the underside of the molded toe rails, stanchions, etc.
Good luck with it and welcome to the “Gold Medal Fleet!”