water in hull of H23

[revans18@woh.rr.com]

Water leaks into the compartments below the floor panels in my 1987 hunter 23. It happens when it is afloat at the dock or on the trailer after a rainstorm. The windows, anchor locker, the hatch covers appear sealed, no apparent:neutral: leaks when I am inside during a rain.
Does anybody have suggestions or experience as to where to look next to correct it? I have bailed 4-6 gallons out after 2-3 heavy rains.

Roger Evans

Brookville,Ohio

 

[Bill Leathen]

Roger,
There a lots of posts in the Archives about this. Typical leaks can come in through the transom if the bolts are loose on the bottom printle. You will find water under the cockpit, but there are weep holes that lead to the cabin. Also the cockpit drain hose can rub and develope a leak. I have had both of these problems on my H23 and they are easy to fix. The leaking cockpit hose could produce a gallon of water after a heavy rain. There are reports that the hose that drains the anchor locker to the starboard drain develops leaks. I have not had this problem yet. My stanchions were leaking this spring. The shelf got wet. I simply re-caulked the screw holes on the offending stanchion. When it rains hard, I can watch drops of water drip down from the side of the sliding hatch. It seems that if the rain is heavy enough, that area does not drain fast enough to keep up. Especiall when I have not cleaned it out recently enough and there are leaves in the slot. Having said all this, except when the cockpit hose had a hole in it, the most water I have ever had to remove is about 1 qt or less. If you have 4-6 gallons, I would start looking under the cockpit for a slow continuous leak through the bolt holes or the cockpit drain hose. Good luck. Keep us posted on what you find.
Bill Leathen - Lake Onalaska

 

[RobertG-NJ]

Roger

Seems we all have this problem with water under the floorbaords in the H23. and there is no "Bilge". I bought a 23 last September and been working on it all summer (the constant rain this year didnt help). I have had it on the driveway since November and still had water so it isnt leaks, its rainwater. When I got to the cabin early spring there was water over the floorboards and after bailing I sucked even more out with a shopvac from the "weepholes" around the keel bolts. Bill may have a point on the cockpit drain hose and the transom area bolts for the pintles and motor mount as there is always a brown tinge which I supected is coming from the ply core where the mount is bolted. I also stripped the liner and have been rebedding everything. One source I found was the port chainplate. There was water dripping down that side too much to be condensation but it was wicked and hidden by the liner. The surrounding deck core was saturated with water. I cut the fiberglass from below and removed the nearby wood then drilled 3/4 holes with a fostner bit in the wood every six inches to air it out. Luckily it is limited in scope seems to have dried and is not delaminated an do not plan on a major replacement . I also suspect the stanchions as water was dripping in that area. They are not through bolted either. Note that all bolts from the deck should be looked at, drilled double width, epoxy filled and redrilled as this was not done by the manufacturer as recomended in every DIY boat repair book and is a big fault. Luckily, the port section was the only core that seemed compromised. I have also heard in this forum of leaks from the hatch but can not say for certain this occurs in my case.

Now if someone can tel me if they have explored under the pan behind the keel boats and below the companionway. I want to know if there is space there where water may be hiding. From looking under the cockpit it appears there should be. The bulkhead (under cockpit near the battery side) is semi - glassed a few inches up and no other way to inspect this. I have considered drilling a hole from this side and/or putting an access hatch in the rear cabin sole behind the steps, to see if this is where the mystery water hides and if there is room possibly for a pump but would like to get some advice first if they know anything about what is there.

Thanks
Robert G

 

[jamesstrobel]

had the same problem with our Hunter 23 (1990). seems that we spent 2 years looking for a leak and finally found it... the cockpit floor drain hose (that drains through the transom) was cracked and leaking, eventually the water found its way into the cabin floor. after fixing that, we found that the anchor drain hose was also cracked and leaking... possibly from ice expansion in the winter. we replaced one hose and repaired the other and presto.... a nice dry cabin floor

 

[Mark Major]

I found where the rub rail is screwed to the gunwale was the source of many leaks. The rub rail had been replaced without the previous screw holes filled. The rub rail acted as a conduit, for rainwater, which would enter into the gun'l core via old and new screw holes where it was trapped and rotted the core wood. Some of the rub rail screws were tightened to where they penetrated the interior gun'l surface so the stagnant, heavily stained water, would slowly seep inside the interior liner so I would have a tea colored water accumulation.

During extensive rehab where I replaced the v-berth and aft bulkheads I found the sole pan (athwart vertical surfaces) drilled by the manufacturer to allow water to flow from forward to aft. Unfortunately these holes were glassed over during assembly, so would allow little flow, keeping (minor amounts of) water trapped in the v-berth locker and under the sole. One inch holes are now open and tilting the boat on the trailer allows the water to flow into the lazeret for removal.

I have photos posted on my page showing some of the work I did to remedy the rotted gun'l core.

 

[RichB]

Thanks guys,
Until now, I have been ignoring a small quantity of tea water which I periodically swab from the lazerette. I will start analyzing the possibilities. Sure did notice the sloppy glass work attaching the bulkheads to the hull.

A wealth of information, never thought of the rub rails.
Best regards ..... Rich
BTW There's a Good Old Boat regatta scheduled for January 23 on Tampa Bay. Check it out on pg. 7 of the November issue. Could be fun.

 

[revans18@woh.rr.com]

Thanks to all for he response to the water in the floor of my H23. Will replace he hose that drains the cockput. It has a crack in it.

Roger E.
Acton Lake Oxford /College Corner ,Ohio

 

[Kevin13729]

I'm going to look at (and probably buy) an 87' H23 this weekend and will certainly check the hoses and hardware mentioned for signs of leaks. Thanks for all the great info!