Water In The Bilge

[Big Fish]

Once again I turn to Hunter Owners for help. My 1978 Hunter 27 gets a signifigant amount of water in the bilge during a rain storm when it is out of the water. This spring with my boat dry docked I pumped 4-5 gallons of water out of the bilge after a moderate rain storm. Last summer I applied a bead of clear caulking compound along the deck where it meets the rails, which didn't seem to slow things down a bit. My questions are where is the water coming from and how do I stop it?
Thanks Again
Big Fish

 

[David in Sandusky]

Possible sources:

A wind over the stern can blow rain down the air vents on the stern ebind the cockpit.
Portlights - especially in the main cabin.
Lifeline stanchion bases.
Mast step.
Forward hatch.

I have dried the bilge, then put paper towels down on the hull around it to identify where water is flowing into the bilge.

Good luck!

 

[Forrest15112]

My 23.5 will leak from the companion way slider if the trailer tongue is too low. The rain that is supposed to drain down the channels on either side and into the cockpit or the forward deck would just overflow into the cabin. May just be something simple like that. Get inside when it rains and if you're getting gallons from a moderate rain, you should be able to at least narrow the source down.

 

[Nelsonhow]

Did you try tightening down all of the screws/nuts along the toe rail. It takes two people. One with a rachet and extension and a deep dish socket on the inside (hopefully he/she will be a little contoritionist) and the one on top with with a big screwdirver. When I did mine we used the little personnel communication walkie/talkies. It made coordiniation much easier. Also on my H-27 I had a leak around the fixed ports and would weep a significant amount of water when it rained until I pulled them out and reset them all.

 

[Keith13315]

My 1984 H31 gets water in the bilge when shrink wrapped on the hard. So no leaks in the deck joint no leaks in the vents only way it gets in is the mast above the shrink wrap. Go figure it leaks down the wires runs into the bilge. Water can get in all over the place.