water in the wrong place

[redhead78]

Hey all, I had a little excitment last weekend, I was down to spend the, weekend sailing, As I entered the companionway I took my customary leer into the bilge all seemed ok , very small amount of water, same old. As I was opening systems, hatches ect, I noticed the bilge pump running almost every 2 mins.I looked a little closer in the bowels of the bilge back by the stuffing box, it was not even dripping, perfect , right nope, to the side I see water running down approx 6" wide , from an unknown to me area. After tearing apart Lazzerettes, the rear cabin and every area that seemed related I still did not know where this water was coming from. This is a center cockpit, and it seemed to be coming in under it towards the rear unaccessible area.One battery was now dead, and I was on my starting battery. After a frettful nite of sleep I decieded I had to pull the boat out to find the problem.I motored very quietly over to Lockwoods Marina and asked them to pull it Monday first thing. I came down 6 AM monday to find another almost dead battery and about 100 gals of water in the bilges.I hooked up a battery charger and also hand pumped for about an hour.No harm was done, although I was looking forward to staying in another 4 weeks...Turns out the bottom screw on the stern tube came loose at some point and it was allowing water past the backside, and around the tube the propshaft runs thru under the floor. On the way into Lockwoods marina I was stuck between Rt 35 draw bridge, and the RT 35 railway bridge, a couple hundred yards apart with a high rushing tide pushing me into the railbridge, for 15 minutes waiting for the train, I did a lot of throttling back and forward, I'm sure that did not help matters. I,ll shut up now and go to my room, I love boating........ Red

 

[Ross]

Next time circle.

 

[redhead78]

I tried to, but with 38' of boat wind and racing tide,the one time I circled I was pushed sideways, scared the shit out of me. I got straight into the tide and throttled just enough to hold and crap myself. The weather was lousy, in hindsite I needed the high tide, should have waited an hour or so after. I was close with 6.5 draft, and did not need to run aground also......Red

 

[MrBee]

Um...Was there a reason you didn't run the engine to make sure the batteries were fully charged ? Did i miss something ?

 

[redhead78]

re water

No, I ran my engine across the bay to Lockwoods Marina to be pulled. For the rest of the day I used the partially charged batt, while tying up and closing the boat so they could pull it the following morn. I thought my second batt was fully charged I never use it. So I hooked up the pump to this batt. What I should have done was go and get another ext cord, to hook up my built in charger overnite. They had me berth over by the travl lift area where there is no electric nearby. I thought my second battery would make the nite with out problem. Its a good thing I came down early the next day with a cord in my truck, it might have gone above the bilges. I since figured a fix, but I am missing one of the best sailing months of the season....Red