Hi all.Sorry for the incessant posts on this topic but I am obsessive about keeping my Vega afloat!I checked after sailing hard on the wind on port tack on Sunday & there was again water in the bilge - not from hull-deck joint.It appears to be from aft part of starboard locker (behind cushion over starboard saloon berth).I cut away the wet carpet lining (about half the height of the locker) and exposed the base of the locker & the aft end - the small "bulkhead" separating the locker from the void under the sink.https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/AlbinVega/photos/photostream/lightbox/1841259904?orderBy=mtime&sortOrder=desc&photoFilter=ALLThe base of the locker was wet at the aft end - the water had drained through here to the locker under the starboard saloon berth and so to the bilge.More worrying the bulkhead seems to have penetrated the inner hull slightly (see photo) - suggesting that the hull could actually be cracked and water penetrating when sailing hard on port tack so starboard side immersed & under greater water pressure.Maybe crack due to badly placed lifting strop??No evidence visible of crack from the outside.I'll try power washer on outside of hull at location of the "hard spot" - also high powered lamp on inside (at night) to see if any light visible through the (?) weak spot...Am I jumping to conclusions? I just can't see any other explanation given that there is no water ingress above or forward of the small bulkhead..Suggestions welcome.John V1447 Breakaway
Water Ingress Cause Found?
- Thread starter Vega1447
- Start date
Water pressure will
not change other than by depth from the surface measured in atmospheres. I would keep looking as the crack theory
sounds very unlikely. Trace from high to
low, is the sink ok? Are the ports (windows) ok? Is the deck hull joint ok? Is the
water sloshing up from the bilge when you are hard over? When you hear hoof
beats don’t think zebras think horses as it is more than likely to be something
common rather than something exotic. Cheers
John
not change other than by depth from the surface measured in atmospheres. I would keep looking as the crack theory
sounds very unlikely. Trace from high to
low, is the sink ok? Are the ports (windows) ok? Is the deck hull joint ok? Is the
water sloshing up from the bilge when you are hard over? When you hear hoof
beats don’t think zebras think horses as it is more than likely to be something
common rather than something exotic. Cheers
John
Yebbut 
When boat is heeled hard over then the hydrostatic pressure is greater?
(I need to check whether the "hard point" is above water level when boat is vertical.)
I've spent (when not sailing) months checking window seals (replaced) and hull-deck joints (tightened).
What makes me think that there may be a crack is that the max level of water ingress is half way from the shelf inside the starboard saloon locker down to the level of the saloon berth.
Way below the window seals or hull deck joints.
Could water really get from bilge to the level described above unless boat was laid flat (and it wasn't - maybe 30 degree heel)...?
As to the sink, I do have a dehumidifier running continuously when boat alongside and draining into sink. But bilge was bone dry before I left my berth on Sunday morning...I'm not dismissing your comments but I am running out of ideas. Thanks for reply.
I plan to get the boatyard to check the hard point and maybe I'll use a power hose and a bright interior light to check also..
If this is a horse it is starting to look stripy to me..
John V1447 BreakawayOn 28/10/14 11:09,
beowulf@... [AlbinVega] wrote:
When boat is heeled hard over then the hydrostatic pressure is greater?
(I need to check whether the "hard point" is above water level when boat is vertical.)
I've spent (when not sailing) months checking window seals (replaced) and hull-deck joints (tightened).
What makes me think that there may be a crack is that the max level of water ingress is half way from the shelf inside the starboard saloon locker down to the level of the saloon berth.
Way below the window seals or hull deck joints.
Could water really get from bilge to the level described above unless boat was laid flat (and it wasn't - maybe 30 degree heel)...?
As to the sink, I do have a dehumidifier running continuously when boat alongside and draining into sink. But bilge was bone dry before I left my berth on Sunday morning...I'm not dismissing your comments but I am running out of ideas. Thanks for reply.
I plan to get the boatyard to check the hard point and maybe I'll use a power hose and a bright interior light to check also..
If this is a horse it is starting to look stripy to me..
John V1447 BreakawayOn 28/10/14 11:09,
beowulf@... [AlbinVega] wrote:
John,I had an elusive leak on Sin Tacha which I evenyually traced to the seal on the rubber hose that encloses the rudder shaft.Peter.
Just to add to that, here is a piece from message # 9926:"At the top end of the rudder shaft is a length of hose clamped to
the shaft tube, and protruding almost to the cockpit floor. At the
top of this tube is a seal to prevent water from leaking up around
the shaft. Also a good candidate for replacement. (The original tube
is clear, but I replaced mine with a black one.)
Photo: http://www3.telus.net/sailing/seal.jpg
The seal I used is an SKF 9717. This seal has no metal exposed, and
a stainless steel garter ring, and should last forever."To check for a leak here wrap a length of paper towel around the top part of the rubber hose, go sailing, and check it for wetness when you are at the dock again.Hope you find the leak!Peter.
the shaft tube, and protruding almost to the cockpit floor. At the
top of this tube is a seal to prevent water from leaking up around
the shaft. Also a good candidate for replacement. (The original tube
is clear, but I replaced mine with a black one.)
Photo: http://www3.telus.net/sailing/seal.jpg
The seal I used is an SKF 9717. This seal has no metal exposed, and
a stainless steel garter ring, and should last forever."To check for a leak here wrap a length of paper towel around the top part of the rubber hose, go sailing, and check it for wetness when you are at the dock again.Hope you find the leak!Peter.
Here is something that may be possible and is certainly plausable.
First off, in filling my water tank when the tank is full water runs
out of the fauset over the sink. So now the tank is full and the
water stops running out of the faucet but the faucet is full to the
top. THis means there is nothing in the pump to stop water from
going through it even though you a not pumping. There might well be
a gallon or two of water in the upper part of the water tank that
might drain to the sink top. I also thought that after pumping salt
water into the sink the saltwater faucet might be full almost to the
top and when you heeled lowering the faucet the water in the hose
might leak out of the facet on top the galley sink top and then run
back into the locker behind it and down into the locker behind the
seat backs. I don't know how much water would be in the hose above
the pump but it might well be a quart?? Anyway there may be
something going on like this. If the head is full of water it might
be spilling over when heeling and if you are not shutting off the in
flow of water may well be flowing through it when heeled down deep
in the water. Doug
On 10/28/2014 10:40 AM,
pjacobs55@... [AlbinVega] wrote:
First off, in filling my water tank when the tank is full water runs
out of the fauset over the sink. So now the tank is full and the
water stops running out of the faucet but the faucet is full to the
top. THis means there is nothing in the pump to stop water from
going through it even though you a not pumping. There might well be
a gallon or two of water in the upper part of the water tank that
might drain to the sink top. I also thought that after pumping salt
water into the sink the saltwater faucet might be full almost to the
top and when you heeled lowering the faucet the water in the hose
might leak out of the facet on top the galley sink top and then run
back into the locker behind it and down into the locker behind the
seat backs. I don't know how much water would be in the hose above
the pump but it might well be a quart?? Anyway there may be
something going on like this. If the head is full of water it might
be spilling over when heeling and if you are not shutting off the in
flow of water may well be flowing through it when heeled down deep
in the water. Doug
On 10/28/2014 10:40 AM,
pjacobs55@... [AlbinVega] wrote:
Hi Doug,
that is interesting. Water running forward from behind faucets/taps..
Only thing is that there was no obvious sign of water on the sink top..
Another experiment needed - I'll mop out the bilge *again* (baby nappies/diapers do the job very easily) then tape up the faucets (and close the sink seacock).
And go for a sail -..
I do keep the heads seacocks closed when sailing though.
Thanks for the idea,
JohnOn 28/10/14 15:11, Douglas Pollard
dougpol2@... [AlbinVega] wrote:
that is interesting. Water running forward from behind faucets/taps..
Only thing is that there was no obvious sign of water on the sink top..
Another experiment needed - I'll mop out the bilge *again* (baby nappies/diapers do the job very easily) then tape up the faucets (and close the sink seacock).
And go for a sail -
..I do keep the heads seacocks closed when sailing though.
Thanks for the idea,
JohnOn 28/10/14 15:11, Douglas Pollard
dougpol2@... [AlbinVega] wrote: