After a day of hard sailing (consistant heeling of 25 degrees or higher), I am finding water in the hold under the aft sleeping area. I have checked all of the tiolet lines and none are leaking. Could it be a problem with the bilge pump gasket? I am open to any suggestions. It is such a pain to come back in to port and find your bedding soaking wet. Thanks for any advice.
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Things to check
Ron, If I recall correctly, the thru-hull for the pump is about 12" above the water line on the port quarter. 25° of heel could put it under. Check the fittings, clamps, and hose all the way back to the pump. How wet is your sailing? I had a leak in the berth port, the one under the starboard seat hatch. The dealer found it with a water sprinkler. You could also have a leak in the seams where the cockpit floor mates with the helm section floor. Also check the air vent plug for the water ballast. I've had my ballast water slop out with that kind of heel when I forgot to put the plug back in the vent, or lock the plug.
Ron, If I recall correctly, the thru-hull for the pump is about 12" above the water line on the port quarter. 25° of heel could put it under. Check the fittings, clamps, and hose all the way back to the pump. How wet is your sailing? I had a leak in the berth port, the one under the starboard seat hatch. The dealer found it with a water sprinkler. You could also have a leak in the seams where the cockpit floor mates with the helm section floor. Also check the air vent plug for the water ballast. I've had my ballast water slop out with that kind of heel when I forgot to put the plug back in the vent, or lock the plug.
Why so much heel?
Ron, to a certain degree, I think you are letting the tail wag the dog. While any leak is always worrisome, I humbly suggest the problem is less about the leak and more about the excessive heel. The boat will sail better with less heel -- no more than about 15 degrees -- and the cabin not only might be drier, but also less likely to look like a tornado swept through it. It would also put less stress on your rig. You lose a shroud, wet bedding will look like a minor inconvenience. In fact, you lose a shroud, you may find it's your shorts getting wet! Do you sail this hard often? It could be you've pounded the boat into a seam/through-hull failure. "Reef early & reef often" is the best advice I've heard for this part of the Hunter line. Food for thought. My 2¢... Good luck & fair winds. --------- Kevin s/v Grasshopper Hunter 23.5 Brownsville, VT
Ron, to a certain degree, I think you are letting the tail wag the dog. While any leak is always worrisome, I humbly suggest the problem is less about the leak and more about the excessive heel. The boat will sail better with less heel -- no more than about 15 degrees -- and the cabin not only might be drier, but also less likely to look like a tornado swept through it. It would also put less stress on your rig. You lose a shroud, wet bedding will look like a minor inconvenience. In fact, you lose a shroud, you may find it's your shorts getting wet! Do you sail this hard often? It could be you've pounded the boat into a seam/through-hull failure. "Reef early & reef often" is the best advice I've heard for this part of the Hunter line. Food for thought. My 2¢... Good luck & fair winds. --------- Kevin s/v Grasshopper Hunter 23.5 Brownsville, VT
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