water water
I thought the first h26 was a 94 model, anyway: 1) Check drain lines as jeff said. When heeling hard their "through the hull fittings" are underwater and it can enter the boat through the bilge pump or a loose hose from either sink. Some have placed one way valves in the bilge pump line and/or added a higher loop of hose. 2) Make sure that the inspection port plug is tight and the control for the ballast tank is not leaking. I keep dry paper towel around both and check each time I go out. 3) Check the compression post area under the table for leaks. Best done while underway heeling hard and then motoring at full throttle. 4) Consider that anything drilled into the floor may have punctured the ballast tank. 5) The areas under the sinks are higher than the ballast tank top unless heeling. This means that water entering the boat and landing on the sink area floors will flow onto the tank top and flow back under the sinks when heeling. This has happened to some of us and was perplexing till we figured it out. In my case salt water was on top of the tank (probably from a loose control fitting at launch) and would go under the sinks, flow back into the bilge and at times into foward setees. Each time I sailed there would be less water but It took two months to dry out. THEN a 2 1/2 gal container of water leaked under the galley and wound up on top of the tank and the situation repeated but this time the water tasted fresh not salty! If you look and shine a light between the inside of the companion way stairs and the ballast tank extension which holds the controls and plug and rock the boat you can see water on top of the tank if it is there. 6) Check all screws and bolts going into the deck and hull. However, the ones through the hull are more likely to give you that much water. You will also need to have a party on the dock and invite enough weight on board to get them under the water. 7) Add food dye to the ballast tank before sailing and hope the water under the sinks does not turn the same color. I found that salt water will kill dye, at least the red I used in a matter of two days. Good luck, if you post this under the "smaller boats" forum there will be more responces.
