Friends: I am finding that my Hunter 26 (water ballast) collects water under in the sink in the salon (to your right as you step down into the cabin). The water gathers at the floor inside the cabinet to a level of about 1 1/2 to 2 inches (it rarely spills out onto the wooden floor board, but does so sometimes). The water is NOT dripping from the sink itself. I can sponge it out, but the water fills up again quickly (in a few minutes). I'm not sure, but it appears to emanate from a small round hole, about 1/8 inch in diameter, near the floor at the port-most inside wall of the sink cabinet. The water looks like in could be coming out of the ballast tank somehow. Any suggestions? (BTW, Whoever helped me w/ the leaky hatch, your advice worked like a charm! Thanks.) Thanks, Slim
- Status
- Not open for further replies.
R
Reinhold Fussle
oops!
sounds like someone drilled a hole into the ballast tank. Shouldn't be hard to fix with some caulking or epoxy.
sounds like someone drilled a hole into the ballast tank. Shouldn't be hard to fix with some caulking or epoxy.
C
Crazy Dave Condon
leaks
You did not tell if it is the old style 26 or the newer 260. Here is what I want you to do. Follow the compression post to the floor. There is a cover plate which you will need to pry up. It generally is held in place with silicon. Do not fret but you need to slide that piece up. You will see the post resting into another pipe. Look at that pipe to see if there any holes like a # 10 screw hole. If yes, you will find two holes on the front and bacck and the one on the front is difficult to get to. Put the screws in and make sure you caulk with 5200. The next item is where the compression post goes down into the other pipe. caulk that seal. The next is to make sure there is caulk over the large bolt and if you do not see it but instead a wad of caulk on the top of a plate, then that is fine. You will now note the plate with the pipe that the compression post sits on. It is resting on top of fiberglass with a seal of 5200 between the plate and fiberglass. You will need to motor your boat fast and see if any water is coming through that seal. If not, you are fine. IF yes, dry the area with acetone and then squeez in 5200. Keep me posted on this. Crazy Dave Condon
You did not tell if it is the old style 26 or the newer 260. Here is what I want you to do. Follow the compression post to the floor. There is a cover plate which you will need to pry up. It generally is held in place with silicon. Do not fret but you need to slide that piece up. You will see the post resting into another pipe. Look at that pipe to see if there any holes like a # 10 screw hole. If yes, you will find two holes on the front and bacck and the one on the front is difficult to get to. Put the screws in and make sure you caulk with 5200. The next item is where the compression post goes down into the other pipe. caulk that seal. The next is to make sure there is caulk over the large bolt and if you do not see it but instead a wad of caulk on the top of a plate, then that is fine. You will now note the plate with the pipe that the compression post sits on. It is resting on top of fiberglass with a seal of 5200 between the plate and fiberglass. You will need to motor your boat fast and see if any water is coming through that seal. If not, you are fine. IF yes, dry the area with acetone and then squeez in 5200. Keep me posted on this. Crazy Dave Condon
S
Slim
J
Jeff Peltier
Possible leak
I had this happen on my 98 260 when it was new. the fiberglass for the top of the ballast tank had some pin hole leaks, which leaked into the area below the sink. Re-fiberglassing that area solved the problem. Jeff Peltier
I had this happen on my 98 260 when it was new. the fiberglass for the top of the ballast tank had some pin hole leaks, which leaked into the area below the sink. Re-fiberglassing that area solved the problem. Jeff Peltier
S
Slim
C
Crazy Dave Condon
Jeff
look at the base of the sink drain underneath aaand see if the little plasitic piece that is screwed on handtight is leaking. That may be a sourse. Advise Crazy Dave Condonoopue5[oio2diq]e[wiq5r[iojc
look at the base of the sink drain underneath aaand see if the little plasitic piece that is screwed on handtight is leaking. That may be a sourse. Advise Crazy Dave Condonoopue5[oio2diq]e[wiq5r[iojc
S
Slim
Clamp
Can't be the sink. We never use it or put water through it. Also, the hose has been pipe clamped. Thanks, Slim
Can't be the sink. We never use it or put water through it. Also, the hose has been pipe clamped. Thanks, Slim
P
Pat Hooyman
Check the bilge
Check the under the galley floor - the hole you see is probably connected to the space between the top of the ballast tank and the galley floor - you may have an access port in the floor. I keep my 26 in Kemah too - at the Boardwalk Marina - contact me if you need help looking at this.
Check the under the galley floor - the hole you see is probably connected to the space between the top of the ballast tank and the galley floor - you may have an access port in the floor. I keep my 26 in Kemah too - at the Boardwalk Marina - contact me if you need help looking at this.
A
alan
Other water sources.
I'm not clear if this occurs when the boat is sitting level in it's berth or when sailing or motoring. This is very important. If under sail, as Dave pointed out, can be from the area of the swing keel, the vent and ballast tank controls or from the sinks. When you sail closed hauled you can ram water into the sink via the through hulls and it will leak if the sink drain caulk is bad or a clamp is loose. This can also happen with the bilge pump. In addition water accumulating for any reason on TOP of the ballast tank will go to the low side (under the sink) when heeling. This is because when the boat is heeling the top of the ballast tank is higher than the lee side but lower than the windward side. When level I am not sure. But, This means water spilled or getting under the sink can wind up on top of the ballast tank and then under the opposite side sink. alan
I'm not clear if this occurs when the boat is sitting level in it's berth or when sailing or motoring. This is very important. If under sail, as Dave pointed out, can be from the area of the swing keel, the vent and ballast tank controls or from the sinks. When you sail closed hauled you can ram water into the sink via the through hulls and it will leak if the sink drain caulk is bad or a clamp is loose. This can also happen with the bilge pump. In addition water accumulating for any reason on TOP of the ballast tank will go to the low side (under the sink) when heeling. This is because when the boat is heeling the top of the ballast tank is higher than the lee side but lower than the windward side. When level I am not sure. But, This means water spilled or getting under the sink can wind up on top of the ballast tank and then under the opposite side sink. alan
C
Crazy Dave Condon
Pat
If you have a leak on your boat, give me a holler. Way back when, I educated Hunter on leaks on the older 26. Crazy Dave
If you have a leak on your boat, give me a holler. Way back when, I educated Hunter on leaks on the older 26. Crazy Dave
M
Mark
Hey Cazy Dave
Paul mentioned about there being a gap between the top of the ballast tank and the floor. Do you know if this is correct? Regards
Paul mentioned about there being a gap between the top of the ballast tank and the floor. Do you know if this is correct? Regards
P
Pat Hooyman
Yes - there is a thin bilge under galley floor
Yes the Galley floor is part of the interior pan and is separate from the ballast tank on an H26 - there is a small bilge area under the galley floor above the top of the ballast tank. The ballast top is glassed to the hull - the raised triangular wedge along the port and starboard sides under the setees and sinks is the joint between the hull and the ballast tank top. The front of the galley sink cabinet is also part of the interior pan and is glass tabbed to the ballast tank top inside the cabinet.
Yes the Galley floor is part of the interior pan and is separate from the ballast tank on an H26 - there is a small bilge area under the galley floor above the top of the ballast tank. The ballast top is glassed to the hull - the raised triangular wedge along the port and starboard sides under the setees and sinks is the joint between the hull and the ballast tank top. The front of the galley sink cabinet is also part of the interior pan and is glass tabbed to the ballast tank top inside the cabinet.
M
Mark
P
Pat Hooyman
Too thin for a bilge pump.
No - not enough space - 1 inch (2 cm) or less, This area should be bone dry - if not when sailing the water will make its way into the storage areas on either side and under the sinks eventually. I have a 4 inch Nicro round access port which Hunter installed in the stern-starboard galley floor. I check this regularly for water as I had a leak a few years ago. it is always bone dry now. Went sailing yesterday in Galveston Bay - beautiful sail for late November - makes living in Houston much more agreeable. Lots of healing, waves - dry bilge - all in all a great day.
No - not enough space - 1 inch (2 cm) or less, This area should be bone dry - if not when sailing the water will make its way into the storage areas on either side and under the sinks eventually. I have a 4 inch Nicro round access port which Hunter installed in the stern-starboard galley floor. I check this regularly for water as I had a leak a few years ago. it is always bone dry now. Went sailing yesterday in Galveston Bay - beautiful sail for late November - makes living in Houston much more agreeable. Lots of healing, waves - dry bilge - all in all a great day.
M
Michael Bell
One thing to do for sure
Caulk the gap in the housing around the ballast tank fillervent. This is between the top of the tank and the top step. Any overfilling, expansion or slosh from the ballast tank will run down this gap and into the “bilge”. This bilge on my ’98 H26 is too small for even a ¼ suction tube. Toweling it out is about the only resolution (course, it shouldn’t have any water in it normally).
Caulk the gap in the housing around the ballast tank fillervent. This is between the top of the tank and the top step. Any overfilling, expansion or slosh from the ballast tank will run down this gap and into the “bilge”. This bilge on my ’98 H26 is too small for even a ¼ suction tube. Toweling it out is about the only resolution (course, it shouldn’t have any water in it normally).
S
Slim
How do you get to the thin bilge?
Guys: How does one access the thin, or shallow, bilge between the galley floor and the top of the ballast tank? Can you pull up the wooden flooring w/o damage? I don't believe there is any type of access panel on my Hunter 26 '94. Thanks very much for all of your helpful comments; in Crazy Dave's words, this is a bit of an "education." Slim
Guys: How does one access the thin, or shallow, bilge between the galley floor and the top of the ballast tank? Can you pull up the wooden flooring w/o damage? I don't believe there is any type of access panel on my Hunter 26 '94. Thanks very much for all of your helpful comments; in Crazy Dave's words, this is a bit of an "education." Slim
A
alan
You can VERY CAREFULLY install an inspection...
...port by cutting the glass just aft of the teak and holly part of the sole but foward of the berth. Or perhaps a safer area, and I am not sure of this, would be to place the inspection port under the porta-pottie as I beleve there is more clearance between that and the ballast tank top. alan
...port by cutting the glass just aft of the teak and holly part of the sole but foward of the berth. Or perhaps a safer area, and I am not sure of this, would be to place the inspection port under the porta-pottie as I beleve there is more clearance between that and the ballast tank top. alan
C
Crazy Dave Condon
Me smokin peace pipe
Yep that there floor bbeing wooden in the main cabin sits in a well of the floor pan with the floor pan sitting on top of the tank. I do not recommend to anyone cutting a hole in the floor to put an inspection port unless you know what you are doing. Also, it is about worthless to do so as any water will run down into the rear under the rear berth. THe wing nut to close off the water sits on a washer. The underneath of the washer is a gasket. See if it is not worn out and if it is, make a new one. This is a source of water leakage. Me got to go and wiff them thar fumes as I am a glassing in the old cold winter with butt crack a showing. Yep, me drinking beer. Oh what fun it is to ride on a one horse open blob. Yep I am out of it tonight., good bye. Crazy Dave condom
Yep that there floor bbeing wooden in the main cabin sits in a well of the floor pan with the floor pan sitting on top of the tank. I do not recommend to anyone cutting a hole in the floor to put an inspection port unless you know what you are doing. Also, it is about worthless to do so as any water will run down into the rear under the rear berth. THe wing nut to close off the water sits on a washer. The underneath of the washer is a gasket. See if it is not worn out and if it is, make a new one. This is a source of water leakage. Me got to go and wiff them thar fumes as I am a glassing in the old cold winter with butt crack a showing. Yep, me drinking beer. Oh what fun it is to ride on a one horse open blob. Yep I am out of it tonight., good bye. Crazy Dave condom
A
alan
Dave, what about putting an inspection...
...port under the porta-pottie. From my experience a couple of gallons of water on top of the ballast tank will not go into the bilge under the rear berth as there is a lip on the top of the tank there. Not sure if you remember but 2 1/2 years ago when my boat was new to me, I had a problem of water winding up under sinks after sailing. The boat had been sitting on the hard for about 1 1/2 years and had a bit of water in the bilge from a leak in the cockpit table base. I had totally dried the bilge. Finally I traced the water to the top of the ballast tank which spills onto the lee side (under the sinks) when heading to weather. I was able (in my boat not another 260) to see water between the extension for the tank controlls and the inside of the companionway step with a flashlight. This water took months to dry up! Later that year a 2 gal water tank ruptured under the galley sink. From heeling some of that water wound up on top of the ballast tank and from there passed to under the head sink. Another month to dry out. The only time any water on top of the ballast tank made it to the bilge in my boat was via the path of the bilge pump hose. Not through the hose (maybe once but looped it high after )but through the cut outs via which it passes to under the galley sink on its way out. I keep dry paper towels wrapped around the tank vent and control. They've always been dry. alan P.S. hope ya have a designated driver after snortin those gel coat vapors ;^)
...port under the porta-pottie. From my experience a couple of gallons of water on top of the ballast tank will not go into the bilge under the rear berth as there is a lip on the top of the tank there. Not sure if you remember but 2 1/2 years ago when my boat was new to me, I had a problem of water winding up under sinks after sailing. The boat had been sitting on the hard for about 1 1/2 years and had a bit of water in the bilge from a leak in the cockpit table base. I had totally dried the bilge. Finally I traced the water to the top of the ballast tank which spills onto the lee side (under the sinks) when heading to weather. I was able (in my boat not another 260) to see water between the extension for the tank controlls and the inside of the companionway step with a flashlight. This water took months to dry up! Later that year a 2 gal water tank ruptured under the galley sink. From heeling some of that water wound up on top of the ballast tank and from there passed to under the head sink. Another month to dry out. The only time any water on top of the ballast tank made it to the bilge in my boat was via the path of the bilge pump hose. Not through the hose (maybe once but looped it high after )but through the cut outs via which it passes to under the galley sink on its way out. I keep dry paper towels wrapped around the tank vent and control. They've always been dry. alan P.S. hope ya have a designated driver after snortin those gel coat vapors ;^)
- Status
- Not open for further replies.