I bought a 1988 Hunter 28.5 two years ago and am now getting a lot of water in the cabin. I removed the narrow floor panel between the bilge and engine and noted water in these two areas. They are not connected to the bilge, so the water doesn't have anywhere to go. Should I drill holes in the ribs that separate these from the bilge and install drainage hoses, so the water can escape? Where could the water be coming from & what should I do?
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Eric
Stuffing Box
The source of the water is probably coming from the stuffing box which is intended to leak a few drops every minute or so. I forget the exact rate. This is for lubrication purposes. There are no holes drilled since the engine bilge should be separate from the boat bilge to avoid pumping oil overboard. There should be a sticker warning about pumping overboard in the engine compartment. This all fantasy since the engine bilge will overflow into the rest of the pan if not mopped up routinely. I usually stick a large diaper under the engine to absorb the water. Also, the grid structure will tend to trap water. This water can be coming from a variety of sources which are not evident. Most likely rain or cleaning water. Taste it ,if you are in salt water, to asssure yourself it is not a below waterline leak. I do not believe that you have anything to be concerned about. Unscrew the acess panel which the steps sit on, the bilge panel, the removable bilge panel and the forward sole and mop up . Try and get uner the sole which is not does not uncrew. You will then be able to tell if you have a significant leak. The plain fact is that boats leak so mop up and go sailing.
The source of the water is probably coming from the stuffing box which is intended to leak a few drops every minute or so. I forget the exact rate. This is for lubrication purposes. There are no holes drilled since the engine bilge should be separate from the boat bilge to avoid pumping oil overboard. There should be a sticker warning about pumping overboard in the engine compartment. This all fantasy since the engine bilge will overflow into the rest of the pan if not mopped up routinely. I usually stick a large diaper under the engine to absorb the water. Also, the grid structure will tend to trap water. This water can be coming from a variety of sources which are not evident. Most likely rain or cleaning water. Taste it ,if you are in salt water, to asssure yourself it is not a below waterline leak. I do not believe that you have anything to be concerned about. Unscrew the acess panel which the steps sit on, the bilge panel, the removable bilge panel and the forward sole and mop up . Try and get uner the sole which is not does not uncrew. You will then be able to tell if you have a significant leak. The plain fact is that boats leak so mop up and go sailing.
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Jim McCue
Bilge H2O
I never liked the idea of having the packing box drip going (sloshing) thru the ribs until it finally get to the bilge. Also never liked the same "birth defect" in the drain for the shower stall -( but I never use that) . My 28.5 had the drip hole in the forward base of the engine compartment, also drip holes on the "outer of center" ribs (to drain when healing) towards the bilge. I know about the oil issues and my engine doesn't leak any. But the shipping of packing leakage between the ribs did bug me. What I did was to go to a 5&10, buy a rectangular tupperware bowl ( about 9x5) , placed it under the packing box (had to carve a crescent out of the stern side upper part of bowl to clear the shaft), and attached a poly (bilge pump) conduit to the forward side of the bowl and ran it thru the engine comparment drip hole, thru the ribs and into the bilge. If I used the shower , I'd do similar rather than have a science project growing in the ribs. I used silicon to glue down the bowl to the fiberglass hull under the packing box so it wouldn't "walk" with engine vibration. So far its worked fine. Jim McCue
I never liked the idea of having the packing box drip going (sloshing) thru the ribs until it finally get to the bilge. Also never liked the same "birth defect" in the drain for the shower stall -( but I never use that) . My 28.5 had the drip hole in the forward base of the engine compartment, also drip holes on the "outer of center" ribs (to drain when healing) towards the bilge. I know about the oil issues and my engine doesn't leak any. But the shipping of packing leakage between the ribs did bug me. What I did was to go to a 5&10, buy a rectangular tupperware bowl ( about 9x5) , placed it under the packing box (had to carve a crescent out of the stern side upper part of bowl to clear the shaft), and attached a poly (bilge pump) conduit to the forward side of the bowl and ran it thru the engine comparment drip hole, thru the ribs and into the bilge. If I used the shower , I'd do similar rather than have a science project growing in the ribs. I used silicon to glue down the bowl to the fiberglass hull under the packing box so it wouldn't "walk" with engine vibration. So far its worked fine. Jim McCue
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Marc Honey
Leaks!!!
Your leaks come from many places depending on the year and usage of your boat!!! Most of mine were from port lights above the head and sink area over the galley.Other areas to look at are the jib tracks amidships and the aft cleats used to tie the boat up. The other obvious places to look are the toe-rails down both sides of the boat
Your leaks come from many places depending on the year and usage of your boat!!! Most of mine were from port lights above the head and sink area over the galley.Other areas to look at are the jib tracks amidships and the aft cleats used to tie the boat up. The other obvious places to look are the toe-rails down both sides of the boat
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Ray Squires
Water Under Sole
The 285 appears to be notorious for destroying cabin soles, primarily from water overflowing the engine compartment to get to the bilge. My boat has had a section of the sole removed with some fiberglass boards in it's place. When I lift these up, I have access to all of the floor under the sole between the bilge and engine compartment. One thing to note is there are drains from these compartments to the bilge, they're just not on the centerline. I've always wondered if I could see these If I only had a center board to remove. My solution for the packing was to put in all new packing and tighten the nut till I only had a few drips while running. I wrap the stuffing box in a disposable diaper to catch that leak, keeping the engine compartment dry.
The 285 appears to be notorious for destroying cabin soles, primarily from water overflowing the engine compartment to get to the bilge. My boat has had a section of the sole removed with some fiberglass boards in it's place. When I lift these up, I have access to all of the floor under the sole between the bilge and engine compartment. One thing to note is there are drains from these compartments to the bilge, they're just not on the centerline. I've always wondered if I could see these If I only had a center board to remove. My solution for the packing was to put in all new packing and tighten the nut till I only had a few drips while running. I wrap the stuffing box in a disposable diaper to catch that leak, keeping the engine compartment dry.
J
Jim McCue
H2O below continued
Yes, I 've had a few leaks and all the other comments are valid. Two that I had and was eventually able to fix where: 1. The stern light has a wire that comes out od the base of the stern cage stantion and had a hole drilled thru the hull lip to feed it into the boat. dribble in rain would just follwo the stantion>wire to eventially the bilge. 2. The latch pin on the forward anchor box. I had some water coming in there but it would make its presence know just on the starboard forward side of the V-Berth framing. I took some White RTV silicone and squirted it into the latch pin receptacle and then put cellophane stretched over the pin and pushed it into place. Later when it dried, I simply cut the excess cellophane off. So far, so-good. Jim McCue
Yes, I 've had a few leaks and all the other comments are valid. Two that I had and was eventually able to fix where: 1. The stern light has a wire that comes out od the base of the stern cage stantion and had a hole drilled thru the hull lip to feed it into the boat. dribble in rain would just follwo the stantion>wire to eventially the bilge. 2. The latch pin on the forward anchor box. I had some water coming in there but it would make its presence know just on the starboard forward side of the V-Berth framing. I took some White RTV silicone and squirted it into the latch pin receptacle and then put cellophane stretched over the pin and pushed it into place. Later when it dried, I simply cut the excess cellophane off. So far, so-good. Jim McCue
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