Sprung a leak!!!

[Chuck Ballew]

I was sailing this weekend and noticed we were getting some water in the boat. When we started our downwind leg, I looked in the cabin and saw water shooting up about 2 inches high. Its coming from the top of the keelplate closest to the front post. Talked with Don, and he hasn't seen the boat yet but thinks it might be a kelp cutter hole you west coast guys might use. One question: is there a plug I can use???

[Dave Whyman]

My keel gasket covers that hole.  It still leaks a tiny bit at the front of the gasket though if it's bumpy.

[Chuck Ballew]

Thanks for the reply Dave. Do you see any reason why I couldn't fill the hole with sealant, epoxy or something solid.

[Denise Hammond]

We have that problem as well.  I discussed it with Craig at Elkhorn (who built many of the early U20s).  He told me that there are/were two sets of marks on the mold for the pan that mark the back edge of the keel slot.  Sometimes the guys cut too far back. 

We stick a piece of duct tape over the hole when we put the keel down.  We have not had any problems with water coming in past the duct tape.

We use 3M 8979 tape.  http://www.3m.com/us/mfg_industrial/indtape/duct/  It is well worth the money.

Phil

[Mark Dobie]

Is any of that water going into the watertight compartments? Or is it all ending up on the Cabin sole? Where you in on-plane conditions?

Mark

[Chuck Ballew]

Mark, we were planning and water was shooting 2 or 3 inches high from the forward hole on the keelplate. I jammed a line in the hole to stem the flow, but we still took on water. Yes, it was contained to the cabin sole. The tanks were dry.   

[Denise Hammond]

Sorry.  My mistake.  We have the gap at the back of the keel plate. 

Is your delrin slide in place at the front?  The seal needs to be tight.  There is a lot of water pressure in the keel trunk when the boat is moving quickly.

Phil