Leaks

[Don Sanford]

A long message for you all about leaks in the tank.

White Squall, # 122 has been very dry.  Normally we have a cup or two of water in the tank and none on the cabin floor.  Suddenly we're seeing several inches of water both in the tanks and on the floor of the cabin.  During last night's race, in light air (never had the rail in the water), we ended up with 2 or 3 inches on the cabin floor and about the same amount in the tanks.  We keep the boat on a shore station.  Last week, I let her sit at the mooring last week for an entire day.  No water.  It seems this only happens when we're underway. 

On further investigation I noticed that the seam between the inside of the hull and the "pan" that makes the tanks has failed.  This is on the Stbd. side more or less under the cockpit.  As the boat flexes, there's a gap that allows water in the tank to migrate into the cabin and vice-versa.  I don't know how much of that seam has failed.  And before I begin a repair I will need to jam some wedges in there to really open it up.  What is the suggestion for a repair?  Thickened epoxy or 5200?

Based on other posts, I suspect the water is entering the tanks from a gap around the centerboard trunk.  I've installed a new gasket on the bottom of the keep top plate.  I didn't see any water coming in there while we were underway last night.  Is there any other seal around the centerboard?

I'm now thinking that the water is coming in on the sides of the trunk, into the tank.  We've had repairs done here in the past.  Right now we can only access the tank through the 6" inspection ports located on either side of the trunk.  It would seem the first step is to make larger holes and install rectangular, maybe 11 x 14" locking hatches there to enable us to actually get in there.  I'm also thinking about installing round inspection ports on the more or less vertical surfaces on either side of the trunk just forward of the keel lifting post.  Openings there might enable us to look at the aft section of the joint around the trunk.  We have dropped the keel and made some repairs from the inside of the trunk.

Please let me know your opinions and experience before I start tearing into this with my Saw-zall.

Thanks

Don

[U20 Site Moderator]

Don, you should call Craig and Elkhorn and consult with him on the repair.

[John Pescatrice]

#203 was getting water in the cabin.  I thought it was a bad o-ring at the furler inspection port.  It turned out to be a hairline crack in the flange.  Amazing how such a barely visible fracture could let so much water in.  Water is very small.  Port replaced, all is dry again.

[Chris Seagram]

Don, #10 here, curious to know what you learned in the repair, I had a gap develop between the top of the keel trunk and the interior V berth deck. the water was flowing into the boat under pressure on downwind sailing legs. I used 3M to close the gaps and it appears to have done the trick. I am however contemplating opening up the deck and glassing around the keel trunk to ensure that it remains solid for another 20 years. Curious to hear what you learned?

[U20 Site Moderator]

Chris that both of  the repairs you describe have been done on some boats.  You can find photos in the maintenance forum.   My thought is that if the boat is staying dry, why add the weight and extra holes?

[Gregg Henning]

Chris, I used 3M 5200 and it has never leaked in over 20 years.  You do not need to open it up and glass it.