Glenn Ruggles
Houston, TX
Boat Name: Bonita
Model/Year: 1979
Hull No. 8706
Hailing Port: Conroe Yacht Club |
 04/03/2006 11:42 AM Pacific Time
I recently purchased a 1979 Catalina 22.
I've only had it out a couple of times on an inland lake with very little wind. I noticed I am taking on water primarily in the compartment under the forward dinette seat. Last time I pumped out at least 7 gallons.
Is this normal ?
The boat doesn't currently have a bilge pump, so I'm working on that. How much water is normal to take on under little wind ?
This past weekend I patched what looked like a possible small leakhole in that compartment with MarineTex but don't know if that will correct the problem. Where else could the water be coming in from ?
Thanks.
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Bob Conway
Huber Heights, Ohio
Boat Name: Spindrift
Model/Year: C22/1979
Hull No. #8717
Hailing Port: Buck Creek, Ohio |
04/03/2006 12:32 PM Pacific Time
Glen,
In the compartment under the forward dinette seat the is (or should be) a locking screw on the side of the compartment toward the center of the boat. This is the keel lock bolt. It's purpose is to lock the keel in the down position. That topic alone is good for 50 to 100 posts. Anyhow, if the bolt is not there, it will let water in. If it is there, it may still leak. If it is there and it turns, you may want to try putting some waterproof grease on it. Put some rags or a big sponge near the screw to sop up water. Get the grease ready. Turn the screw as far out as you can. Put grease on it and turn it back in. Now if the keel is down, the bolt will press against the keel. You will want to loosen it some before raising the keel. The same is true if the keel is up. The movement of the keel by raising or lowering it while the bolt is tightened on it will bend the bolt.
Of course this begs the question on the value of the bolt................... Just wait. The C22 owners are divided pretty even on locking Vs not locking and feel stongly about thier position. I withhold my opinion.
Back to your question. This may or may not be the sourse of your leak. A worse situation could be a crack in the trunk just above the keel. Does the boat rest on the keel when on the trailer, or is there room to drop it a couple of inches once the boat is loaded. If the boat rests on the keel, it could crack the trunk while trailering. Hopefully this is not the problem.
Where did you see the spot that you treated with the adhesive?
Bob |
Glenn Ruggles
Houston, TX
Boat Name: Bonita
Model/Year: 1979
Hull No. 8706
Hailing Port: Conroe Yacht Club |
04/03/2006 9:49 PM Pacific Time
Bob,
Thanks for your thoughts. Obviously I'm a novice. I checked the keel locking bolt and it is there though not screwed in very far. Instead of grease, I tried some teflon tape to see if that will stop any water from coming in. I'm aware of the discussion about the effectiveness of the bolt (or lack thereof).
Tech support at Catalina Direct said that the keel locking strap can come unbonded from the keel trunk if the keel is raised with the keel bolt screwed in. I hope that's not the problem because I don't have the time or talent to replace that right now. It seems secure to me.
As long as I've had it, the keel winches up with a few inches to spare above the trailer so I hope the keel trunk is not cracked. Not sure what's happened in the past.
The possible leak hole was on the side of the keel trunk about halfway up.
Another question -- where is the water level down below ? I suppose it's at the level that the water comes in and stops !
I'll have to look for a possible crack in the keel trunk higher up -- that's my greatest concern right now.
Thanks,
Glenn
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R. C. Luiken
Milford, DE
Boat Name: Ricochet
Model/Year: C-22 Swing Keel/1986
Hull No. 13560
Hailing Port: Milford, DE/St. Michaels, MD |
04/04/2006 5:55 AM Pacific Time
That amount of water is way too much. Unless you are sailing hard I don't think that is your problem. My bilge is virtually dry all the time. There are a couple of things I would check before tearing into the keel trunk.
How long does it take for that much water to accumulate?
Is there any evidence of water running down the inside of the hull?
When were the deck fixtures, particularly shroud eyebolts, rebedded last?
Does the water enter only under sail? |
Glenn Ruggles
Houston, TX
Boat Name: Bonita
Model/Year: 1979
Hull No. 8706
Hailing Port: Conroe Yacht Club |
04/04/2006 10:09 AM Pacific Time
R.C.
Thanks for the confirmation about the amount of water -- didn't seem right to me either.
I'm going to put grease on the keel locking bolt instead of teflon tape and see if that will work. I didn't have either on the bolt the last time I sailed.
Last time I launched from the trailer, I pumped out the compartment and made sure the entire bilge was dry before putting the boat in. After I launched, the water accumulated very quickly -- as soon as I had time to check it, it was nearly full. So it's either the bolt or some other serious leak.
Water accumulates after a hard rain, either from the windows, cabin hatch or eyebolts, but like I said I made sure it was dry before launching. I don't see evidence of water running down the inside of the hull.
Thanks again.
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R. C. Luiken
Milford, DE
Boat Name: Ricochet
Model/Year: C-22 Swing Keel/1986
Hull No. 13560
Hailing Port: Milford, DE/St. Michaels, MD |
04/05/2006 6:45 AM Pacific Time
I doubt very seriously that the bolt is the problem, unless you have a fairly large delamination around the backing plate for the bolt. I have sailed for some time without the locking bolt installed in my older boat without any problems of water leakage except on a starboard tack with a great deal of heel.
Do you have any through hulls in that area. They might be for depth or speed instruments. Make certain they are sealed well.
Next I would check the keel trunk in the area of the leak to see if you have a crack along the edge. Repairs made here are really pretty easy |
Chuck
East Meadow, NY
Boat Name: Doo Dad
Model/Year: 1984
Hull No. 12418
Hailing Port: Bayshore, NY |
04/06/2006 12:44 AM Pacific Time
Sounds like a familiar situation to me. Least season I was taking on about 2-3 gallons/week in the same area. When hauled out in the fall, I found about 3/4" crack in the forward part of the keel trunk, right near the hull bottom. Upon grinding it out to make the repair, I found the hull underneath the gelcoat was like swiss cheese in that area, due to voids in the lay up. More grinding, and a thick layup of glass/epoxy seems to have solved the problem. |
Christopher Dube
Mansfield Texas
Boat Name: Gypsey Girl
Model/Year: C-22 1977
Hull No.
Hailing Port: Joe Pool Lake |
03/02/2007 8:36 AM Pacific Time
I also have had water in this area. The reason I had water in their was that I backed out the bolt to raise the keel so I could hook up in this shallow cove. When we sailed home we put the keel back down but did not re tighten the bolt. After we got to the dock, I checked the area and it was almost full of water. I pumped it out and tightend the bolt and no more water. the only time that bolt should be lose is during the operation of the keel crank. The water proof grease is a great thing to use to prevent seeping from this bolt. |
