[C320-list] Water collecting under the holding tank

[Warren Updike]

Great info, Ken. I'm curious as to where you found leaks. Could you tell a
bit more about where you found them and how you fixed them?

Warren & Pattie Updike
Catalina 320, #62, "Warr De Mar"
Middle River, Chesapeake Bay



-----Original Message-----
From: Jane & Ken [mailto:obuoy4848 at sbcglobal.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 8:35 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Water collecting under the holding tank

Warren,
   This is the old problem with those of us who were buyers of the hulls
below number 295----I THINK----my hull , #219, has no real bilge
either........when or if water enters the hull, there is no place to
go-------as into a bilge.  the heel of the boat, when under hard sail,
allows water that had been trapped to migrate into the area near the battery
and holding tank    with no where to drain.
   To handle the problem, I try to stop all leaks early, and then a couple
of times a year I put up all sails when the wind is 30-35 MPH and heel the
boat over with the cabinets under the sink removed and "sop-up" any water I
find---the last couple of years have only produced a cup or two------so I
think I have most leaks solved.
   Because of the design flaw, this water problem will always exist, but due
diligence with looking for leaks and "empty--heeling" the water will not be
a problem.
   After 15 years I still love our boat.   Ken  #219  OBUOY

--- On Wed, 10/21/09, Warren Updike <wupdike at hotmail.com> wrote:


From: Warren Updike <wupdike at hotmail.com>
Subject: [C320-list] Water collecting under the holding tank
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2009, 5:39 PM


I think I found how the water is getting into the battery compartment and
under the holding tank. I still don't know the original source of this
water.

I had occasion today to look under the aft battery. This is where the cables
from the engine and panel exit the conduit that carries them through the
stringer. Under the conduit is an opening through the liner to the space
between the hull and liner. It appears to be a failure to fully bond the
liner to the hull below the cable conduit. This explains why the water
appears after a serious heel on a port tack. It gushes up from below and
settles under the holding tank where there is no exit when on an even keel. 

I think it is important to fix this condition as I surely do not want
battery acid from a blown battery finding its way into the space between the
liner and hull. I'll try and take some pictures next time I'm on the boat. 

I'll probably pull the battery sometime this Winter and remove the battery
shelf to assess the situation. Hopefully, I take more pictures and report on
the repair.

I hasten to add that this only applies to the early models before the bonded
sub-structure. From the history list on our web site these boats may be only
the ones with Perkins engines. Maybe some early Westerbekes. 

Thanks to those of you who replied to my original inquiry. Just knowing
there are other with the same/similar problem is comforting and helpful in
keeping an open mind.

Warren & Pattie Updike
Catalina 320, #62, "Warr De Mar"
Middle River, Chesapeake Bay