[C320-list] Chasing Leaks, yes starting that convo

[Dave Hupe]

There should be as all diameter pipe/hose on our boats that extends from just forward of the stuffing box area (look beneath the engine/shaft coupling), extending underneath the engine pan, and emptying into the aftmost bilge area.  The outside of the ends of this conduit should be sealed into holes drilled in the structural grid so that all water is transferred to the bilge.
I discovered that my boat does NOT have this conduit. Apparently the factory did not install one. Instead, if I let too much water accumulate from dripping of the stuffing box, it enters the open aft hole in my structural grid and fills the grid. Eventually as this water builds up enough, the water seeps up around my keel bolts. This was when I first thought my keel bolts/keel was leaking (wrong!).
This was one of the very first confusing leak sources I figured out.  I was able to vacuum water out of the structural grid through the open hole in the aftmost vertical wall of the aft bilge area.   Once I managed my stuffing box seepage better, this concern was eliminated .... it was clear I did not have a keel/keelbolt leak. 
Since discovering this, I have used Gore GFO stuffing box packing that can be tightened to leak very little without heating. I place a sponge in the area beneath the shaft just forward of the stuffing box. It sops up leakage and I just retrieve and squeeze out the sponge often enough that water cannot migrate through the open hole in the structural grid. 
Eventually, I might try to install the conduit extending under the engine pan that the factory failed to install. 
Dave Hupe 
1994 C320 #32
Holland,  MI 
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer 
 
  On Sat, Mar 23, 2024 at 9:15 PM, Jacob Lang<jjlang94 at gmail.com> wrote:   This gives me a lot of confidence. I know my stuffing box was leaking, but now I’m thinking residual water from that was in the grid. Along with all the other leaks I have around windows. It just seems like a lot of water for it to be just windows, but I guess if they are all seeping then it can add up.
Jacob

On Mar 23, 2024, at 21:06, Dave Hupe <hoopdtwo at yahoo.com> wrote:



I figured out my freshwater line(s) was leaking because my water pressure pump kept cycling on and off to keep the lines pressurized. I couldn't figure out where i had a leak at first. Then water started slowly seeping up around my keel bolts.  I shut off my water tanks and bled the pressure out of the lines and the seepage stopped. 
I had been down this path before seeing water seepage around my keel bolts .. and being afraid my keel bolts/keel was leaking.  However, I tracked the problem back to rainwater leakage into various places on the boat that got into my structural grid, the water level rose, and ultimately seeped up around the bolts. 
I fixed the leaks, vacuumed up the water (look for pooled water through access holes in the structural grid to suck out), and my bilge and keel bolts have been bone dry now for years. It takes being a diligent detective to find and fix the leaks. Don't accept people saying boats leak!
Dave
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer 
 
  On Sat, Mar 23, 2024 at 8:10 PM, Jacob Lang<jjlang94 at gmail.com> wrote:   This is all great info! I definitly saw the propane insert leaking, a lot during today’s down pour. Also I’ve been suspicious of my emergency tiller, I will be replacing the whole cover and trying to fix some of the hair line cracks coming from the port. Also, I will now be checking the emergency pump and I’m sure the outdoor shower is also leaking. 

How did you find out your fresh water system was leaking? I’m suspect on this issue, because it looks like my keel bolts are leaking which lead me down the rabbit hole of checking my keel for cracks and was even going to rebed the keel bolts, but I may be chasing the wrong issue.

Jacob 
STUDY HULL #305  

> On Mar 23, 2024, at 18:07, Dave Hupe via C320-list <c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> wrote:
> 
> Here is my litany of leak discovery and repair..... primarily with regard to the aft section of the boat....and focusing on things that are not obvious! I am not repeating suggestions from other owners like water heater leaks, hatches that should be easy to see, etc.
> Jacob ... I am not sure if you have the shallow bilge like me. If you do, water can get into the structural grid system and slowly seep out/up around your keel bolts.  This can definitely look like a keel bolt leak, but very likely is not ..... I know this from fixing surface water leaks as explained below and gradually seeing my keel bolts dry up several times.
> 
> 1. The emergency tiller hatch is a bad design and prone to leakage. I replaced my entire hatch/port early on but the rubber seal is not great.  A coating of grease on the rubber o-ring can help seal out water for a while. 2. The seal around the top edge of the pan holding the propane tank on my boat leaked like crazy.  This compartment is not like the others in the cockpit.  There is no lip that the compartment cover seals over to prevent water intrusion. There were only 4 screws holding the pan down.  After removing the tank and unhooking the pan water drain hose, I lifted the pan up just enough to rebed it (didn’t need to unhook the propane lines) ... leak gone.3. The faucet of the stern shower leaked around the mount holes/water connections. There was no caulk at all beneath the faucet assembly. I bebbed it with butyl tape to stop the leak (a little tough since there us very little edge on the faucet assembly to seal).4. My Whale emergency pump in the cockpit was leaking around the outer seal.  I completely replaced the pump since it needed rebuilt anyway.5. I had a water line break hidden within my structural grid traveling from my Galley area to the head sink. This looked like a keel bolt leak due to water pooling in my structural grid,  but I replaced both hot and cold water lines which eliminated the seepage. I was unable to remove the old lines .... I just cut them and rerouted to install new lines. 
> Dave Hupe 
> 1994 C320 #32
> Holland,  MI 
> 
> Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
> 
>  On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 8:27 PM, Jacob Lang via C320-list<c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> wrote:  I may regret starting this thread but I’m curious. While my boat is in the water I believe my keel bolts were slightly weeping. The boat is out on the hard now and I’m addressing the slight cracks on the front of the keel using gflex and then additionally I’m resealing the washers around the keel bolts.
> 
> However, my real questions start with what I’m still chasing. I seem to have a fresh water coming in during storms. It’s been about three months that it’s been on the hard so the accumulation of about 2 to 3 gallons is a bit concerning. I think I’ve traced a leak down to at least one window. ( the one in the cockpit starboard side facing aft). However that can’t be the only source. Anyone have any ideas to start tracing? I’m wondering if the lockers are leaking to the bilge. Any thoughts to begin the hunt would be appreciated.
> 
> VR
> Jacob