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

[Dan Winsor]

All shallow bilge owners,
My boat came with a factory bulletin that directed drilling holes into the
grid assembly to allow drainage and plugging the holes with expanding plugs
when not draining. I can look this up if anyone would like to see it. I
went one step further and added a hole one the top of each grid beam and I
have a reducer to 1" hose that allows me to suck the water out with my shop
vac (that I also use to suck the water out of all of the water lines so I
don't need any antifreeze come winter). I also snuck a second electric
bilge pump into the pocket just aft of the main bilge pump. Dont think this
one does much work under normal conditions but it's a good redundancy. I do
keep my water system so that the pump doesn't cycle (much) and I routinely
taste the bilge water. As long as it's not salty I blame ice meltage as we
keep a few blocks in the bottom of the fridge to lessen the work of
the compressor. This doesn't really pertain to stopping leaks but it makes
leaks less of a nuisance. LOL
I have learned a few things from this post and would like to thank everyone
for their two bits.
Dan Winsor
Lucky Devil #109

On Sun, Mar 24, 2024 at 10:30 AM Dave Hupe via C320-list <
c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> wrote:

> 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
>
>
>
>