Leaking bilge and centre-plate

[Yara50]

Good idea to check the rudder pintle mounting bolts for corrosion. See also http://www.investigator563.com/forum/vi ... evice#p394
A good waterproof seal around these bolts is essential. However if the holes have enlarged, it may be necessary to fit some kind of sleeve, or build up with epoxy and then re-drill.

[Mark]

I have recently spoken with a shipwright here in Batemans Bay about my leaking bilge issue on my I563, he suggests cutting a small inspection hole above were the bolt is and then removing bolt and doing repairs with the yacht on the trailer, followed by a re-glass and sealing with epoxy.

Can anyone with experience in this area see and issue in following this course? He will do it for me at a very reasonable price.

Look forward to feedback

Thanks Mark

[Olmate-sail156]

I drilled a hole forward of the lead on the keel and tasted what came out to determine if it was salt or fresh. Before Ozzie's advice about the cockpit drains it was salt. After fixing that it was fresh and that turned out to be fractures in the glass at the bulkhead at the back of the starboard vberth hatch and the later the starboard cockpit locker.
Any water that gets in between the outer and inner skins will find the low point of the skeg.
I also found window seal leaks that found the low point of the bilge.
These were fresh.
The rudder pintles if they leak will go straight to the low point of the skeg.
Graeme

[Olmate-sail156]

Mark,
Further to the above.
It sounds like your keel may be full of water and seeping into the bilge and the bolt is a red herring.
The bolt appears to just traverse the laminate of the centreboard case and leaks there will only go into the bilge though it may well then seep into the keel.
I suggest you inspect every inch of the boat looking for fractures that will let water into the keel.
Drilling a drain hole in the bottom of the keel where there is no lead will answer the question.
Graeme

[Mark]

Hi All

I thought I would post some notes on my recent work on the CB bolt and sealing this from leaks.

I have been concerned about this for a while and posted such in the chat here. I decided a few weeks ago that I needed to do something about stopping the leaks into the bilge which I was certain came from a leaking bolt joint. This was confirmed when I put the boat in the water recently with the cabin sole up and the CB down and when I moved the boat I could see water leaking from both the bolt and nut side of the CB

I have read all the posts here and was originally going to remove CB by jacking boat up and also replacing the CB bush and side washers. However after lots of consultation and thinking decided this was going to be difficult in my current circumstances. We have a Marina in town but its hardstand wasn't appropriate for what I wanted to do.

I decided on an interim measure. No CB bush replacement just a good cleanup and resealing of the bolt area. Note the bolt head was encased in bog and I had to chip this off to unscrew the nut side.

Here is what I have done:

Cleaned the bilge and used West system epoxy to reseal areas where fibre glass was exposed. also used Sikaflex in one area where water from keel was leaking in and epoxy coating also.

Cleaned CB nut and removed. Chipped bolt head covered bog away to allow grip for nut removal.

Bolt head side: Re-bogged then epoxy coated bolt area. ( see picture).

Nut side: filled holes and cracks around area with epoxy. This area was quite weak with clear fibre glass wear and degradation, so it needed to be fixed. Then used 4 sheets of thin fibreglass to recover entire area and strengthen. Once dry and set, epoxy coated for final seal.

Sourced new rubber seal from Bunnings (bathroom supplies area) and added an small o-ring (water hose supply area) and new stainless steel washers. All fit perfectly. (see pictures)

Once all interior epoxy dried and set, put back nut with washers I coated the rubber seal fibreglass facing side with lanolin to increase seal and reduce water penetration properties.

Painted entire bilge area with some marine paint as a final seal.

Launched boat and tested for leaks. Success no leaks, let see what happens under sailing conditions tomorrow

Hope my experiences were of use. I will report if this work is a success or failure after a few months good hard sailing.

Regards

Mark

[Mark]

remainder of photos:

[Yara50]

We are lucky that the Investigator563 has a light centreboard and not a heavy swing keel. Otherwise I would say that the problem will return if the penetration in the fibreglass has worn a large hole right through the casing.
However, Mark, your repair could do the trick for now, as even if the bolt moves a little, your sealing should be able to cope. Theoretically the side loads on the centreboard are taken by the casing, not the bolt, it just provides a pivot and takes the dead weight of the centreboard.
In the case of Yara I50, the centreboard is aluminium, so the weight is very little when immersed.
The main thing is to get out sailing and enjoy!

[Olmate-sail156]

Hi again Peter,
As I said to Mark a while back, water in the bilge can come from a very full keel.
I am painting Olmate right now and have stripped all attachables and found that the rudder pintle holes were a tight fit for the screws and there was no gap between the outer and inner hull visible. However, the cockpit locker drain bung holes in the transom had enormous gaps between the inner and outer skins at their bottom aspect.
Any water bypassing the seal here would go straight to the keel and fill it.
Graeme

[Mark]

Update:

I took Aminee ut today sailed in fair winds for 5 hrs. checked bilge on return and only a couple of drops of water. Normally I would have 2-3 litres!! I take the point about water in the keel, I think there is some still there, and I did seal the cockpit plugs some time ago, however in an earlier comment it was suggested i drill into keel to see if water comes out but I did not understand whee to drill can anyone show me a pic or explain further.

To date I am happy with the repair, we will see over time, but I didn't hear the CB rocking around today. Fingers crossed.

cheers
Mark

[Olmate-sail156]

Mark,
You need to drill it where it is hollow, not packed with lead. Forward or aft of it or even beside it where it doesn't quite fill the casing. I sounded it with a knuckle.
Graeme