Making Water

[Steve]

After buying a boat with more holes drilled and cut into it than a dive wreak I wasn't surprised to find water in the bilge when it rains, water gets into the cockpit lockers and then through these ply hatches and into the floatation tanks. It is only when the 563 goes to sea or is transported, that the rain water can make its way into the bilge.
Here is a photo of the bilge under the cockpit and the red circle is where the water drains from the float tanks but the boat has to be rocking around for water to make it's way out

I tested my theory by pouring water into the floatation tanks , then inspecting the bilge. The bilge remained bone dry until the 563 was transported, then it made water. In the pic you can also see one of my new "you beaut rudder mount backing plates".... I have now fixed the leaking ply hatches but I figure it wouldn't hurt to put some transom bungs in the lowest part of the tanks, just to keep a check on things.

[Ozzie]

Steve, amazing but it had never occurred to me before that the float tanks under the quarter berths extend up to under the cockpit lockers ...der ...of course they do ... I'm a dolt, the locker floor is flat and he bottom of the boat is not ...der..der..

Ok I'm now educated . But now you have pointed out they have drain holes ..... So technically they are not airtight. This is worrying as I have no idea if mine had the foam option. I've always considered that if the boat interior filled with water all would be sweet floatation wise but these drain holes could actually spoil that theory if the boat was being moved violently by waves could it not .

Make note to self ...lose sleep tonight worrying about Spritzig's floatation

[Yara50]

On Yara the aft bouyancy tanks are completely sealed. The forward tanks had sealed plywood access covers. I converted one to an opening hatch but made sure it seals watertight.
See http://www.investigator563.com/forum/vi ... 6&start=10

[Tenaciousgreen]

Thanks Steve, for raising this issue, as having just had the first real downpour of the winter, I have too got rain water in the bilges. I think mine is from a plywood sealed (not so sealed) access hatch on the rear bulkhead of the cockpit, but until I open it I won't be sure.

I don't see any access to my aft buoyancy tanks, so am hoping the access hatch is the culprit, as its already impacting on my bilge repairs (see other thread).

[Steve]

Here's a picture of the ply hatch/cover in the aft locker

It was probably cut into the tank so buoyancy could be added. All the tanks in the my 563 are stuffed full of empty PET bottles of different sorts. I would doubt if these tanks are even sealed at the bulk heads that divide them, I can see that the forward to mid bulkhead certainly isn't. The way I see it, if the hull was breached at the bow and water entered the forward tank, it could flood the whole tank, there is certainly enough vent holes.
Water flooding into the bilge via the cockpit would still be able to enter the tanks via the drain I found because of all the vents on the top of the tanks and also through a stowage locker in the cabin.
Because I have basically gutted the boats interior and have no plans for refurbishing it , I am seriously thinking of flooding the boat to see what happens and to see how its going to float, if It floats??. I could also pull it down fully canvassed, flood the mast and see how well it self rights, yep that's what I think I will do ,
Steve

[Yara50]

Steve
The bouyancy is not that important for an Investigator 563 because of its true self-righting ability. Larger yachts dont have bouyancy. However, for boats that have been built with sealed compartments it is an extra safety factor.

[Steve]

I know you are dead right Ian and you make a very very! valid point , I guess it is just some of the modifications that have been done to my 563 have caused me to lose confidence in what was a good design. I have lost faith in what is an old proven boat because I seem to keep finding something new (not in the original design).
So far my 563 has been most forgiving to me and has never provided me with any cause for alarm but stuff like buoyancy and self righting ability goes through my mind every time I go for a sail, I am too inexperienced to know when too much "is" too much for the boat and if things go totally haywire will my 563 save me? Hopefully,, I will always quit before the too much. But It would be nice to know that "my" boat will self right and that "my" boat will float if totally swamped, not that I ever want to be. Knowing exactly can drastically effect a decision made at sea or before going to sea.
Steve

[Yara50]

I believe that the bouyancy was built in as a sales aid rather than out of necessity. Some contemporary popular trailer sailers were not self righting and this was causing bad press for the whole concept.
Step 1 Read up on yacht stability. I recommend http://www.goodoldboat.com/reader_servi ... bility.php
Step 2. Recognise that the Investigator 563 has a high ballast ratio and a big lump of lead in its fixed keel, and only moderately relies on form stability.
Step 3. If you are worried about taking water, make sure you sail with the stormboards in place and locked in.

[Peter T]

Wow, what an incredibly interesting article. Thanks David for pointing me towards this. Just means a bit more messing around in boats I guess. All good stuff. This makes me wonder about the integrity of the fibreglass covering over the lead in the keel. Mine is different as at the moment, it has two places near the front of the centreboard case where water actually leaks into the inside of the keel through damage to the bottom of the keel as its been dripping out from there for several weeks. I am in the process of fixing that once I have the new trailer built. But, think about this, the fibreglass covering the lead in the keel is super thin. If it was possible for that glass to leak in any way, any water getting into the bilges from any of the above issues in this thread could find its way to the inside bottom of the keel and you would never know it was there. I hate to cause sleepless nights, but I wonder how many have this problem and not know? I only knew water was in there because it kept leaking back out with the boat on the trailer with its bow low on the jockey wheel.
Regards Peter T

[Andrew]

I suspected the foam floatation in the saddle tanks was an optional extra, added later (have 2 inspection ports, open them an its solid foam) ..but it should make the hull almost unsinkable if badly holed, (and holing from grounding is most likely in the bilges where the tanks are located, like a double bottom)..that's safe

Also the righting moment with the lead keel is like a keel boat's, (Ballast/displacement ratio 46 from sailboat data) much better than your average flat bottomed TS. I've not put the rail under yet, recently dried out on a sandbank and the waterline doesn't come close when re-floating, again very safe.

It would take a huge breaking wave, like at a river bar entrance to fill her up, the cockpit's forward end is a safe design allot of water in there before gets to cabin, and with 1 or 2 washboards in only better.

The only weak point would be the small cockpit drain pipes. These could be enlarged. And perhaps the rudders pintles strengthened..

Otherwise its like the cape cod cat boat's keel system of yesteryear, a very safe design.