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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Fill 250WB on trailer

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SCnewbie
Navigator

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166 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/26/2008 : 12:45:03

Hey guys. The countdown is on until our first launching but I am worried about the WB tank leaking. The boat will stay on a mooring. I want to check it before it goes in the water if I can. Do you guys know how I can fill it on the trailer? I thought about running a hose down the vent line but was unsure if that could cause damage doing it that way??? Any help?

I couldn't find anything while searching.

S/V Cornbread
1995 C250WB #161
Charleston SC

Edited by - SCnewbie on 03/26/2008 12:45:18

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 03/26/2008 : 13:19:18

Waste of time doing this on the shore, put boat in water and if you are all that worried fill ballast tank fill in increments. Take plug out of vent and open ballast valve for a period of time and close it,
look around and add more water look again etc. JMTCW fill it and and let it rest on its mooring for a day or so. Water going into ballast tank makes a lot of noise also.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 03/26/2008 : 15:50:01

I don't own a WB, so take this with a grain of salt.

It doesn't seem like a very good idea to fill the tank while the boat's on the trailer. I'd suspect that neither the boat nor the trailer were reinforced to take that kind of load for very long (IE longer than the 10-15 minutes it takes to drain while on the ramp). I'd be worried about compression loads and stress cracking since the hull and tank are not being supported on both sides by water. I'd also be worried about deformation of the trailer supports.

I'm sure the WB guys will weigh in here, and I could be completely out to lunch.

Edited by - on

JohnMD
Navigator

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USA
207 Posts

Response Posted - 03/26/2008 : 17:41:25

I wouldn't bother testing it. I've had my boat for three years and just now put it in a slip. After a few days I went looking for leaks and, you guessed it, found one. All those years I never knew I had a leak. Only after being in the water for a few days did it show up. It's more like seeping than leaking. It's a hairline crack along the bottom edge of the area the fill valve bolt goes thru. It leaks such a small amount, a towel works just fine. If you can, leave the trailer out by the boat for a few days and keep an eye on it. I don't think filling the tank on the trailer would have shown my leak.

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 03/27/2008 : 01:17:55

I have a WB and had a big WB leak. Search Water Ballast Leak in the forums to see my picture and fix. You may fill your WB tank through the vent hose and leave it on the trailer without harming the boat. Stick your head down the bilge and you will see the WB tank. Look especialy between the WB tank and floor that is where we all had our leaks. It a good idea that the bow be higher up so if you have any leaks you will see water in the bilge. If you all is dry after 15 minutes, then purge your water and you're good to go. If you see any stress cracks in the WB tank from the bilge, then I suggest you apply a 4-6" of fiberglass strip (3-5 coats) to reinforce the area. Its also a good idea to install an automatic bilge pump on the bilge floor as insurance. I just installed a 500GPH for $55.

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barleyrooty
1st Mate

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64 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2008 : 16:49:02

I successfully added water to the ballast tank to find leaks while on land. I just put a hose to the tank vent in the forward anchor locker. Since my leak was from the bottom of the tank, I only had to fill it about an inch (to overcome the fact that the boat was tipped slightly forward) in order to find the leak. Steve's leak was in the same place as mine, the bottom edge of the back of the tank. You can also add a little food coloring to the tank to help you see the water coming out.

You won't find a leak in the top of the tank that way but if my understanding is correct, a leak in the top is far less critical, as it's above the waterline (i.e. can't sink you unless you're heeling over hard).

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JohnMD
Navigator

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USA
207 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2008 : 17:37:17

My tank leaks out the top just starboard of the tube the keel retract cable comes thru. It leaks out the top of the tank while it sits in a slip. Just a seep, but, still a leak.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2008 : 18:48:21

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">My tank leaks out the top just starboard of the tube the keel retract cable comes thru. It leaks out the top of the tank while it sits in a slip. Just a seep, but, still a leak.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Is it possible to reach in there and slap a piece of fiberglass cloth on the leak?

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JohnMD
Navigator

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USA
207 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2008 : 19:11:33

The boat went into the slip a month ago, so, I just found out. I'm sure I could put some glass over it or maybe even go in thru the bottom of the boat (drain valve) and fix it. I'm just not real inclined after finally getting a slip to put the boat back on the trailer. I'll fix it the next time I take it out of the water. A towel more than takes care of the 'seep'. By the way, that epoxy putty that supposedly works 'even under the water' doesn't work.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2008 : 21:08:53

John, do you replace the bung in the air vent pipe while the boat is in the water and is the valve closed hard?
I did an over the top mod to the hump for the valve handle.
If you blow the ballast slightly then reclose the valves and bung, does it still leak after a while?

Paul

Edited by - on

JohnMD
Navigator

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USA
207 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2008 : 21:22:36

There is a hairline crack in the fiberglass. You can see it. I don't and have never stopped up the vent for the tank. There is no reason to. After reading some of the problems out here, if that's the worse I get I'll be a happy camper.

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Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2008 : 13:45:59

For a crack the size I had (about 1/8" openning) I think it would be a good idea to use MarineTex instead of fiberglassing over it. However you would have to be pretty darn sure that you get it thick enough on the whole length (no weak spots). Now that I think of it, a thick fiberglass coat with much overlap (6" strip, 3" on both sides) is probably a safer route.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.