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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Water in Cabin

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Cool Breeze
Deckhand

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Canada
8 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/25/2008 : 13:41:46

We purchased our 2003 Catalina 250 last fall so we are just getting familiar with her. The last couple of times we sailed, we noticed water in the cabin. It appears that the water is coming up from the area behind the stairs that operates the centre board. The first time it happened we thought we didn't have the centre board all the way down, but then it happened again. Any idea what is causing the water to come in?

Cool Breeze
2003 C250WB #694

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2008 : 14:20:19

Karen,
Here's [url="http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17432&SearchTerms=sponge,tube"]a thread that touches on the subject[/url]. Scroll down to the first post by Paul (Britinusa) for his solution. I'm sure the WB guys will weigh in with more ideas.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

Edited by - delliottg on 08/25/2008 14:21:41

JohnMD
Navigator

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USA
207 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2008 : 16:07:53

When I first got my boat (95 wb) I noticed that when you backed the boat and trailer into the water, some would splash up the radiator hose that the keel retract line goes thru. My solution was to push a sponge into the open end of the hose. The line still goes up and down and the water doesn't.

I also found a hairline crack under the stairs next to the fill valve control. If you have a problem under there, water will end up in the bilge, setees, or under the kitchen sink. Others have found cracks around the edge of the ballast tank. The water from these leaks will end up in the same place.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2008 : 07:56:55

Hi Karen, a warm welcome to the forum from Florida.

Are you keeping the boat in the water or do you keep it on a trailer? I ask because if you keep it in the water, then that almost eliminates the water up the tube issue.

When in the water, with the ballast full, are you getting any seepage from the top of the ballast valve hump that is under the lower stair? It's easy to detect. Dry the area thoroughly than put some paper towel around the top of the hump. A tiny trickle can be the cause of a lot of water in the bilge.

Assuming you are drying out the bilge (via the access hole at the front of the Aft berth) how much water is accumulating in how much time?

Are you on a fresh water lake or in salt water. I ask because if it's salt water, then is the water in the bilge salty? You could have a fresh water leak from any joints/connections in the fresh water system. Do you keep the fresh water tank empty?

Is there any chance it is rainwater? Rain can come in from the cabin pop top cover, especially if it is uncovered (Do you have a Canvas cover to go over the companionway board and the sliding roof?)

Hope that helps.

Paul.

Edited by - on

Ray Seitz
Captain

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USA
416 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2008 : 08:30:40

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">are you getting any seepage from the top of the ballast valve hump that is under the lower stair? <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

We have a small hole on the aft top corner of the "hump" which always trickles water in while filling the ballast tanks. I have found the tube lets water in as well.

Our bilge is always completely dry after the initial launch water has dried up. If you still have water after a few weeks on the water it can be coming in from all of the places Paul mentioned plus the head port light (leaves telltale signs on the deck of the head), and possibly cracks in the waterballast tanks. If the waterballast tank filler cap is not seated properly on the bottom of the boat the small hole I mentioned earlier leaks small amounts of water all the time. Before we launch I check the gasket on the filler cap to make sure it is properly seated sometimes adding a little vaseline to keep it in place.

Edited by - Ray Seitz on 08/26/2008 08:32:28

zebra50
Captain

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USA
408 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2008 : 11:01:36

There should be a thread about this issue for water ballast boats. I had a similar problem and found that the leak came from where the ballast tank filler bolt is mounted under the lower step. The hole had been offset to the side and did not allow the flat washer to seal. The fix was to attach a flat washer with 5200 to the top of the "hump" and then remount the bolt and washers. Worked fine.

Edited by - on

Cool Breeze
Deckhand

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Canada
8 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2008 : 20:19:30

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by delliottg
 Karen,
Here's [url="http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17432&SearchTerms=sponge,tube"]a thread that touches on the subject[/url]. Scroll down to the first post by Paul (Britinusa) for his solution. I'm sure the WB guys will weigh in with more ideas.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Edited by - on

Cool Breeze
Deckhand

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Canada
8 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2008 : 20:36:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JohnMD
 When I first got my boat (95 wb) I noticed that when you backed the boat and trailer into the water, some would splash up the radiator hose that the keel retract line goes thru. My solution was to push a sponge into the open end of the hose. The line still goes up and down and the water doesn't.

I also found a hairline crack under the stairs next to the fill valve control. If you have a problem under there, water will end up in the bilge, setees, or under the kitchen sink. Others have found cracks around the edge of the ballast tank. The water from these leaks will end up in the same place.

JOHN,
Thanks for sharing your experience. We used an old sock instead of a sponge !!, but worked well enough in a pinch. It surprised us that water gushed in rapidly on one particular sail and did not seem to be a problem at other times. We thought water was being forced up because of rougher conditions and / or the centerboard was not fully in the down position.

This reminds me of a different issue we are concerned about which we will start a new thread ... we don't think that the centerboard drops fully into position.

Back to the water issue, the sponge is a great idea. As far as the hairline beside fill valve; yes we have that too and we pump the bilge of approx a half gallon every two weeks. Doesn't seem like a big issue. Thanks again for your response; And thanks to all others who responded and offered solutions ... good info.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2008 : 21:35:28

Make sure to always open the WB intake valve before every sail. If you are leaking from your WB tank you might be sailing with enough balance to be secure. The WB tank has been design to sail when full, if not the water will slush from left to right creating a contrary effect (pulling you to the wrong side).

[url="http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16006&SearchTerms=WB+tank"]How the WB ballast works[/url]

[url="http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15892&SearchTerms=WB,tank,leak"]WB leaks[/url]

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 09/04/2008 21:38:27

Cool Breeze
Deckhand

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Canada
8 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2008 : 10:16:47

Thanks again for the responses. To answer a few questions; Cool Breeze is a 2003 year model. Yes, we are getting a bit of water in the bilge from a periodic trickle of fresh water (we are in a slip in fresh water lake marina) and pump it out once in a while. We think it comes from the WB intake "hump", but after your responses we might be looking around the hull a little more for other sources of leaks. We did have an issue with rainwater as the companionway door does not quite overlap and seal thoroughly when cabin top door pulled shut. The canvas cover is necessary and solves this problem.
I see quite a history of discussion on this valuable site and will be doing some reading so I don't repeat too many questions.
Cool Breeze (Wayne & Karen)

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2008 : 20:01:06

Wayne,

Early this season I found water in the bilge and said to myself "here we go again" but later found that the source was rain. I found out by luck since it rained real hard at some point where we quickly went in the cabin and closed everything. To my suprise I was seeing some water come in.

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
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.