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Ever get that "sinking" feeling...

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shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/21/2014 : 07:01:39

So I got down to the boat, slid open the hatch, and slosh slosh water in a puddle on the floor...

UGH!

wait..

almost nothing in the false bilge... what? Yep. Water came in from above! WHEW!

Either A) the hatch slid back a bit (not sure but is possible)... or B) the windows (shocker) are leaking even with the cabin cover.

Oh well... but for a couple seconds that feeling was like OH NO!

C&C 32 Smith Mountain Lake Virginia

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2014 : 08:07:15

On my previous boat, a San Juan 21, I got a call from the marina manager telling me that my boat was sitting at a funny angle in it's slip. There had been pouring rain for several days prior and he was concerned it'd taken on water. Got down to the boat about the same time he got there with his work barge (mine hadn't been the only boat with extra water problems, he'd been busy all day breaking into boats to keep them from going down). Down at the stern would have been putting it lightly.

The cockpit drains were woefully small, and had clogged up with algae & detritus from tree droppings (the marina was in a tree filled park area). Then the cockpit had filled up until it got over the seals to the lazarette, filled that, and continued to fill until it got to the level of the cabin, then it started filling the cabin. I started pumping out the lazarette with a hand pump while he rigged an electric pump to pump down the cockpit (we hadn't even set foot on the boat yet, we were worried it might just go under). We got both of them sufficiently pumped out and the boat somewhat more on it's lines (and safer to board), then rigged the electric pump down into the cabin. We'd managed to suck up a scrubby sponge into the 2" intake from the lazarette, so we had to take apart the positive displacement pump to remove the sponge, but whoever designed the pump had planned for things like that and it was easily done.

Fortunately since the boat had tipped to the stern, virtually nothing inside the cabin was wet because I kept it all forward or up on settees.

I had a lot of drying out to do, but no real damage to the boat or the interior. I found a guitar bass string to use to clean out the drains on a regular basis, and when I sold the boat I told the guy who bought it that the best upgrade he could do would be to glass in some larger drains. If I remember correctly they were only about 3/8" in diameter, I know I couldn't get my pinky finger down into them.

Fortunately my C-250 would never experience a similar problem since it has the open stern, water just runs off the back.

Then there was the day I forgot to put the drain plugs into the sponsons of my catamaran...

Edited by - delliottg on 05/21/2014 08:07:56

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2014 : 03:46:43

Well, we've had 2 more days of pouring rain, and NO new water in the boat... I think THIS bonehead must have accidentally slid the hatch back a bit (under my cabin cover).. there is enough play in the hatch lock to allow it... cause it was dry the last 2 times and I've gone out of my way to make sure the hatch wasn't slid forward.

I dragged the mini generator (1000 watt yamaha) and my wet/dry vac... cause it's "easy." I made sure to get all the water I could.

I think I need to drill an access port in the hull liner. I should probably also move the manual bilge pump to there, and add an electric one with a switch. But the boat has been so dry traditionally there was no real reason. Yeah I know you never know.

Edited by - shnool on 05/27/2014 03:47:58

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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.