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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

leaks around keel bolts

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captck
1st Mate

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USA
34 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/18/2005 : 18:21:39

I have a wing keel from the factory 1988 vintage.
It appears a bit of water is seaping from around one of the Keel bolts. I inspected the bottom of the boat I have no cracks I can see. anybody experienced this situation. Can I just loosen bolt and put calk around it an tighten again to stop the leak?

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Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 05/18/2005 : 19:49:32

Are you sure it's not coming from somewhere else, maybe the lower gudgeon? The reason I ask is that my wing keel can sit for 2 weeks without any water showing up in the bilge but when I go sailing there is often a small amount of water in the forward part of the bilge. It LOOKS like it's coming from a forward keel bolt but when I dry things up and let the boat sit for a couple weeks, the bolt doesn't leak. I haven't pinpointed yet that it's coming from the gudgeon but it would seem to me that if it's coming from a keel bolt, it would leak at least a little while sitting in the slip.

You might want to try the "chalk" test, i.e., draw some chalk lines in the lower parts of the bilge and see where water disturbs the chalk to see where it's coming from.

Just my .02 cents worth.

Steve

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oldsalt
Admiral

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USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 05/18/2005 : 20:23:05

I wouldn't loosen keel bolts to try to eliminate a leak and I don't think caulking around a bolt would solve the problem due to stresses placed on it under sail as well as those caused by adequately tightening the bolt.

As Steve said, leaks that appear to be coming from keel bolts are often water that comes from somewhere else and settle around the lowest parts of the bilge. The wet traces evaporate and all that's left is the puddle in the bilge near a bolt.

The chalk test is the best way to determine where the water is actually coming from. If a chalk ring drawn around the bilge isn't disturbed then the water is entering trough the keel bolts, or a leaky through hull, hose clamp, improperly beded sea cock, freshwater tank, or tank overflow, knotmeter, depth sounder.......

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captck
1st Mate

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USA
34 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2005 : 06:25:33

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by captck
 I have a wing keel from the factory 1988 vintage.
It appears a bit of water is seaping from around one of the Keel bolts. I inspected the bottom of the boat I have no cracks I can see. anybody experienced this situation. Can I just loosen bolt and put calk around it an tighten again to stop the leak?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Found that leak did come from other location. Ye olde anchor locker drain fix came loose and sent water into sump. Guess I will have to reseal the drain tube or execute the pvc water supply trick if I can remember how.
Chalk line was a good idea!
C

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2005 : 09:54:53

quote:<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by captck:

...anchor locker drain fix came loose and sent water into sump. Guess I will have to reseal the drain tube or execute the pvc water supply trick if I can remember how.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I replaced the factory soda straw sized anchor locker drain with 1/2" SCH40PVC. At the old drain location, I ran a drill bit through both the locker and stem (maybe 3/4"?). I cut the PVC a little long, sanded the outside of it for good adhesion, and inserted it with maybe 1/2" to 3/4" sticking out at each end. I bedded the locker end with polyurithane adhesive (3M 5200 or similar). Once that had hardened, I bonded the forward end of the PVC to the stem of the bow with epoxy. I used WEST with thickeners, but Marine-Tex would work just as well. After that cured, I finished it into a fillet with a round file and sandpaper. I cut the PVC tube in the locker close to the fillet of adhesive with a Dremel or other grinder. I cut the PVC tube sticking out of the bow maybe 1/4" to 3/8" out from the stem to leave a sort of pouring spout, which seems to reduce the stain line running down the stem from crud dissolving in the anchor locker. Finally, I coated the exterior of the repair with matching gelcoat. I've been very satified with the results.

-- Leon Sisson

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2005 : 10:26:57

Leon has a very good upgrade, but let me add it you are doing all that and have the older boat with the nav lights in the anchor locker, get them out of there! After punching the bow through a big wave and totally shorting out all the lights, I've finally upgraded to a rail mount bow light with new wiring run all the way to the switch panel.

If I put the rail mounted light under it will have to be a wave to remember.

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ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2005 : 15:33:49

What Leon said (I did also) probably not as well. As to running lights, I marinetexed in a sort of fiberglass scrap dam behind each light as a temporary measure until moving the lights up to the bowrail (on the LIST). To completely drain my anchor locker, I have to put my (Colossal) weight on the bowrail and hold it down. Evry now-and-then I open the locker and air everything out to dry. The anchor is in a tube on the bowrail for deployment. Fair winds, ron srsk Orion SW FL

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2005 : 19:31:28

I went with a 1" drain.
[url="http://homepage.mac.com/fhopper/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2004-07-18%2011.15.01%20-0700/Image-D7C38CC2D8E511D8.jpg"]new drain[/url]

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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.