Ballast tank leak or hull breach - MYSTERY SOLVED!!!!!!

[Captain Wm Hook]

I had a leak and discovered it was the old, cracked calking around the depthfinder transducer and the water speed wheel.

[Frank C]

I noticed Im collecting water in my bilge at a rate too fast for rain leaks or seepage from water tanks...

It seems like most likely candidate is a ballast leak since Ive inspected the hull from outside and cant see any damage issues...

I believe it is on starboard side.

ON edit (SEP 02, 2007) - summarising thread - after testing ballast and hull found no breach...leak is most likely overlow from ballast valve with loose plug

Stephen, while quoting your OP above, I note that your latest EDIT was just this past wkend, and faulting the ballast vent plug.

Your compression post photo implies that you were shipping water right there. If motoring speed generates water pressure into the CB trunk, I'd think your starboard bilge could take "gallons" pretty quickly, yet your conclusion is otherwise??

[Catigale]

That edit was from some time back in 2006 season IIRC....I think I edited the OP after testing the ballast tank in the driveway

[Frank C]

AHhhh-Sooo!

Your latest edit (Sept 02) was solely to change the Title.

[Catigale]

Ive got the 'standard' set of zincs on my boat - one in the lower unit and a big one under the tilt motor - none have much corrosion on them since the boat has probably been in salt water a total of three weeks in its life.

That 'sponge look' of the compression pulse is classic electrolysis for certain..my guess is one of my neighbors in New Baltimore Marina had a current leak and my compression post was playing anode for it.

[SkiDeep2001]

Not to sound like the rookie I am but what and where is the compression post

[SkiDeep2001]

Never mind above post. From looking at the photos, compression post is the stanchion/post in the center of the cabin If that's wrong, let me know.

[SkiDeep2001]

While on the electrical corrosion possibility I did notice on my battery terminals and switch Off/1/2/Both the 10/12Gauge cables and connectors look new but are covered with green Is this a problem I can clean with wire brush and baking soda but want to know if this is a common occurrence I don't get this on my Bayliner wiring. Should I spray with sealer after cleaning or is something else going on

[Kelly Hanson East]

wire brush and then a light film of oil/grease will stop this from happening. It isnt serious if the corrosion is surface-only.

[Divecoz]

While on the electrical corrosion possibility I did notice on my battery terminals and switch Off/1/2/Both the 10/12Gauge cables and connectors look new but are covered with green Is this a problem I can clean with wire brush and baking soda but want to know if this is a common occurrence I don't get this on my Bayliner wiring. Should I spray with sealer after cleaning or is something else going on

GOT AN ACE H.W. near by ? Get some Corrosion X if Raymarine says its good its good........ end of story as to why your Bayliner doesnt have electrical corrosion problems and your sailboat does ?? Your Evidently missing an important part of the equation somewhere......

[Hamin' X]

Is the Perko switch located in the same compartment as the batteries? If so, I would check for overcharging of the batteries, as this is usually caused by outgassing from the batteries. It can be caused by a faulty regulator, or faulty battery/batteries. If one of the batteries is not accepting a full charge and the switch is in the both position, the system will overcharge the good battery. If one of the batteries has a bad cell and the switch is on that battery, it will overcharge that battery. Just cleaning and protecting the connections is treating the symptom and may be masking a more serious problem.

~Rich

[SkiDeep2001]

Divecoz, I just bought the 2 months ago and it is in good shape but don't know about terminal corrosion? It is green coating on connections to perko? switch. Batteries are in separate compartments Port/Aft & Fore/Strbd. Don't know history on batts. Both seem to work OK. My Bayliner just has one battery for 4cyl.I/O and has never had corrosion problems. Wet cell batts in and I have Optima gels in all my other vehicles. Did some reading on subject and is true? don't need a starting bat? just 2 deep cycles? thanks for any info - it looks like there are a lot of options.Have Nissan50 on What is best setup? if $ not a problem? I hate being dead electrically Thanks HaminX? The boat sat for a while so not sure about charging history.

[Hamin' X]

The Optima batteries in your Bayliner are AGM type and do not present an outgassing problem, normally. If you are going to replace the batteries in your anyway (I would), AGM deep cycles are the way to go IMHO. Not the cheapest, but the best performance and safety. You will not need a dedicated starting battery with the AGM type of deep cycle. The wet cell type Marine/Starting battery are a compromise and not true deep cycle. The subject of battery types has been beat to death here and opinions vary. Do some research on the net and come to your own conclusion.

~Rich

[saltybrain]

stephen,do you have shore power? that corrosion looks to be of an electrical nature to me

My thinking exactly - the boat was slipped with shore power for two seasons since 2002 only though.

Also, the centerboard post and plate dont make contact with water so I dont see how there would have been an electrical connection.

My best guess is a bad weld from post to plate.

in my previous occupation as a rig diver,i had to do a lot of underwater inspection,looking at the plate strongly suggests to me that through electrolitic action the steel has been erroded.

ive seen hundreds of anodes that look very similar to your compression post,has your outboard got an anode on it?if not fit one or if the one that it has is looking a bit thin change it

the way metals work against each other in a saltwater enviroment is that the more noble metal will sacrifise itself to protect the other metals from corrosion,it may be that the metal from the weld was different from the metal of the post and theres the cause

example, a steel hull will corrode to protect the brass propellor

i cant remember the galvanic series off the top of my head but it only takes two metals of a different composite to cause electrolitic action in salt water,its caused by the flow of ions between both metals

i once found a diving knife that had been submerged agacent to an oil platform,it had been in the water for 2 years and was in pristine condition,the anodes on the rig had protected it.

Looking at your compression post has led me to consider fitting a small anode in that area

that sounds like a great idea : could you recommend what metal the anode should be ?

Alex.

[mastreb]

Most anodes are zinc. It's more "noble" than most metals.