Adding a 26X bilge drain?

[bobbob]

Every spring the amount of water accumulating in my bilge from rain and snow melt gets higher and higher, this year it overflowed into the rear berth area and I am even getting some accumulation after a single good rain. Since the leaking water seems to flow between the hull and interior liner, it is extremely difficult to debug.

I’m considering just drilling a bilge drain hole, either at the transom or into the water ballast. Would this be an incredibly stupid idea? Has anyone done something similar?

Thanks!

[kurz]

why don't you seal your boat?

Where is the water entering your boat?

This questions will need and answer sooner or later...

[opie]

I agree, find leaks.
Mine were the chainplates, plugs in transom, and mostly an unseen crushed seam on side of boat. The seam that has 132 little s.s. bolts in it. The crushed portion was under the rub rail, so it was missed.
I removed rubrail and repaired the fiberglas.
And, almost forgot, I had leak in one underseat gas tank storage locker (there is a seam in there along the front part that you can't easily see) and that took fiber glass as well to repair.
My 26x is dry.

[Jimmyt]

How is the boat stored for winter? Covered/uncovered? Are you letting snow accumulate on top of the hatches and in the motor well?

I would look for leaks, use a cover, install a bilge pump and battery maintainer before drilling a bilge drain. I would not, under any circumstance, drill a drain into the ballast. If you install a bilge drain, figure out a process or procedure that forces you to check it before launching (put the ignition key on a lanyard clipped to the bilge drain plug, etc).

If you are letting snow accumulate directly on the hatches/deck and motorwell normal freeze/thaw cycles could force water in past the hatches and penetrations.

[Dougiestyle]

Some area that could be leaking.

Check your drain hose under the motor well, behind the rear berth. Mine was not connected when I bought the boat.
The PO had the whole boat heat shrink wrapped due to leaking.

Make sure your chain plates are sealed on the exterior.

I found the boat had been leaking at the sliding hatch and companionway bolts. After I repaired this I left the plastic caps off until I could verify no leaks.

Maybe the anchor locker drain hose could be leaking.

[bobbob]

Thanks all. I have in the past attempted to diagnose the leak by spraying water on the boat for about half an hour while looking for any evidence. My next step is to head down to the boat during a heavy rain storm (with our chance of lightning) and sit inside.

I tarp the boat in the winter paying close attention to the cockpit. That being said I have not stepped the mast the past couple of seasons so it’s two tarps. I use the boom as the tarp peak over the cockpit. It’a very possible the chainplates are exposed.

More importantly though, now that I am getting rain in there during the boating season it’s a bigger problem that can’t just be solved with better winter storage.

I’ve never thought about the anchor locker, but I don’t seem to ever see any evidence of water in the v berth storage cavities, so I don’t think that could be the issue? I never see any evidence in the cabin either.

[Tomfoolery]

Check your drain hose under the motor well, behind the rear berth. Mine was not connected when I bought the boat.

Engine well drain hose.

[Jimmyt]

Remove the cushions and hatch covers. Sprinkle baby powder around the hull, or some other powder of your choosing, so that you have a more visible way to see the water track.

After you check the motor well drain/hose for leaks, of course.

[Tomfoolery]

Here are some pics of the chainplate covers. Water was coming in through them, which is not surprising since the load on them cycles widely and wildly when sailing, from near zero load on the lee side in strong winds to however many thousands of pounds it takes to heel the boat onto its side. Those chainplates visibly move side-to-side as load is increased and decreased, so over time the sealant can open enough to allow water in.

I used butyl tape to reseal the covers. The rivets have to be drilled out, but that's easy. New pop rivets to put it back in place. No more leaks, and good butyl tape lasts practically forever.

I did both shroud chainplates, plus the forestay chainplate. Only the covers have to be resealed; no need to actually remove the chainplates from the hull. I don't have any pics of the finished work, but the 'after' looks just like the 'before', only they no longer leak.

[bobbob]

Quick update with a bit of egg on my face. I had looked at the motor well drain a couple years back so I immediately discounted it. I resealed the chainplates, inspected the rub rails, and the anchor locker drain (my has the removable access hatch from underneath, lots of evidence of mice in there!). Nothing made a difference.

Then I looked last night and noticed the motor well drain hose had come disconnected

Fixed that up and hopefully that’s my only issue!

Cheers

[Jimmyt]

At least you found it. And, you did some preventive maintenance/inspection in the process. Sounds like a win to me.