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I am sailing a Mac25-1981 and after a sail in the Gulf of Mexico for about 4 or 5 hours in 2ft seas I find that I have taken on about 3 or 4 gallons of water in the bildge. Do any of you have a educated guess as to where this water is coming from...be it the keel hindge or the keel cable tube. Is this a normal condition or do I need to start searching out the source.

Do most of you have a bildge pump (electric) installed or carry a hand pump like I am.

The boat does not take on water at dock.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Mike

Check your keel pivot and locking bolts to be sure it isn't leaking there. If you sail without the keel ocking bolt installed, it can leak. It seems that some boats allow water at the tube where the keel wire goes through the hull. The only other through hull connection I have on my 25 is for the cockpit drain - no sink or other holes to leak.

Usual leaks are at keel bolt. Check to see if washers (one should be rubber) are worn. If not, tighten the bolt a turn and see if that fixes or eases the problem. The force of the chop against the keel will push water into the bolt hole if the seals (washers) are not tight. Not a major problem, but a nuisance. Water splashing in the cable hole can be fixed by stuffing the hole with a small sponge. But any water coming in should drain out the cockpit drains (if not, the drains are clogged and should be cleaned).

Thank you Bob & Lloyd for the suggestions. I will check out the keel bolt in the morning and find a sponge for the cable tube and see if that helps.

Lloyd Said: "But any water coming in should drain out the cockpit drains "

The 25 cockpit drain is much higher then the bildge and I don't see how the water could drain to it. Am I missing something here or were you refering to water in the cockpit only?

Sorry that wasn't clear. Yes, water in the cockpit, not the bilge, will drain out the cockpit drain.

Thank you Lloyd for the clarification. I checked the keel bolt today and find that the rubber washers are very brittle and my very well be the main source of my water source. I am going to take the boat out tomarrow and put some rags around the nuts to see if they show signs of wetness during actual sea conditions.

If you do remove the keel bolt to replace the washers, please remember to put some kind of brace under the keel

My Mac 25 had a bilge pump installed, it is under the access hole the galley slides over. It really would be better off under the head on the starboard side of the keel. Putting it there is more work, but eventually I will make the move. Since not much water is down there, the pump only gets to suck on a starboard heel. If the pump was under the head, it would be able to reach the water when the boat is level.

The pump drains into the cockpit, which is kind of wierd, but that is what the PO did, so it goes.

I also have a second drain hole, starboard of the cockpit drain. This is normally plugged. When I remember, I pull the plug out when I haul out. I suppose the plug keeps water out when heeling.