Leak while under sail

[Sail Scituate]

After a two hour sail yesterday, I discovered a good 4 gallons of water accumulated in my cockpit lockers. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the bulkhead had prevented any water from going into the bilge, but needless to say, I'm not comfortable seeing that amount of water inside the boat.

I replaced the thru hulls and gate valves before the season last year and did not see any leakage, so I'm assuming that's not the source. The toe rails need to be caulked, but my rail wasn't in the water all that much. I've seen people reference the rudder post as a potential issue. Wondering if anyone else has experienced a similar problem.

As always thank in advance for any ideas/suggestions.

[Steve Bryant]

Water shouldn't be standing in your lockers up to the bulkheads. You should have limber holes on both sides of your cockpit lockers at the lowest point in the locker. They should drain any water into the bilge so it can be pumped out. Sounds like they are clogged up. You can clear them with a coat hanger or small diameter dowel. Mine have clogged on more than one occasion.

Your leak will take some further investigating.

Good Luck,

[Sail Scituate]

Thanks,

I had no idea about the limber holes. Makes sense. I have a bilge pump waiting to be installed — previous owner didn't have one.

[Steve Bryant]

You also have limber holes in your interior lockers under the settees and under the v-berth. Might want to check those while you are at it to make sure they drain properly.

[NateHanson]

Possibly rain water that was there before you went sailing? There's been a LOT of rain around here in the last couple weeks.

[Mr. Bill]

If the water is in the cockpit locker and doesnt show up until you have sailing I would suspect the rudder post or the two cockpit seacock drains located aft of the rearmost bulkhead that separates that area from the cabin (ok let me take a breath afterntaht olympic sized run on sentence)

I think the post enters the hull after where the liner ends. If that was the source, you should see where the leak is running down toward the bulkhead

On the otherhand, I alwAys found making my two teenaged boys bail or run the bilge a true right of passage on the journey to being a sailor so thats always an option

[Gary M]

Is it salt water or fresh water?

[Sail Scituate]

The boat's in salt water. I'm starting to think that it is the rudder post. I replaced the thru hulls and seacocks before launching last season and didn't see any leaking all last year. There is no water at all when she's on the mooring, but a different story when under way. My sons are always eager to get their hands on the manual pump, but at 8 and 11 they're not always to be trusted to point the hose in the right direction.

[Zeida]

On my previous CD, a 1980 CD25, I had the unnerving experience of getting water up to the floor board. This happened when sailing, and heeling some. As soon as I turned back to the marina, the water stopped coming in... meaning, now we were healing to the "other" side! We bailed out on the way in, and no more water came in. Once at the slip, I started investigating. We found: the hose that goes from the manual bilge pump in the cockpit and ends up in the stern thru-hull, had become loose at the thru-hull end! So, when heeled to that side, water would come in. when heeled to the other side, no water. As soon as I was able to reach through and reclamp that hose properly, it never happened again. Maybe this helps.