Typhoon Weekender leaking

sonofasailor · Post by **sonofasailor** » Sep 9th, '14, 09:15

I have a newly restored 1977 Cape Dory Typhoon. It is taking on water. There are only 3 thru hull fittings. Two are the drain in the cockpit and then the rudder post. I have examined each fitting and cannot observe any water around any of the fittings. When the boat was launched yesterday after restoration the leak was at the rate of 2 gallons per hour. At the end of the day it slowed down to 1 gallon per hour. I have no idea where the water is entering and why it is now slowing down. Is there some kind of packing around the rudder post that may be swelling and reducing the water flow? This morning I checked it and there was only 1/2 gallon of water in the bilge. Very strange.

Appreciate any comments or suggestions

Gary M · Post by **Gary M** » Sep 9th, '14, 10:58

Wow, good luck with this one.

I don't know of a packing gland at the rudder post but I do know that in a following sea I sometimes got water up the post and into the cockpit. This was very unusual and I never did anything to correct it.

Some owners have installed a garboard drain plug low in the hull to drain water out of the bilge for winder storage. If you have been doing all the work on your boat you would have noticed this drain plug.

If it is possible that one is there, it would be the only idea I have for the leak.

It does not explain why the leak is slowing down unless the threads of the plug are just getting filled up with grit and so forth.

I'll keep watchiing and wondering what the solution will be.

Gary

sonofasailor · Post by **sonofasailor** » Sep 9th, '14, 12:39

Gary M wrote:Wow, good luck with this one.

I don't know of a packing gland at the rudder post but I do know that in a following sea I sometimes got water up the post and into the cockpit. This was very unusual and I never did anything to correct it.

Some owners have installed a garboard drain plug low in the hull to drain water out of the bilge for winder storage. If you have been doing all the work on your boat you would have noticed this drain plug.

If it is possible that one is there, it would be the only idea I have for the leak.

It does not explain why the leak is slowing down unless the threads of the plug are just getting filled up with grit and so forth.

I'll keep watchiing and wondering what the solution will be.

Gary

Thanks Gary for your thought. When the boat was restored the hull was completely gone over. There isn't any drain plugs. Just the two cockpit scuppers and the tube that houses the rudder shaft. This is a very strange issue. Today I checked the bilge only took on a cup of water. This is really a mystery.

Dan

tjr818 · Post by **tjr818** » Sep 9th, '14, 12:58

There may not be a leak at the through hull fittings, but how about in one of the hoses? You could sprinkle a circle of corn starch or unsweetened Kool-Aid around each through hull to check for any leakage while you are away from the boat.

Keith · Post by **Keith** » Sep 9th, '14, 18:12

Just a thought, do you have a fresh water tank that may be leaking. If so the leak would most likely slow down as the head pressure went down with the water level in the tank.

Food for thought!

Keith

ariasis · Post by **ariasis** » Sep 9th, '14, 18:41

Did you check the scuppers? Mine have a pressure plate inside them and an adjustment knob on the back of hem that needs to be tightened to put pressure on the valve body.

Paul D. · Post by **Paul D.** » Sep 9th, '14, 19:29

Last thing to consider - Rain. It get in through the cockpit lockers on our 33! Our old Typhoon used to get water below too.

Now 2 gallons an hour is a fair bit for rain but it is just good to rule it out!

Neil Gordon · Post by **Neil Gordon** » Sep 9th, '14, 20:41

Is it filling up with fresh water or salty?

sonofasailor · Post by **sonofasailor** » Sep 9th, '14, 21:27

tjr818 wrote:There may not be a leak at the through hull fittings, but how about in one of the hoses? You could sprinkle a circle of corn starch or unsweetened Kool-Aid around each through hull to check for any leakage while you are away from the boat.

Ok thank you for that suggestion I will try that. It appears that the leak has slowed down to almost no leak at all. In five days it has gone from 2 gallons per hour to almost no leak at all. In those five days we did not have any rain to increase the thought that I have a leak above deck. I do not have any water storage tanks on board to have created this unknown issue.

sonofasailor · Post by **sonofasailor** » Sep 9th, '14, 21:29

Keith wrote:Just a thought, do you have a fresh water tank that may be leaking. If so the leak would most likely slow down as the head pressure went down with the water level in the tank.

Food for thought!

Keith

Thank you for your thought. But we don't have any fresh water tank on board. Continues to be a very strange issue.

sonofasailor · Post by **sonofasailor** » Sep 9th, '14, 21:31

Neil Gordon wrote:Is it filling up with fresh water or salty?

It has only lived on fresh water.

Jeff and Sarah · Post by **Jeff and Sarah** » Sep 10th, '14, 08:19

Are the seacock backing plates made out of wood? If so it is possible that the seacocks were not quite snug when the boat has launched and now the leak has allowed the blocks to swell enough to tighten the fit. If this is the case, you'd probably be best to haul and tighten them up so the backing plates don't begin to rot over time.

Or, I could be totally wrong. Boats are fun.

sonofasailor · Post by **sonofasailor** » Sep 12th, '14, 23:42

Jeff and Sarah wrote:Are the seacock backing plates made out of wood? If so it is possible that the seacocks were not quite snug when the boat has launched and now the leak has allowed the blocks to swell enough to tighten the fit. If this is the case, you'd probably be best to haul and tighten them up so the backing plates don't begin to rot over time.

Or, I could be totally wrong. Boats are fun.

Jeff and Sarah.....thank you for your thought about the seacock backing plates. I will check in the morning, but I have not noticed any wood backing plates. The boat has been dry around the seacocks and they do close.

It is amazing no water is coming in now. There has to be some sort of swelling going on around the rudder post. When i pull the boat out later this fall I will let it dry out and fill the bilge with water to see if any comes out from inside.

Does anyone disagree with this approach? Otherwise I have no idea where the leak is coming from.

Just returned from the International Boat Show in Newport RI. Spent 20 hours at the show. It was amazing. Stopped by the Mack Sail booth. Travis and Colin were there. Great guys. Has any one tried their sails called Mack Sails? I will start a new thread on the Newport Boat show.

Oswego John · Post by **Oswego John** » Sep 13th, '14, 14:07

"When i pull the boat out later this fall I will let it dry out and fill the bilge with water to see if any comes out from inside."

I would like to offer a suggestion in regard to finding a leak near the rudder post. As we all know, water is VERY heavy.

Filling the entire bilge with water until the rudder post entry is covered will add tremendous weight and strain to the hull, trailer or stands that are supporting the water filled bilge.

I think that it might be better, all around, to raise the bow as high as practical to concentrate the minimum amount of added bilge water toward the stern. If the hull is on a trailer, this might be accomplished by raising the tongue jack as high as is practical.

Not that it is necessary, but some owners add food coloring to the bilge water to facilitate spotting where a leak is. Needless to say, don't use the same color dye as that of the bottom paint. lol

Good luck,
O J

sonofasailor · Post by **sonofasailor** » Sep 13th, '14, 18:36

Oswego John wrote:"When i pull the boat out later this fall I will let it dry out and fill the bilge with water to see if any comes out from inside."

I would like to offer a suggestion in regard to finding a leak near the rudder post. As we all know, water is VERY heavy.

Filling the entire bilge with water until the rudder post entry is covered will add tremendous weight and strain to the hull, trailer or stands that are supporting the water filled bilge.

I think that it might be better, all around, to raise the bow as high as practical to concentrate the minimum amount of added bilge water toward the stern. If the hull is on a trailer, this might be accomplished by raising the tongue jack as high as is practical.

Not that it is necessary, but some owners add food coloring to the bilge water to facilitate spotting where a leak is. Needless to say, don't use the same color dye as that of the bottom paint. lol

Good luck,

Thank you for your concern. When one of my friends suggested this idea I dismissed it because of the same reasons that you have. I have a new trailer that is made for the Typhoon plus has supports on all four points of contact with the ground. It should be able to handle the 10 - 15 gallons that I might decide to put into the hull late this FALL.

Another question. What size is your jib and what do you like or don't like about it.

Thanks and fair winds to you.

Dan
O J

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