Typhoon bilge and drain plug

[Rick Gedney]

My 81 Ty WE takes on some water in the bilge. As part of a complete restoration I had the boat (hull and deck) completed striped, fared and painted by a very professional company who has worked on many Tys . It's tight. Hull fittings for cockpit drain are dry. I think it is mostly rain water - I tasted a small amount mid season and it was brackish. I end up pumping 1 - 3 gallons sometimes. This year was especially rainy. Appreciate any thoughts and experience and where should I look for the possible sources?

Also - My 76 Ty had a drain plug in the keel to drain bilge water at the end of the season. This 81 has no plug. Only hull penetrations are the cockpit drains. Is this correct? Did Cape Dory change this somewhere between 76 and 81?
I never owned a boat that did not have a drain plug.

Rick Gedney
"Frolic" 81 Ty WE
Rockland, ME

[sloopjohnl]

Hi Rick,
My '76 TyWeekender took on water in the bilge for years and being on a freshwater lake I assumed it was rain water but could never stop it. Finally after its 40th birthday after launching in the spring i had a bilge full of water that was dirtier than rainwater. i pumped it out and then did a serious search only to find the thruhull for the cockpit drains was leaking slowly. whatever adhesive sealant was used on the thruhull had finally given up. i removed both thruhulls and gate valves (Had to cut them with a Sawzall and separate with a spud wrench from Home Depot) and replaced them with new thruhulls and ball valves secured with Sikaflex 291 adhesive sealant on the thruhull. NO More Leak!

[Dick Villamil]

My '76 Ty had no drain plug but there were freeze cracks in the fiberglass - especially around the rudder shoe. Once this area was cleaned and re-glassed there was no more water and the bilge pump has never had to work. Another possible area is the tube where the rudder pose is located as well as the caulking around the block in the cockpit. I had to remove the teak block and re-caulk - no more water issues thereafter. If you keep an outboard on the stern this may cause the water to enter via the rudder post since it changes the balance (fore and aft) of the boat.

[Rick Gedney]

Thanks -

OK - so I can assume that the 81 Ty had no drain plug?

Any idea on how to check the rudder post as a source? I check the Rea out with the yard when they stripped, fared and re-painted and it looked sound.
I do keep an outboard on the boat.

[Carl Thunberg]

The garboard drain was installed by a previous owner. I'm not aware that Cape Dory installed any garboard drains. My boat actually has two of them. They're fantastic for pressure washing your bilge on the hard.

[wikakaru]

Any idea on how to check the rudder post as a source? I check the Rea out with the yard when they stripped, fared and re-painted and it looked sound.
I do keep an outboard on the boat.

The rudder post itself isn't likely to be leaking, but the area where the rudder post goes through the deck may be. Here's what that spot on my 1980 Typhoon looks like with the teak pad removed:

IMG_0936.JPG

Removing the teak pad and re-bedding it is a good idea. A better idea is removing the teak pad and replacing it with a block of G10 glassed in place so it can't leak.

Smooth sailing,

Jim