The fiberglas engine bed on my CD-30 sail are about 8 inches high at the forward end and run aft to just past the transmission. Between the forward ends of these bed rails is a crosspiece of fiberglas about 1 1/2 inches thich and 4 inches high. The problem is: Water from the stuffing box slowly collects in the area directly under the engine. The question is: Can I drill a hole (3/4 inch) through the center bottom of this web to allow any water coming from aft to directly drain to the bilge? Will this weaken the engine bed(I don't think so)? Also, what is inside the fiberglas crosspiece web? Is it hollow, or is it a wooden beam?
Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. If you have drilled the crosspiece to alleviate the problem, I would appreciate comments on your experience. Oh, the shaft log is not leaking, and the drip from the stuffing box seems appropriate. It takes about 1 week at the dock for the area under the engine to fill. Thanks for your help!!
CD-30, Fiberglas Engine bed
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Steve Alarcon
Re: CD-30, Fiberglas Engine bed
Dave,Dave Stump, Hanalei wrote: The fiberglas engine bed on my CD-30 sail are about 8 inches high at the forward end and run aft to just past the transmission. Between the forward ends of these bed rails is a crosspiece of fiberglas about 1 1/2 inches thich and 4 inches high. The problem is: Water from the stuffing box slowly collects in the area directly under the engine. The question is: Can I drill a hole (3/4 inch) through the center bottom of this web to allow any water coming from aft to directly drain to the bilge? Will this weaken the engine bed(I don't think so)? Also, what is inside the fiberglas crosspiece web? Is it hollow, or is it a wooden beam?
Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. If you have drilled the crosspiece to alleviate the problem, I would appreciate comments on your experience. Oh, the shaft log is not leaking, and the drip from the stuffing box seems appropriate. It takes about 1 week at the dock for the area under the engine to fill. Thanks for your help!!
As far as I can tell from my CD30, you could drill the hole as described to allow the drip pan to drain. However, you may wish to reconsider. The drip pan prevents oil from draining into your bilge and subsequently being pumped over the side. I usually just wipe mine out with a sponge when the water accumulates, keeps it nice and tidy, too.
By the way, if it seems that you are getting too much water in the drip pan, take a peek with a flashlight while the engine is running. You may have a cooling leak.
Steve Alarcon
CD30 Temerity
Seattle
alarcon@internetmci.com
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D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: CD-30, Fiberglas Engine bed
Steve,
Thanks for your comment. I'll look for the cooling leak, but don't think I've got one. To catch any oil in the drip pan I planned to put one of the oil absorbent pads in the pan. I think that's a better way of telling if you've in fact got an oil leak and how much it's leaking. At $5,000.00 per "oil shean on the ocean" leak, I also don't want to discharge any oil overboard.
Thanks for your comment. I'll look for the cooling leak, but don't think I've got one. To catch any oil in the drip pan I planned to put one of the oil absorbent pads in the pan. I think that's a better way of telling if you've in fact got an oil leak and how much it's leaking. At $5,000.00 per "oil shean on the ocean" leak, I also don't want to discharge any oil overboard.
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Matt Cawthorne
Re: CD-30, Fiberglas Engine bed....legal stuff
Steve,
A law was passed in the late 70's or earley 80's which required that every boat have a drip pan under the engine separate from the bilge. I don't know if drilling that hole violates the letter of the law, but it certainly violates the spirit of it. I had a fuel filter spring a leak several years ago and filled that engine sump area right up. Fortunately I keep the bilge pump turned off most of the time and make a habit of checking the bilge frequently. My oil absorbent pads weren't up to the flow from the fuel filter. .....Just more things to think about.
Also, When you drill a hole through the "fiberglass" piece you may find that it has a wood core. You would be exposing that wood core to water. If you do drill the hole, make sure you glue in a piece of fiberglass tubing to seal the wood.
I know this sounds terrible, but taste the water (if you keep the boat in salt water). If it is salty then chances are that it is your stuffing box. Filling up that engine sump area in a week is probably excessive for a stuffing box drip.
If it is fresh then it is more likely a leaky water tank or a leaky cockpit locker lid or something like that. I found a list of leaky things on my CD-36. The best way to find them is to go to the boat when it is raining hard. Crawl into the lockers and engine compartment with a flashlight one by one and you will find the leaks. My engine sump used to fill up regularly. Since I sealed the problem areas, I only get a minimum of water from the stuffing box (maybee a cup a month) and only get water in the sump when I take a wave over the stern or side which partially fills the cockpit. Then it comes in via the cowl vents and lazarette lid. I'll get to those some day.
For more details on the fixes search on my name. I think the posting was 4-8 months ago.
Good luck.
Matt
mcawthor@bellatlantic.net
A law was passed in the late 70's or earley 80's which required that every boat have a drip pan under the engine separate from the bilge. I don't know if drilling that hole violates the letter of the law, but it certainly violates the spirit of it. I had a fuel filter spring a leak several years ago and filled that engine sump area right up. Fortunately I keep the bilge pump turned off most of the time and make a habit of checking the bilge frequently. My oil absorbent pads weren't up to the flow from the fuel filter. .....Just more things to think about.
Also, When you drill a hole through the "fiberglass" piece you may find that it has a wood core. You would be exposing that wood core to water. If you do drill the hole, make sure you glue in a piece of fiberglass tubing to seal the wood.
I know this sounds terrible, but taste the water (if you keep the boat in salt water). If it is salty then chances are that it is your stuffing box. Filling up that engine sump area in a week is probably excessive for a stuffing box drip.
If it is fresh then it is more likely a leaky water tank or a leaky cockpit locker lid or something like that. I found a list of leaky things on my CD-36. The best way to find them is to go to the boat when it is raining hard. Crawl into the lockers and engine compartment with a flashlight one by one and you will find the leaks. My engine sump used to fill up regularly. Since I sealed the problem areas, I only get a minimum of water from the stuffing box (maybee a cup a month) and only get water in the sump when I take a wave over the stern or side which partially fills the cockpit. Then it comes in via the cowl vents and lazarette lid. I'll get to those some day.
For more details on the fixes search on my name. I think the posting was 4-8 months ago.
Good luck.
Matt
Dave Stump, Hanalei wrote: The fiberglas engine bed on my CD-30 sail are about 8 inches high at the forward end and run aft to just past the transmission. Between the forward ends of these bed rails is a crosspiece of fiberglas about 1 1/2 inches thich and 4 inches high. The problem is: Water from the stuffing box slowly collects in the area directly under the engine. The question is: Can I drill a hole (3/4 inch) through the center bottom of this web to allow any water coming from aft to directly drain to the bilge? Will this weaken the engine bed(I don't think so)? Also, what is inside the fiberglas crosspiece web? Is it hollow, or is it a wooden beam?
Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. If you have drilled the crosspiece to alleviate the problem, I would appreciate comments on your experience. Oh, the shaft log is not leaking, and the drip from the stuffing box seems appropriate. It takes about 1 week at the dock for the area under the engine to fill. Thanks for your help!!
mcawthor@bellatlantic.net
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Matt
Re: CD-30, Fiberglas Engine bed...Sorry replied to the wrong
My apologies. That message was intended for Dave, not steve.
Matt
mcawthor@bellatlantic.net
Matt
Dave Stump, Hanalei wrote: The fiberglas engine bed on my CD-30 sail are about 8 inches high at the forward end and run aft to just past the transmission. Between the forward ends of these bed rails is a crosspiece of fiberglas about 1 1/2 inches thich and 4 inches high. The problem is: Water from the stuffing box slowly collects in the area directly under the engine. The question is: Can I drill a hole (3/4 inch) through the center bottom of this web to allow any water coming from aft to directly drain to the bilge? Will this weaken the engine bed(I don't think so)? Also, what is inside the fiberglas crosspiece web? Is it hollow, or is it a wooden beam?
Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. If you have drilled the crosspiece to alleviate the problem, I would appreciate comments on your experience. Oh, the shaft log is not leaking, and the drip from the stuffing box seems appropriate. It takes about 1 week at the dock for the area under the engine to fill. Thanks for your help!!
mcawthor@bellatlantic.net
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D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: CD-30, Fiberglas Engine bed....legal stuff
Fred, (just kidding Matt!)
Thanks for your insight. Cowl vents may well be the problem, we've had about 10 inches of rain in the last month and I know one of the vents is loose. Taste the bilge water???!!!, would it be a little more pleasant if I mixed in some scotch and ice first? Good point about the legalities, thanks very much for your help. Dave
Thanks for your insight. Cowl vents may well be the problem, we've had about 10 inches of rain in the last month and I know one of the vents is loose. Taste the bilge water???!!!, would it be a little more pleasant if I mixed in some scotch and ice first? Good point about the legalities, thanks very much for your help. Dave
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don massopust
Re: CD-30, Fiberglas Engine bed
I have an 84 CD30 if you drill a hole it will drain in the head holding tank if yours is in the keel. To alleviate problem need to drill hole in bottom of tray then drill approx 2 inch hole in front.D. Stump, Hanalei wrote: Steve,
Thanks for your comment. I'll look for the cooling leak, but don't think I've got one. To catch any oil in the drip pan I planned to put one of the oil absorbent pads in the pan. I think that's a better way of telling if you've in fact got an oil leak and how much it's leaking. At $5,000.00 per "oil shean on the ocean" leak, I also don't want to discharge any oil overboard.
This allows you to install a thru hull with hose barb in the bootom of tray, also install thru hull with hose barb below 2 inch hole and connect with hose. then refiberglass 2 inch hole shut. this will allow the water to drain from the pan over the area were the deck plate for the holding tank is and into the bilge. PROBLEM SOLVED BUT IS
some WORK.
capeadagio@aol.com
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D. Stump, Hanalei
Re: CD-30, Fiberglas Engine bed
Don,
Thanks for your comments. What do you think of this plan? I'll drill the cross web thru with a 3/4 to 1 inch hole saw to allow installation of a fiberglass tube to pass completely thru the web. Fiberglass it in place, fore and aft, which should allow any water in the pan to flow out the front of the web, over the top of the holding tank and on to the bilge. The fiberglass tube, I think, will seal off the holding tank so nothing from the pan will drain into it and nothing from the tank can escape(I hate it when that happens!) Let me know what you think of this plan on this site. I'm not in a hurry, this can probably wait till I haul her this fall. Thanks again!
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
CD-30, Hanalei
Thanks for your comments. What do you think of this plan? I'll drill the cross web thru with a 3/4 to 1 inch hole saw to allow installation of a fiberglass tube to pass completely thru the web. Fiberglass it in place, fore and aft, which should allow any water in the pan to flow out the front of the web, over the top of the holding tank and on to the bilge. The fiberglass tube, I think, will seal off the holding tank so nothing from the pan will drain into it and nothing from the tank can escape(I hate it when that happens!) Let me know what you think of this plan on this site. I'm not in a hurry, this can probably wait till I haul her this fall. Thanks again!
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
CD-30, Hanalei