Need help with a leak

[brett2634]

I have sailed my newly acquired 79 DS II twice now, and both times the bilge has filled with water. The first time, there was a good deal of water in there, the second not so much, but I wasn't out on the water but for about an hour and a half. After the first time I sailed and discovered the water, I read different posts on the forum and decided to use 3M marine sealant to seal the CB bolt. I figured this is where the water was coming from. Then, about 30 minutes into my next outing, I looked down below and no water. I thought the problem was solved. However, when I got the boat home, I had to get the pump back out and get rid of the unwanted water.

After I pumped the water out, I went to take the trailer off of the truck and heard water in the bow under the cuddy. I picked the trailer up to try and get the water to move to the back of the boat, but didn't have any luck. Is this possible? or did the water just move before I could get to it.

Could it be that the water was still in the boat from the outing before? and just hiding from the only place I can reach with my pump, which is right around the CB trunk?

Should I install a bilge drain to get the water out?

thanks

[Bob Damon]

The DSII is notorious for taking on water between the hulls. The problem is the diameter of the hole for the cb pin on the rubber gasket is larger than the bolt therefore water comes in the hull. Over time it dries out and the hole is bigger. I suggest replacing the gaskets with a snugger fitting one. You can access it by the inspection ports just aft of the cuddy. Do not overtighten the bolt as there is nothing separating the centerboard trunk space and you can deform the cb trunk housing and crack it. Good luck, Bob Damon

[adam aunins]

This site has lots of good info this is it's address http://www.bobhunkins.com/mt-archives/c ... icles.html just scroll through it and read all you want, good stuff for a late night or a rainy day

[brett2634]

Thanks for the help guys.

One other thing: How dangerous is it to have water sitting in the bottom of the boat for a few weeks?

[adam aunins]

The down side of water sitting is once it starts to turn into water vapor it the molecules will saturate the foam that's in your hull thus adding weight to your boat and taking away from the float/safety factor that the foam's in there for.

[brett2634]

so that is why the foam is brittle and all over the place. I guess I should buy some foam noodles from the dollar store. I figured it couldn't be good for the fiberglass though with the water standing in the bilge.