Centerboard trunk separation issues

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Centerboard trunk separation issues

Postby DavidF » Mon May 25, 2015 1:43 pm

I keep my DSII moored on a lake all summer. The bilge generally stays dry, except when a storm blows through and waves build on the lake.

Based on that, I assumed that I had the classic CB uphaul hole leak. So, before I went to get my boat out of storage, I bought 4 sizes of pipe in brass, copper, and plastic. When I popped the little plastic donut off, the gap was perfectly sealed. The uphaul has actually been redone so it comes out the top of the trunk further aft to a cam cleat. I took off the fitting, and that hole looks pretty good too.

So, I decided to take a few pictures down in the bilge to see if I could figure out what is going on. This picture is taken through the inspection port on the port side of the cockpit. It looks to me like pretty bad news. I believe that the bottom mold of the CB trunk has pulled away from the top section.

https://copy.com/stJQrvDq8N7VHx3C

Has anyone else seen this issue? Suggestions for repair? I will likely put some 8" inspection ports into the cuddy floor to get a better look, and for possible repair. I haven't seen how far this separation goes to the stern.

I would really like to find a solution that doesn't involve opening up the cockpit floor. I don't know if it is possible to glass in a patch, or if there is some kind of marine goop that would be appropriate.

Thanks,

David.
1977 DS2 #8687
DavidF
 
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2011 9:13 pm

Re: Centerboard trunk separation issues

Postby TIM WEBB » Mon May 25, 2015 10:30 pm

Lucky you, as there seems to be a sufficient quantity of "goop" smushed up there between the hull CB trunk and the cockpit CB trunk mold! And if your UH channel is sealed off, count yourself among the lucky few ...

I think what you are seeing under there is not an indication of any separation of molds, but a flange that was added to the trunk on DS2s to give some stabilization to the trunk between the hull and the cuddy sole. I have very similar pics of TRW's bilge.

It seems that your UH has been retrofitted to be more like earlier DS2s? They are a bit more "convoluted" than the later ones, but not so prone to the dreaded "UH leak".

It's been my experience so far that more water gets into the bilge when sailing in pounding waves (such as we had last weekend at the FL 120) than at any other time, and it will amaze you how much H2O can get into the bilge from even the smallest openings. I'm still finding places on TRW that are susceptible, even after sailing this event three times! Now I'm really focusing on the deck to hull joint, all around the rub rail area, and some new cracks I've found since last weekend on the bottom in the area of the forward CB trunk opening ...

... time to break out the 5200 again! ;-P
Tim Webb
1979 DS2 10099 The Red Witch
(I used to be Her "staff", in the way dogs have owners and cats have staff, but alas no longer ... <pout>)
TIM WEBB
 
Posts: 1208
Joined: Wed May 18, 2005 10:28 pm
Location: RIVERSIDE, CA

Re: Centerboard trunk separation issues

Postby DavidF » Tue May 26, 2015 10:05 pm

Tim,

Thanks for the great reply. It is pretty good news that there likely isn't a major separation. The more that I thought about it, I was wondering how the old UH hole could still be in alignment if the lower mold shifted that much.

I think that I may try to apply the same 'UH hole' fix to the new UH hole and the DH hole. Since the pull is vertical and it is line and not cable, plastic pipe should work. I think that I might want to figure out some sort of seal to pull up against the bottom of the hole and then fill in around the pipe with epoxy + glass powder.

The bilge is normally pretty dry when I get out to it, except after storms, where waves are pumping the bow up and down. The biggest issue is that the effect isn't really linear. As the bilge gets more full, it appears to be more susceptible to the wave action. Once, when the boat got pretty low in the water, after I pumped out the cockpit, I opened up the access ports in the cockpit floor and the water gushed out like an artesian well. This gives me the idea that the water is being pumped in and compressing the air up in the seat backs.

I may also invest in a box of pool noodles for insurance...

David.
1977 DS2 #8687
DavidF
 
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2011 9:13 pm

Re: Centerboard trunk separation issues

Postby Swashbuckley » Sat Jul 11, 2015 1:13 pm

+1 for what Tim said. Those angle braces on "Tiny Dancer" were very misaligned. So don't worry about them. Based on your instance I would look for a small hole in the CB trunk like a screw hole from hardware installation that penetrated the inner trunk. That pumping action you mentioned is very impressive on a DSII, I have heard the term fountain used. :) There must be something about the hull design of a DSII that creates very high pressure in the CB trunk. My little hawk has an open trunk and it never pumps water into the cockpit. Good luck finding your leak. My next path is along Tim's path of the hull deck joint. Fellow member of "Dayleakers United - We Will Find Them All". :roll:
"Tiny Dancer" #6816
Learn Something New Every Day
Swashbuckley
 
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Re: Centerboard trunk separation issues

Postby TIM WEBB » Sat Jul 11, 2015 10:51 pm

Swashbuckley wrote:+1 for what Tim said. Those angle braces on "Tiny Dancer" were very misaligned. So don't worry about them. Based on your instance I would look for a small hole in the CB trunk like a screw hole from hardware installation that penetrated the inner trunk. That pumping action you mentioned is very impressive on a DSII, I have heard the term fountain used. :)

Fire hose? ;-P
Swashbuckley wrote:There must be something about the hull design of a DSII that creates very high pressure in the CB trunk. My little hawk has an open trunk and it never pumps water into the cockpit. Good luck finding your leak. My next path is along Tim's path of the hull deck joint. Fellow member of "Dayleakers United - We Will Find Them All". :roll:

Love it! We'll find them all and squash them one by one like the cockroaches they are, until the DS realm is purged of them once and for all! <grin>
Tim Webb
1979 DS2 10099 The Red Witch
(I used to be Her "staff", in the way dogs have owners and cats have staff, but alas no longer ... <pout>)
TIM WEBB
 
Posts: 1208
Joined: Wed May 18, 2005 10:28 pm
Location: RIVERSIDE, CA


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