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I just finished a Shearwater 17 Hybrid and have had it out 4 or 5 times. I have noticed about a half a cup of water in the bottom of the boat when finished. I assumed it was water from my wet water shoes. I then went without shoes one day, and still had a little water in the boat! The water is not from spray or paddle drips. I added a retractable skeg box when building the boat, and did notice a few air bubbles in the seams along the shear lines. I have no deck rigging or deck hatches. I have waterproof inspection hatches on both bulkheads. I used all the fiberglass, expoxy, and 3 coats of varnish. It really should NOT be leaking, but it looks like it is!! Any good ideas about finding this small leak? Fill the boat with water and watch where it leaks out? Flashlight on the inside in a dark garage? Some of the joints are transparent... clear expoxy letting light shine through, but still a tight joint. What did I do wrong? Easy fix with fiberglass tape on the inside of joint? Thanks!
2 replies:
RE: Leaky Boat!!
Thanks, Laszlo. I put several gallons of water in the cockpit yesterday, and could detect no leaks whatsoever from the bottom or the sides. I also checked behind the bulkheads, and there was no water in the front, and only a little in the back. I re-epoxied around the holding peg in the skeg box, and will test again soon. Thanks again for the reassurance that a half a cup of water is not much. The deck is very low on the Shearwater, and maybe some water is splashing in un-noticed. I usually paddle a Current Designs Kestrel rec boat, and it's always dry. Maybe it's just the style of the boat... maybe I should try a spray skirt. Jim
RE: Leaky Boat!!
» Submitted by Laszlo - Tue, August 12 » 6:23 AM
Yakker,
Filling the boat and looking for drips makes the most sense for me. Just be sure that it's well supported.
On the other hand, 1/2 a cup of water doesn't seem that much and is in the reasonable amount for coming in over the top. The boats at Okuomefest usuall have a good several cups of water in them. I know that you say that it's not spray, drips, wet feet, etc., but how are you guaranteeing that (especially when you're getting into the boat from the beach)?
Is the water in the cockpit or the other side of the bulkheads?
The good news is that if there is a leak it'll be real easy to fix. Maybe a little epoxy/woodflour putty and then the fiberglass tape, as you said.
Good luck,
Laszlo