Voids Under Aft Berth And Water Tank

[scgunner]

    I was wondering if anyone has done anything with these voids. On Top Gun #273 I have three of them running along the center line under the aft berth and water tank. A few years ago I noticed the one farthest forward(under the berth hatch)had filled with brackish, smelly water and little critters frolicking therein. I cleaned, filled, and glassed it in so now the water just runs past into the bilge. I thought I had solved the problem until I removed the rear tank and found two more voids. My feeling here is standing water in the boat not a good thing. I'm getting ready to fill these two remaining voids. I can't be the only one who's noticed this.

[Noah]

Photos of "voids"? And, where is water coining from to get under the aft berth?

[Jim Hardesty]

Sounds like limber holes are plugged or possibly were not put in at the factory.  I think that correcting the limber holes would be a better fix than filling.  Someone here with a similar vintage may respond where there holes are.  If not it's not hard to drill limber holes at the lowest spot where it's not draining.  A half inch drill and finish flush to the inside of the hull with a file would do fine.
That's what I would do.
Jim

[Stu Jackson]

Photos of "voids"? And, where is water coining from to get under the aft berth?

Photos would help a lot.

But the ? of where the water is coming from is very important.

Some past history of where the H2O intrusion(s) may be:

1.  The lazarette hatch --- put waterproofing tape around the edges; also works for the port locker.  We use 3/8" stick on foam door weatherstripping.

2.  The rudder support tube and rudder packing gland --- http://www.c34.org/faq-pages/techdata-rudder-packing-gland.html

3.  Aft water tank leaks --- the tank itself or the hose connections.  There have been many posts on the water tanks themselves (a search on the phrase would find them).

4.  Vents for bilge hoses --- if it rains hard and sideways water can get in.

5.  Stanchions and pushpit leaks --- only you can tell on your boat.

Good luck, please keep us posted on what you find.

[scgunner]

   I'll try to get down to the boat and get some pictures. I believe the voids were created when the hull was layed up in the mold. The rearmost is just above where the back of the rudder meets the hull, the next in line is just forward of the rudder, and the last(the one I filled) is just behind the shaft log. The aft lazaret I believe is not considered a dry locker, so water may get in due to rain, wash down, etc. In my case I probably get most of the water from a shower unit I installed on the transom bulkhead just above my swim step.

[scgunner]

  Jim,

    Not sure what limber holes are, drain holes like the one between the engine compartment pan and the bilge? There were no limber/drain holes in the voids and they are so deep I'm not sure holes would be effective, maybe that's why Catalina didn't do them in the first place. As far as adding limber/drain holes getting the proper drill angle would be challenging to say the least, and I don't know about you but I'd be mighty nervous using a half inch drill bit that close to the bottom of the boat. But I appreciate the input.

[scgunner]

    Guys,

      I'm thinking the term "voids" wasn't the best way to describe these things, maybe "valleys" would more accurately describe them. I have three valleys running along the rear center line that fill with water and become little lakes.

[Stu Jackson]

    Guys,

      I'm thinking the term "voids" wasn't the best way to describe these things, maybe "valleys" would more accurately describe them. I have three valleys running along the rear center line that fill with water and become little lakes.

Good point.  I call mine "dips" and have one aft of the stern tube and another one slightly further aft.  Never did anything with them 'cept to slosh them out when I'm down there.  Never did have any creatures in ours. 

[Jon W]

I think I understand what you're describing. I have the same areas in my 1987 and have left them as they were. I figured there were depressions left from the hull mould. I would not drill any holes in that area, it is the interior surface of the hull. The water is on the other side.

They don't drain on their own, you have to get in there to dry them out if they get water in them. If the water was brackish that would tell me you don't have a current leak.

[Ken Juul]

The water should leave the depressions and work it's way forward when you are sailing.  It sounds like you have a leak somewhere.  I would dry them.  Then put a ring of Kool Aid powder or other colored powder in a line around the void.  If water is coming in, breaks in the line will help locate the source.

[Jim Hardesty]

Not sure what limber holes are

Limber holes are the holes in frames or partitions that allow standing water to drain to the bilge pump.  From the discussion sounds like you are describing the hull form around the rudder post.  Not much you can do about that except to find where it's coming from and try to stop it from there as Ken suggested.  Still I wouldn't fill in for fear of starting a bigger problem than I was fixing.
FWIW  I get some water there also.  Mine comes from the emergency rudder access port and the aft locker lids during washing and strong rain.  It's only a couple of cups of water and doesn't concern me.

Jim

[Jon W]

Maybe the water should leave on its own when sailing, but the one just forward of the rudder shaft doesn't on my 1987.

[scgunner]

   Ken,
     It would be nice if they drained while sailing but they don't(at least not mine). I know where the water comes it's the stern shower, but I like your Kool Aid idea for tracking down leaks.

    Jon,
     That one forward of the rudder shaft is a biggie and its deep too. I drained a gallon of water out of it yesterday and today I'm happy to say it's still dry.

    Jim,
      I'm curious as to what bigger problem you anticipate if the holes are filled? As I said in an earlier post I filled the one farthest forward about 10 or 15 years ago and I've had no issues. I would have filled the other two a the same time but until I recently pulled the leaky rear tank I didn't know they were there.

[Jon W]

Glad it stayed dry, fortunately mine has too. Tough to know where it came from. If the aft water tank doesn't leak, might give a look at the raw water exhaust hose, and  cockpit drains. If they're good somebody may have left the aft cockpit locker cover open during a rain and/or water leaking at the emergency tiller fitting.

[scgunner]

   Jon,

     If you're not sure where the water is coming from you might try Ken's Kool Aid trick. It's obviously coming from behind your dips since it's uphill. I'd say it's probably wash down or rain water getting through the hatch cover on aft lazeret. As for me I'm going to fill the last two dips like I did with the first so when I do get water down there it'll just roll past and on down to the bilge and get pumped out of the boat.