Started this since it is not related to my transmission install. The c34 has three bilges that Do not drain to the main bilge. These fill with water over time and if you are in a colder climate can freeze and develop leaks. Two out of three areas leak on the boat, came across these while replacing my strut. The blue area is my biggest leak about one drip a minute with the white area about one drip every five minutes. the red area is dry and the shallowest of the areas. My plan is to dry out the area, apply a few layers of fiberglass in the sumps then fill with expanding epoxy foam and glass over so as water will run down to the main bilge. Will also apply a few layers on the outside of this area as I have to tie in the repair to the strut. Well that's the plan, and you know how plans go.
I'm curious. 'Drips' normally refers to something 'dripping' ie. present on a surface and falling off.
I could see how one would get 'drips' from the shaft log, but do not understand dripping upwards from a surface.
ie. More info please :)
Paul
More info, the boat is on the hard. Water sitting in the small rear bilges drips off the boat on to the ground. Would assume that when in the water the process reverses and water comes into the boat. When cleaning what I call the blue bilge found cracking in the fiberglass. Can only assume ice formed and expanded it.
We're discussed this topic about a year and a half ago. I had everything at the stern pulled out to replace the compressor, that's when I noticed the valleys or what you call bilges, mine were also filled with some nasty water but due to runoff from the stern not leeching through the hull. After a through cleaning I filled them with a combination of teak blocks(to fill the void)and West Systems, now there's nothing to trap water as it runs from the stern to the bilge. You'll obviously need to patch the outside bottom first.
Yes saw your post. Really just a warning to boats where it gets cold enough to freeze.
kh : I had the same problem and NEVER was able to track it down - just pumped the water out of that "skag" periodically.
The water was fresh water and suspect there was a screw (somewhere) near the top of the aft tank that had penetrated the tank and would leak when it was refilled to the top. It was NOT from the fill hose nor the vent hose nor outlet hose.
Never had a chance to remove the aft tank, but sure there was a puncture near the top of the tank - somewhere high because it would stop after the tank was used a bit?? Had a friend with a 1987 - same problem!!
A few thoughts
Ron,
I had the same problem with my boat, but the leak was from a stress crack in a recess at the top of the tank, it would leak down about 3 inches to the crack. The problem I had is it would leak down and fill up the tank mounting base which tilts slightly backwards, when the boat heeled the water would run out onto the aft cabin cushions. The only way to fix it is to pull the tank, which I did when I replaced the reefer compressor. Also I drilled holes the mounting base so any leaking water would drain to the bilge not the cabin. While I had everything out I took the opportunity to fill those valleys or bilges so now there's nothing to trap water and keep it from a straight run to the bilge.
Filling those valleys is something I'd recommend especially if you live in a region where it can freeze and damage the boat. It might even be worthy of a mention in "Critical Upgrades".
Kevin : Very interesting!! It could be a stress crack in the tank or a bad seam weld/joint.
Both my friend and I never had the occasion to pull the aft tank to inspect it. Neither of us had the problem of the water leaking into the aft cabin - only into that skeg depression.
Thanks for the info as I'm sure others with 87/88 C34 may have the same problem
My thoughts
Ron,
My stress crack was at the rear of the tank so the water would leak down the back and fill up the pan. You may have a leak in front due to an overly long bulkhead screw, if so it might be able to leak down the front straight into the bilge bypassing the pan. Should be easy enough to check just pull all the top middle bulkhead screws if one is longer than the others that's probably the culprit. You can pull the bulkhead to check but to get it out you need to pull the other one first.
Kevin : I pulled that aft panel a zillion times to adjust the steering cable tension, so that isn't the problem. You can pretty well see the top of the aft tank with that panel off.
Thanks anyway!
Quote from: scgunner on May 21, 2019, 07:39:19 AM
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Filling those valleys is something I'd recommend especially if you live in a region where it can freeze and damage the boat. It might even be worthy of a mention in "Critical Upgrades".
Good idea, Kevin. Why don't you just do it? :D
Ron,
Well if it's not leaking in front, it's probably leaking in the back. You've got two options, live with it or fix it. If you choose to fix it, it shouldn't be to hard to find the leak once you've pulled the tank. I found my leak by turning the tank on it's side and filling it with water, once the outside of the tank was dry the leak became apparent.
Stu,
If you're talking about the fix itself, I did. If you're talking about addition to "Critical Upgrades", I wasn't sure if it rose to that level. I did the fix before this thread because I found the standing water to be just annoying since it never freezes in my part of the world. Until kh's post it never occurred to me that this could be more problematic for our C34 brethren who call the colder climes home.
Will try to get pictures of leak and crack. Bought this boat after coming out of probate and had sat for 3 years without any one checking on it. Was just giving a heads up to people in colder climates.
Found out where the water was coming from that was filling the two rear skegs. The rudder shaft where it goes through the cockpit floor/rear lazarette. Runs down the shaft and drips on to the steering quadrant then into the bilge. Not sure how to seal this may just make some kind of cover.
Cracks in rear bilge behind the strut mount and under the water tank.
Mine didn't look that nice, along with the foul water there were chunks of partially glassed in scummy rags and pieces of overlaid fiberglass that had to be cut free to gain full access to the compartment. After a thorough clean out I filled the void with a combination of teak blocks and West Systems finishing with a smooth top layer of West Systems. Now where ever the water comes from it's free to continue it's journey unimpeded to the main bilge.
Yes it was disgusting back there that's after cleaning out. Put 5 layers of Biaxial and a layer of roving. Will fill next weekend with expanding foam and cover with glass.
Wow, expanding foam as the filler, what a great idea, I wish I would have thought of that. Easier and cheaper.
Just a note, filled the areas in the rear of the boat used expanding epoxy foam. Put five layers of glass over and tested works great. Would highly recommended this for anybody who has a boat that will see freezing weather.
Quote from: kh3412 on June 09, 2019, 03:48:02 PM
Just a note, filled the areas in the rear of the boat used expanding epoxy foam. Put five layers of glass over and tested works great. Would highly recommended this for anybody who has a boat that will see freezing weather.
can you provide a link to the epoxy foam product you used? i'll probably do mine as well, i looked in there yesterday to retrieve a dropped fitting, ick...
http://www.uscomposites.com/foam.html
KH- You said you used epoxy foam? I believe there is a difference between urethane foam and epoxy expanding foam.
I don't really think it makes a difference what type of foam you use the idea is just to fill the void so you can put a layer of epoxy over it to smooth and seal the area so no water is trapped and runs down to the bilge. If I had it to do over again I'd just use an expanding, insulating foam from a spray can then finish with a layer of West Systems, a lot easier and quicker than what I did.
if that's the case is there even a reason to fill the void? could you not put small piece of masonite over the hole and just lay epoxy/fiberglass overtop (ie like how you would fix a hole in the hull). i'd be concerned about regular expanding foam being a moisture (stink) trap.
Noah I assumed since it was two part it was epoxy based sorry if I was wrong. Midiomenico this is foam that is used for floatation so should be okay for this purpose.
mdidomenico,
The Masonite idea is just another way to skin this particular cat, I'm sure it would work fine, although you'll still have a void in the hull which you may or may not care to live with. However you decide to achieve it the idea(at least for me)was to eliminate any unwanted standing water in the hull.
Had this issue about twelve years ago and in the cold winter climate of Lake Erie cracked the skeg from expansion of water to Ice. Drilled into skeg and about a gallon of water or so came out. Found it when I launched as had a small fountain coming thru just forward pedestal. Fixed it with foam epoxy method and glass over top as described in previous posts above. Happy to report no issue on it since then.