After using the usual water with dish soap while pressurizing the hull to find the major leaks when I first got the Sunfish, I thought I had the hull completely sealed. But I've got a minor leak that I can't find. After several hours of sailing I'll end up with about 3/4 of a large boat sponge (8" by 4" by 2") worth of water inside the hull.
The thing is, I've done two painstaking water with dish soap investigations of the entire hull surface trying to find this mystery leak with no luck. No bubbles, no subtle hissing. So, how do I find this thing? Fill the hull part way with water while on the trailer and look for water dripping on to the garage floor?
It appears I still have the same amount of water in the hull when it's windy and there's a lot of water splashing on the deck and I'm heeling and dipping the gunnels as I do when the wind is light and only the hull is in the water. To narrow the search area I thought about taking just the hull, launching it, tying it up or anchoring it, waiting a couple hours then pulling the boat. At least that way I'd know the leak had to be coming only from where the hull was displacing the water it was sitting in.
Any ideas? I really would like to use the inside of the hull for gear storage because my wife and I are using it for day long exploring, beach and picnic outings. I can't do this if I've got some water inside the hull.
Thanks,
- Andy
After using the usual water with dish soap while pressurizing the hull to find the major leaks when I first got the Sunfish, I thought I had the hull completely sealed. But I've got a minor leak that I can't find. After several hours of sailing I'll end up with about 3/4 of a large boat sponge (8" by 4" by 2") worth of water inside the hull.
The thing is, I've done two painstaking water with dish soap investigations of the entire hull surface trying to find this mystery leak with no luck. No bubbles, no subtle hissing. So, how do I find this thing? Fill the hull part way with water while on the trailer and look for water dripping on to the garage floor?
Thanks,
- Andy
Yes.PS: You did seal the breathing hole for the soap bubble test?
Yup, did that when I split the hull to repair the bow. Sealed up all the rivet holes then 5200-ed a white rub rail to replace the trashed aluminum one.The hull seam often splits around the splash guard area due to flexing. It's really easy to remove and reinstall the rail so I'd spend a couple hours with the drill and pop-rivet gun just to check it off the list of problems.
Glassed it completely over from the cockpit to the hull. Hate the bailers on the Sunfish. They always seem to get caught on stuff, tweaked, cracked and leak... when others use your boat that is.Have you resealed the bailer?
Now that sounds interesting. Can you be more specific? How would that allow water to get into the hull when the wind is light and the deck is always dry?Check the joint between tub and deck, It likes topull away also.
I like that idea. Especially with the talcum powder. Completely dry out the inside of the hull, launch the boat only, spread some talcum powder immediately then check through the forward wall of the cockpit inspection port for signs of the leak.Or, you could just have lunch while anchored, peering into the hull periodically.
Inverting the boat in the lake, then applying soapsuds to the inside of the daggerboard trunk might disclose the problem. You'd have immersed all of the seam between hull and deck—eliminating all the deck's possible leaks—plus you'd have the gentle air pressure required for the test.
I re-read your original post and vote for the bailer area or the daggerboard trunk as the most likely sources of the problem.Yes.
- Andy
Now that sounds interesting. Can you be more specific? How would that allow water to get into the hull when the wind is light and the deck is always dry?
Like I said, it's a stubborn mystery leak that doesn't seem to want to reveal itself.
Thanks!
- Andy
Yes... the vent hole I covered with duck tape during all 3 of my hull pressurizing/dish soap leak tests.Because if you have a big leak you can't pressurize the hull to find the smaller leak. There is a small vent hole in the front to the cockpit wall, tape that over.
One would think that this approach would eventually uncover my mystery leak... as I have thought about doing a leak test with more internal pressure.You can do the same by installing a air fitting and pressure gauge on a inspection port cover. If you can't hold any pressure at all you should be able to turn up the pressure till you hear a hissing sound.
And that, sir, is the $64 question.As for how much pressure a Sunfish hull can hold before it pops a seam I don't know.
Awesome idea.Drop a "Revenge Rodent Smoke Bomb" in the hull, put the port cover
back on and pressurize? One attempt would only cost $5.67 before tax.
Yes.I assume that when you put the deck and hull back together that you glued it with something pretty good, like epoxy?
Want to hear something funny, Webfoot? After I responded to your last post I thought about posting again with the following joke.Drop a "Revenge Rodent Smoke Bomb" in the hull, put the port cover
back on and pressurize? One attempt would only cost $5.67 before tax.
While sailing, the daggerboard trunk is being stressed—and water is surging upwards inside the daggerboard trunk.Did Leak Test #2 and couldn't find any leaks. Continued to sail yet would still find ¾ or so of a large sponge's worth of water in the hull after sailing. So, I did Leak Test #3... very carefully. Still couldn't find any bubbles or hissing. As I said, the mystery leak that doesn't want to reveal itself.