Water IN the hull

M

markrostan

New Member
After a few weeks of afternoon showers, I picked up the hitch end of the trailer the other day and heard the sound of rushing water coming from my sunfish. Thinking that despite it being left open maybe the drain hole had gotten clogged, I looked in the passenger well and was a bit stunned to find it mostly dry. I picked the hitch end up again and realized that the water was inside the hull of the boat.

I can't find any visible cracks other than superficial ones. Could it be getting into the hull through the drain somehow? Maybe the part of the rubber stopper that acts kind of like a gasket has worn out?

Has this happened to any of you?

Thanks,
Mark
 
Mark - It is not uncommon to develop a leak in older Sunfish. Check out the Sunfish Knowledge Base to figure out how to locate the problem and fix it.
 
There is a vent under the deck in the cockpit and if the cockpit filled it could then get inside the hull

Sometimes the mast step can leak into the hull. That is a sign of the step cracking and needing to be repaired.

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Drain the water through the drain plug
Weigh the hull and check if its appx 120 to 130 lbs. more than 130 and you probably need to cut access ports to dry it out.

Do a leak test
Leaky Hull Air Test | SailingForums.com

Caution with the leak test... excess pressure can pop the hull.
 
I'd suggest putting an access port in the front cockpit wall. Every boat is going to get water in it eventually. It's far easier to dry it out if you have a port. You can sponge out the standing water by hand and then use a small fan to get it good and dry. It's basically impossible to get it dry inside using only the drain plug.
 
What year is the boat? If it has aluminum trim it might run in through a seam crack. Or the mast step. Or a split in the cockpit drain seam. Or splashguard rivets.

Turn it on its side to drain it and watch for water coming out in the wrong places.
 
gd_nc said:
I'd suggest putting an access port in the front cockpit wall. Every boat is going to get water in it eventually. It's far easier to dry it out if you have a port. You can sponge out the standing water by hand and then use a small fan to get it good and dry. It's basically impossible to get it dry inside using only the drain plug.
Click to expand...
The cockpit itself is a large fiberglass form that that the factory bonds to the deck. It's possible that [even] small cracks in the cockpit floor can permit rainwater to drip-drip-drip inside the hull. :oops:
 
As people have mentioned the leak test. Tape the vent in the front of the cockpit, tape over the bottom of the centerboard trunk, mix soapy water, remove plug from side drain and blow air in and tape over plug hole. It takes very little pressure and then take the soap mix and a brush around the edges, top of centerboard trunk, mast, cockpit and drain. Quick and easy.
 
Sunfish flex in the middle during sailing. I find the hull and deck seam comes apart in the middle on one or both sides. Take a #30 drill and remove the rivets from the middle trim sections. Pop
the trim off and inspect. 1/16 rivets should replace drilled rivets. Do NOT drill holes through the bottom of the trim. Someone did that on all the trim on a boat I have. Buying all new trim is $200.
I debating whether to call the hull a loss. (Rivets are 3/16 monsters!) Splash guard Rivet Nuts or Rivets also pull out from the hull flexing. Proper inspections ports done correctly are your best friend for keeping a dry boat and
having a place to store lines and you keys and wallet. Once you get enough water in the hull you are just sailing foam blocks. Get the hull dried out and down to 125 lbs and your boat will turn tightly
and sail in a way that makes sense.
 
If the leak (to the inside) is not from rainwater flowing through a damaged mast step—fill it, and wait—it could be the effect of leaving the boat on the trailer—and accumulating "normal" condensation. Have you used the provided drain on the starboard deck to empty condensation?

Those brass drains are often corroded in place, so try PB Blaster® spray on the outside or, failing that, drill a small hole to additionally spray the inside. Lastly, a left-hand drill bit (with your drill in reverse) could back it out. Replacement plugs—in nylon, with o-ring—are available here.

One of my Sunfish came with a 1/8" hole drilled through the drain plug. Even with a huge screwdriver, I couldn't budge it :oops: but condensation/water still drained out—so I left it as it was. :)
 
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