Why would I be taking on water?

[Standing Room Only]

If you have a drain fitting for the bow compartment right at the waterline, that fitting can leak. It is a bronze threaded tube (thru-hull) that is snugged up against the inner liner of the bow compartment/fish box, and then the outer mushroom is tight against the hull at waterline. If that is not secured really well (5200, etc), the working of the hull (and yes, in a sea there will be some flexing) may cause a gap to build in over the years that you don't see when the boat is at rest. In part, this is made worse because the inner liner and hull will flex at different rates due to thickness - and that fact that outer hull is being slapped directly. So -- when replacing -- snug well, but not too tight to overstrain the inner liner. And seal well with 5200. My 18' had a leak and took me a while to track it down also.

[ May 09, 2003, 01:42 AM: Message edited by: Standing Room Only ]