Hey guys I just got my 2nd rib, an old avon 5m and it has a pretty bad water leak while on plane. water pours out of this hole right next to the driver seat. it comes out strong like a bilge pump almost. I thought it must be some of the tube peeling off the hull but it was re tubed a few years ago and all the seams look good. any idea where that water could be comming from?? thanks
ok thanks. i will take more pictures in the morning. the boat is a front console with 2 sea ts near the front and the hole is right next to where the passengers (port side) left foot would be. the picture from the bottom is where the hull meets the tube. the cracks seem to be in the paint of the boat.
The hole has been drilled in the upstand part of the deck, which form chambers between the hull. On mine it has drain bungs fitted in those chambers at the stern near the inside of the transom but they are always dry inside. If the hole is positioned mid way or towards the stern I can imagine that water from the flooding hull would certainly pour out. Block it up as it shouldn't be there. Is the hull still flooding or have you blocked it up?
The cracks underneath look serious and due to the jagged edge of the damaged gel coat look like heavy impact damage rather than flexing. Is this the same side that has had the hole drilled?
You really need to get this damage looked at by someone who repairs fibreglass hulls.
I'd be tempted to get a piece of tubing and feed it into the hole and seal round it with some plastecine (modelling clay). Then connect the loose end to a small compressor - e.g. 12V a car tyre pump and set it to pump.
I expect if you have not sealed the flooding hull this is feeding straight into there and seal a piece of plastic over the inlet and outlet hole on three sides and you should see the fourth side lifting with the air leaking out. If so you at least know where the water is likely coming from. Now temporarily seal those holes up and put some soapy water along the cracked edges and see if it bubbles. If it does you know you've got an issue there too. If it doesn't then I'd just flowcoat/gelcoat the cracks having removed any loose flakes etc. If it does that suggests the underlying CSM is damaged and I'd want to exlpore that in more detail...
Not somewhere I'd expect to see damage like that though....
When you are ready to seal that hole I'd be tempted to just stick a bung like sailing boats use in there. Not sure why you'd ever want to drain that but it would be easier than trying to fill it with CSM and flow coat and I'm lazy!
White Noise
Golliwog
