So there has been a disturbing discovery, keel bolts might not be to blame after all. There is a steady trickle of water coming from the seam at the very rear of the bilge cavity under the floor about where the hoses stick through (see picture). Any idea where the fault may be? Best way to fix it? I used some of the epoxy putty to seal the seam but water is still flowing around the sides, enough to trip my autoswitch about every 15 mins. Anybody seen this before?
stuffing box is all set, I've tightened it up. I can see the water running in from that joint in the photo, where do those hoses run/ whats on the other side of that seam?
only through hull on starboard side back there is water intake for engine, but you may want to check also the transom through hulls as they have a tendency to crack at 30 years. although only the exhaust is low enough to maybe leak at mooring. but there is a ~6 in. piece of hose with two hose clamps to check as well on the exhaust. If I remember correctly if it is leaking it will not drain down directly below the engine but through the starboard quarter berth or below that false floor you see directly under the engine.
engine intake through hull is dry, compartments under aft berths are also bone dry, engine compartment is dry as well and the stern compartment next to the transom and hoses, including the exhaust, also intact and dry. I'm thinking there must be fiberglass damage from previous groundings, somehow water is getting in along the keel and following the fiberglass up into the space behind the bilge where I cant access without pulling up the floor (unless someone has some info on this?) My plan is to pack all the seams behind the bilge with epoxy putty and assess when we pull her next month.
Packing those seams is just going to create a dam with a lake behind it. There's about 100 pounds of vermiculite back there under the floor. When I tore it out I found that some of the inner hull skin under the verm was porus, allowed water to leak into the balsa core. It's not a good place for a lake. Let the water drain into the sump and pump it out.
What is the purpose of the vermiculite? What is the best way to remove the wooden floor, im guessing drilling out the bungs, removing the screws and carefully preying it up?
The verm supports the floor like the joists in your house. It was used instead of traditional stringers or "floors" because the floor is a molded part of the liner. It was set in all at once, squished onto globs of verm under the floor. The verm form fit into place.
The floor is a fiberglass laminate with a 1/4" balsa core. The floor was molded together with the liner (galley, cooler, settes, engine pan, etc.) all at once. Then all set in and tabbed where they could reach. It's under your teak and holly.
The verm aft of the keel sits in a low spot that can collect water. Your water is flowing through there from somewhere.
I had a steady leak like this and was coming through the prop strut mount. You can't see it because it gets under the liner right away and makes its way to the bilge. I suspect this is your problem.
![[Linked Image]](https://j30.us/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/download/Number/1598/filename/bilge%20leak%20rear.JPG)
