Mast and water in bilge

[ElizabethG]

Hi Guys,

After a heavy rain, I accumulate about 3 gallons of fresh water in the bilge. It appears to be coming from the forward end. (I know there has been issues with the plate in the anchor locker. I sealed that about a year ago)

So, with a furling mast and all the open, exposed areas, where does the water go when it rains? Are there drainage holes where the mast meets the deck? If so, I don't see them.

I'm really curious as to where that water exits the mast...

Any suggestions on what to look for, or a fix?

Thanks,

Bill
Atlanta, GA
Hull # 193

[wolfe10]

Bill,

Have you sealed around the forestay tang/between the anchor rollers? That area is in front of the anchor locker and is a common fresh water source into the forward bilge and then into the main bilge.

Brett

[ElizabethG]

Hi Brett,

Yep, I sealed that up about a year ago. I ran a hose over it and confirmed the leak is not there.

Bill

[Mark Sutherland]

Just a few ideas. Check:
>The anchor locker drain (from inside and under the locker?). I haven't had eyes this setup on my 350 yet, but my 34 anchor locker had a drain and hose connection to a thru hull. If that hose or connections was faulty, then it would leak into the bilge.
>Your cockpit drain hoses (located below deck, between the cockpit drains and the transom). The hoses could be cracked or simply leaking at the connections.
>The chain plate penetrations from inside the boat. Maybe have someone run a hose on them while you inspect from inside.
>All ports, hatches & windows
>Fittings on water tanks (unless you're positive that it only occurs with rain).

[ElizabethG]

Hi Mark,

Yep, those areas you pointed out have been checked. I do have a port window that needs to be re-beded, but the leakage there is minimal compared to what I see in the bilge after a rain storm.

I'm still curious as to were the water exits the roller furler mast. When it rains, water has to be entering the mast and exiting somewhere.

Bill

[pjr]

We had our mast off this past winter. I took a couple photos of the mast step - unfortunately none from the front. The front of our mast step has two holes that connect to the inner part of the step at the base of the mast. I think any water that runs down inside the mast exits at these two holes at the front of the step. The central pipe that the cables and wires run through ends above the step and prevents most of the water from running down to the bilge. I think.
Peter

[ElizabethG]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the response!

Let me just confirm a few things...

1) Your mast was manufactured by Charleston Spar and is a furler model, correct?

2) In the front of your mast, there are two holes that may be for drainage. Are those holes on the mast itself, or on the step? I'm also curious as to the size of these holes. I don't recall seeing them on my boat and, unfortunately, I am 5 1/2 hours away from my marina.

If I had to guess, those holes (if I have them) must be blocked / plugged causing the water to rise in the base of the mast to the point it then flows down the "central pipe" and into the bilge.

If you are at your boat in the coming weeks, could you possibly take a couple of photos of the holes and send them to w.h.williams@comcast.net ?

Thanks,

Bill
Atlanta, GA

[KenKrawford]

Bill I don't have a furling main but I suspect our mast steps are the same. I was washing my boat down yesterday and your post came to mind. I directed a the stream of water into the drain hole and all sorts of debris came out. Some of it was good old Georgia red clay and I suspect mud daubers have a nest inside. Note the the front part of the step has 2 drain holes and the aft has 1.

Mast step1.jpg (130.97 KiB) Viewed 6277 times

Mast step2.jpg (124.38 KiB) Viewed 6277 times

[ElizabethG]

Hi Ken,

I really appreciate the photos!!

I live in Cumming, GA, but my boat is in Charleston, SC. I hope to be back in a couple of weeks...

I don't think I have those drain holes in my step, but I may have just been focused on the mast itself.

I'll let you know what I find.

Thanks again,

Bill
Atlanta, GA

[SeaBreeze78]

Greetings all:

As a new owner, am slowly going through the old post. This post caught my attention. Yes I have the three holes in the base of the mast step just above the deck level. Ken talks about possible mud daubers. We used to live near a restaurant and people would feed small bread rolls to the local squirrels. Who would deposit them in our sails for the next winter in south Florida.

I had the great fortune of having a fellow C350 owner, Bill Cullen, help me sail my boat home. We discussed the open area of the main sail roller furler. Specifically, how the sun was eating up the exposed sail foot at each wrap. Bill said we need to have a removable canvas sleeve around the mast. My wife was kind enough to sew one up. Not only does it keep the sun off of that part of the sail. It would also keep out rain, squirrels and maybe a mud dauber or two.

Dana and Nancy Vihlen
Sea Breeze, #78

[Lagniappe]

I too have the rain leak problem at the mast and I am going to try the canvas sleeve. Just wondering if anyone has had to remove the mast and reseal the wiring conduit, assuming this is possible. I brushed and flushed out the holes but this did not solve the problem.

[SeaBreeze78]

Lagniappe:

Don’t be confused with my mast sleeve, it is really designed to keep the sun off of the exposed sail inside the mast. I do suppose that if it was bigger and had more wrap to it, it would keep the majority of water out. I just cleaned the boat yesterday after sailing for the weekend. I did a quick squirt of water at the weep holes.

Instead of trying to flush the weep holes with water. Have you tried an air hose. Using air you could tell if water comes out afterwards. Versus using water and not being able to tell the difference between what you sprayed on and what might come out.

Good luck,

Dana and Nancy
Sea Breeze
Hull #78

[Bob_A]

Hello,

I agree with D&N, blast the holes with compressed air rather than a water hose (which wont hurt)
I doubt our mast has ever been off until now (15 years) and the weep holes were not totally plugged.
You can rod these out a bit with a piece of wire or zap strap. As I can't resist redundancy, I will caulk the conduit stub to
the base plate but I really didn't see this failing. As this issue bugs me too I have been investigating and conclude that the majority
of the rain water collecting in the bilge is from the front of the boat. There is always water running from the bow hull area under and into the
thru hull speed & depth transducer area at the foot of the forward V berth. Having dealt with sealing the anchor roller area I suspect the
rode locker drain. This winter due to heating the boat I also evidenced condensation on the inside of the hull collecting and running down as well.
We use a dehumidifier too as we live in the rainforest.