Taking On Water (2000 26X), Ballast Tank Leak!!???!!

[Wind of Freedom]

Back ground - I've owned my 2000 26X about a year now. I'be been out in her about 7-10 times previously to this last trip. This last trip I experienced taking on water continuously.

On all previous trips, I was no where near as loaded down as I was on this last trip and, also, all the previous trips I've never noticed water coming in the boat. The most weight I've had in the boat previous to this trip was one trip where there were 3 adults and 5 young children (no water on the floor/sole noticed ... but only out for about 4 hours ... not 24 hrs/6 days like this last trip).

Background - I went for a weeks excursion in the Florida Keys last week with 4 big adults (including myself) and lots of gear (major food and drink provisions, 3 coolers, 5 boxes of food, storage packed full everywhere, etc.). Also, fishing gear, clothes, etc. Also, 3 x 5 gals. water tanks. I installed, for this trip, a 31 gal. bladder tank in the V-birth with a water pump and aft shower. Needless to say, there was a lot of weight in the Mac. The Mac performed awesome! It didn't sit low in the water and it attitude was great in 4 to 6 foot waves with all this weight. It sailed beautifully!

On our first way out of the channel, I filled the ballast tank. I sent my brother up front to vent the ballast and watch it. He had no idea what he was looking at or what to expect ... by the time I went up there, water was flowing up from the vent hole so we plugged it quickly. Not enough water to flow over the vent catch basin. All the other trips, I could leave the ballast valve & vent open for 15+ minutes and the ballast tank level would only get about 5 inches below the vent hole and no further. Obviously, it was because of all the extra weight.

Here's what happened - later that same day, I saw about an 1/2 inch of water covering the floor - the sole of the floor where the companionway stairs land. On my 26X, there is a drain hole under the stairway that is at the level of the floor sole and drilled into bilge area. You could see that the water was flowing from this hole onto the floor area. The leak rate is 2 to 3 inches of water on this floor area every 8-12 hrs.

I would use the hand bilge pump to pump the water into the galley sink about twice in a 24 hr period.

Other facts - * at midship, the water was not only on the floor, but on both the port and starboard sides of the hull stringers (i.e. - open the galley cabinet door and there was 3-5 inches of water. Open the aft starboard table seat (remove the drop in storage box) & there would be 3-5 inches of water there and also on the right side of the stringer also. All these places would be hand bilge pumped into the galley sink.

This happened continously for 5 straight days. It made for somewhat of a miserable time since when you got your feet wet, everything else would seem to get wet including the bedding.

(see my next post for diagnosis and questions ... thanks)

[Wind of Freedom]

I tasted the water (a Captain's got to do this right ...?? lol) ... Anyway, it was clear fresh salt water so it wasn't any of my fresh water tanks leaking. Also, it wasn't "old" water ... but clear and clean ... like it just came from outside the boat.

To try and diagnose the problem, one morning we emptied the ballast tank and spent the next 3 hours noticing if we were taking on water. We did take on some water, but hardly noticable ... so all of us seem to agree that the water had something to do with the ballast tank water. However, I must say that it was not much of a test being only 3 hours as we wanted to get out and fish so we filled the ballast tank back up. This time, we did not fill it quite as full, but stopped when we noticed the ballast water was 3-4 inches below the vent hole. We thought that filling the tank so full the first time may have something to do with it ... also, I wanted to see if the ballast slide gate valve was leaking so before we filled the ballast up, I ran at high speed and opened the valve to see if any water flowed into the tank the last 3 hours. Hardly any water came out so I deemed the ballast vavle was good/holding.

Now, the leaking into the boat was noticably less since we didn't fill the ballast tank as full, but still very much there - About 2-3 inches every 12 hours. This is how it was the rest of the week.

Other diagnosis I did while on the trip - I looked in as many of the hatch covers as I could to see if I noticed where the water was coming from. The only thing I noticed was that the aft hatches (on both the port and starboard sides) seemed dry to me so I felt that the water was NOT coming from a transome leak although I know this is not definitive as it was crampped down there with all the stuff.

My dilemma ... !?! ... if the ballast tank was leaking into the boat, then the ballast slide gate valve would have to be leaking also ... hmmmmm.

(See next post for my future diagnosis test ... thanks for your patience as I need your help!)

[Wind of Freedom]

Future diagnosis options (need your opinion on these):

1. Put red dye tablets into the ballast tank and put the boat into the water, load her down with about the same weight I had (not an easy task), fill the ballast and see if red dye comes into the boat. Anyone know where I could get these red dye tablets????????

2. Make a fitting to go around the ballast slide gate valve rear port to hook up my compressor air hose. Being very careful, put vent plug in and fill the ballast tank with compressed air to say 3 - 5 psi. Now, keep that air pressure in the tank and use a garden hose of fill the inside of the boat with about 5 inches of water from front to back .... listen for bubbles to find leak in ballast tank .... what do you think of this idea ...???

3. Maybe barking up the wrong tree here, maybe it's not the ballast tank leaking into the boat ... maybe it's coming from the rudder bolt holes or something ... but how do I find this out ?????

Arrrrggguuuhhhhh ... I need as much help as I can get here ... sorry to be so long winded here (not the "wind of freedom" I mean ... lol) ...

Ok. ANY and ALL help would be sooooo much appreciated ... Thanks in advance!!!!!!!

- Douglas

[garrett]

Try this: Put the Mac on a trailer and fill the ballast tank with a hose. Look to see any leaks. Next Drain the ballast tank and plug. Fill a 4-5 inches in cabin and see if any water enters ballast tank. Be cafeful not to overfill the boat I am not sure what the added weight will do . Just A Thought-. Garrett

[Bobby T.-26X #4767]

do you have ANY thru-hull fittings?
that is, are there any places/mods below the waterline that might be leaking or is it "stock" which means there are no mods?
if the answer is "no thru-hulls" & the ballast is completely empty, yet you still get water on the inside, then there MUST be a stress crack leak below the waterline.

Bob T.
"DāBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI (14" x 11 pitch)
Dinghy Motor: '06 2.5-Suzuki

[Tom Walsh]

Douglas
The motor well has a drain, that goes to plastic tubing to a through hull on your transom.
mine broke loose, only one clamp on each end of tubing. If this tubing comes off you will experiance exactly what you are describing. water will come in from the motor well draining (and that is alot when under power on my boat) or water splashing through from the transom, again that can be alot if you are loaded in the cockpit. To check for this crawl to the back of your aft berth , remove the dress up cover and look for the drain line. It is a little tough to get at, and that could be why a slopy job was done on my assembly. Rule out this posibility first.
Tom

[Catigale]

Wind - I had a very similar problem and it turned out to be a failed compression pole on my boat (2002X) Go to the dinette table, and pry up the smoked black plexiglass and have a look at the base of the compression pole for corrosion. Mine was open to the sea. Your description of leaking under ballast vs not fits my experience exactly.

[John McDonough]

My guess is that its the rrear motor well drain leaking or the centerboad pole leaking, as noted above. But if that does not work...

I have noticed that when my 2000 26x Ballast tank is empty and the V-berth vent plug is secure slight air pressure builds up insde the ballast tank. when I start to unscrew the vent plug I hear a hiss.

Maybe you can make a vent plug fitting to add comprressed air to the ballast tank. Add pressure and listen ffor a leak.

Maybe you can fill the Ballast tank while in the water and pour a bottle of soap bubbles into the vent hole and watch for bubles. Take the boat out in some waves, as the water & soap get shook up it will build up pressure.

Good Luck, keep us posted

[Russ]

Lowes plumbing dept has free dye tablets to test toilet tank leaks. Drop one in the vent and see if it's coming in.

[Trouts Dream]

Wind - I had a very similar problem and it turned out to be a failed compression pole on my boat (2002X) Go to the dinette table, and pry up the smoked black plexiglass and have a look at the base of the compression pole for corrosion. Mine was open to the sea. Your description of leaking under ballast vs not fits my experience exactly.

I was thinking of Cats experience the whole time I was reading your dilema. This would be he first thing I would check because its also the easiest.

[ronacarme]

I have a 2000X. After a couple of hours of rigorous sailing, I would see substantially more water in the starboard bilge than in the port bilge. Eventually I found one of the lower starboard rudder bracket mounting bolts loosened a bit and lake water seeped thru the transom along the bolt and past the nut and washer and into the bilge. Tightened the nut and the seep stopped. Ron

[Russ]

I would seriously doubt it's the water ballast. From what I understand, that just never happens. You would see water before now as it sloshes around and the boat heals water would leak in.

Fortunately, the Mac has few holes in the bottom. I would check the advice above. That hose out the transom is a good place to check. Rudders and table post that Cat described.

[Brunosafari]

Hi Douglas. It is likely NOT a leak in the ballast tank. Blue Water yachts told me that a leaky water ballast is virtually unheard of, so don't despair buddy like I did with a similar problem- it's probably something simple and realtively easy to correct once you find it.

I had thought I had a ballast leak originally too, but it turned out the rudder mounts were devoid of sealant from the factory. I discovered it by inspecting with a trouble light and flashlights, each through-hull fitting while an assitant forcefully and generously sprayed each suspect with water from a pressure nozzel from outside. You might want to give it a try. It can be frustrating: all the crawling and head bumping. I learned to limber up, wear a watch cap, even kenee pads and rubber gloves (some of the bilge fiberglass shards drew blood during my many towel drying sessions. Don't be discouraged- you will succeed! Sounds like Cat's on to something.

Best Wishes,
Bruno

[Gazmn]

Hey Wind,

We're all rooting for you. It seems you leak when you're really loaded. Check any and all through hole connections. In the aft Pizza oven berth, remove the rear transom cover and make sure no water is coming in from any connection there.

Lastly, check and make sure you're not leaking from your centerboard connection. Open the forward seat of your dinette and see if any water is leaking through the fitting that holds our centerboard in place.

Good Luck,
-Gaz

P. S. Don't forget to check the head and the Galley sink holes

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

Wind
When you discover the water leak source/problem, I hope you post it for us. I watch for bilge water as a safety measure, and dont want to overlook any sorta potential problem.
Stephen (Catigale) described a problem that I wouldve never found if it occurred on my "X". When I read about his delima in another thread, I went right into my cabin, pulled off the smoke colored glass, and made a thorough look-see for any deterioation to the mast support metals. (I wouldve never expected a Mac to have a failure there--fortunately mine is okay).
Thanks.