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

[Craig LaForce]

Check your sink drain through hull fittings also. ballasted operation puts them closer to the water line. Search for leaks and you will find about 10-20 other common leak points. I have had and posted about half of them.

Ballast tank leaks are very rare. THere might have been one so far out of thousands of boats.

[TAW02]

Douglas

A few other likely places to check is the cockpit pedestal. Make sure that baby ain't leaking into the cabin. First thought would tell you that if it were, top bedding materials would be damp, but not necessarily true. Once a water trail is developed, water will run along the ceiliing and down the stern wall leaving only a few drops to land directly beneath the leak itself.

Another place is where the steering bar enters the cabin stern area. I have an M (so this might differ), but the hole cut thru for the stearing link/bar allows water to run down the bar and into the stern. It's amazing how much water will collect into the bilge from there.

Also the electrical bundle along with the motor steering and throttle cables that enter into the cabing must not allow water in. Mine has a pleated rubber boot to seal off water there.

Hope you are successful soon
Big T

[Sloop John B]

Another common leak area is the fuel tank lockers in the cockpit. Pull your tanks out and check to see if the factory properly sealed these compartments. There were several reported screwups earlier.

Most of the early leaks were discovered to be the hose that drains the galley sink.

[tangentair]

Since no one added it, I will post the link to Cat's leak.
http://macgregorsailors.com/phpBB/viewt ... ssion+pole
The pictures say as much as the text and even if you find the leak to be a broken hose - I can't see it bringing in that much water but maybe - you might still want to take a look after you have see the pictures he took just to be sure you do not have 2 problems.

[John McDonough]

I just checked out the link to Cat`s photo of his corrosion. My 26x is just outside my basement door and so I ran out and checked. Looks good.

looking again at Cats picture of his corrosion, I was wondering if he has some electrical Electoloysis problem. Stray electric currents running through the boat leading to accelerated corrosion of metals.

What a way to check if the positive foam floatation really works.

[Frank C]

You'll see by reading Catigale's original thread that the final diagnosis was a faulty cold-weld rather than electrolysis.

[Brunosafari]

How's it goin' Douglas? Any progress? Hang in there, we're rootin' for ya. -Bruce

[Graham Carr]

Here’s another possible place for leaks; I noticed a lot of water down in the bilge areas, about five gallons worth after a day on the water and no rain. I could not find the source. One day I was installing a shore power connection on the Starboard quarter. I was lying in the rear berth at the stern fishing the wire run and I noticed daylight coming in. I went outside and sure enough, the joint between the deck (engine well) and the hull had 3 inch section with out any caulking. So I packed it full of 5200 and that stop the water from coming in. Apparently when ever I would power down and the water would run on the stern or in a heavy following sea the water would just come in.
Graham

[rtshinn]

Does anyone know whatever happened with this particular problem?
I'm very curious what the solution was.

[wcole]

My 2000 26X leaked from the factory through hull for the head sink (when brand new). With the boat heavily loaded and the ballast tank full, this would be below the waterline. The only way I could stop it was to plug the opening from the outside.

Bill

[Hamin' X]

What, you were smuggling platinum, or gold? Takes a lot of weight to get the waterline that high.

~Rich

My 2000 26X leaked from the factory through hull for the head sink (when brand new). With the boat heavily loaded and the ballast tank full, this would be below the waterline. The only way I could stop it was to plug the opening from the outside.

Bill

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Maybe Douglas will update this old thread with his conclusion since I see that he does still visit the board.

It reminds me of my recent panic. I had a lightning strike over the summer that knocked my thru-hull depth sounder out, and caused me to take on some water before I figured it out. Months ago, I took it to a fiberglass repair shop and had the thru-hull glassed in since I use a transom sounder now anyway. But I kept sponging out my bilges and still kept finding water there after a ride. I kept telling myself that the bilge is like a catacomb and there must have been hidden pockets of water that had not completely cleared yet. But then I made 2 long cruises this month and there was still water in the bilge when i got home. I was starting to worry that the lightning bolt must have bounced the boat up and down so hard that it may have separated the ballast tank from the hull. So, I sponged it out on the trailer and then (luckily) left the battery switch on one night by accident. Come back a couple days later to find water in the bilge AGAIN...now this time its on the trailer with an empty ballast (and no rain). So, at this point, I knew something must be wrong with my pressure water system. But I pull the panel under the galley table where my pump and pressure tank are and all fittings look good and no leaks. So finally, I check the end of my washdown hose (which I keep under the the head sink) and it seems wet. So I pulled it out into the head compartment, left the power on to the pump again all night and come back in the morning to find a half an inch of water in the head compartment... Hurray..problem found! And not a serious problem either, just a stupid plastic ball valve that had gone bad..so, I went to home depot and bought a proper brass hose bib to put on there and now it is nice and dry and the bilges are finally staying dry too. I also put a Y fitting on and connected the old pump head faucet (stock that came with the boat) and sure enough, it even works on a pressure system, you just have to turn it on from below. So, now I have the old head sink working again too, even though I think that is only for small children and midgets ...but it looks cool to have real water coming out of it anyway.

[rtshinn]

Well, I haven't heard anything yet about what the problem was and how it was resolved. I thought I found a person on Facebook that was associated with the boat, but never got a reply.

[Ixneigh]

The water ballast tank doesnt leak but everything else does.
The 2nd night I had my M model, I was relaxing below, and a squall came through. Suddenly drips from the overhead! Lots of them. Turned out the power socket for the mast light had not been sealed. Guess the quality control was a bit out that day. A 2nd mysterious leak finally was traced to the chainplate bolts. Of course if you forget to put the vent plug in, youll have quite a bit of water come aboard too
Ix

[Hokie]

I had a leak that came from my port side rudder bracket coming loose. To repair I removed the wood that was used as a backing plate and replaced with epoxy and an aluminum backing plate. There has been no problems since.