Limber Holes for the Mac 22?

[chipveres]

After a long period of semi-abandonment, the area under the cockpit on my Mac 22 was full of water. I pumped it out with an electric bilge pump and added a garboard drain at the bottom of the transom. Now I notice that there are several places where water accumulates on top of the cabin sole. What are the pros and cons of drilling a limber hole in each of these and dealing with bilge water at one lowest point?

Chip
s/v Sand Dollar

[NiceAft]

I had to look up what a Limber Hole is.

A limber hole is a drain hole through a frame or other structural member of a boat designed to prevent water from accumulating against one side of the frame, and allowing it to drain toward the bilge. Limber holes are common in the bilges of wooden boats. The term may be extended to cover drain holes in floors. Limber holes are created in between bulkheads so that one compartment does not fill with water. The limber holes allow water to drain into the lowest part of the bilge so that it can be pumped out by a single bilge pump[1] (or more usually, one electric and one manual pump).

It appears this is like taking aspirin for a headache. It relieves the pain, it does nothing to correct the cause. Where is the water coming from?

[chipveres]

The water presently on the cabin sole is rainwater. The companionway and the fore hatch are supposed to be watertight, but are not so against the wind-driven rains of Florida during hurricane season.

Chip

[NiceAft]

It seems doable to me. How much water is there?

[chipveres]

Half an inch at the most. Just enough to be frustrating.

Chip

[NiceAft]

Before drilling holes, have you thoroughly sought out correcting where the ingress is when the winds really start to blow?

[Jimmyt]

Since you’ve added a garboard drain, I can’t think of a down side for adding a limber hole or two. The 26m has one at the base of the cabin ladder.

I can throw a cat through the gap below my sliding hatch, but my fore hatch is gasketed and seals tight. I would encourage you to work on the forward hatch as you will be taking spray and the occasional wave over the deck. Leaking at my forward hatch would be right in the center of the v-berth. If you can’t figure another way, you could glass the hole and install a real hatch in its place.

[NiceAft]

Jimmy said:

The 26m has one at the base of the cabin ladder.

This caught my attention. My is wrapped up right well for the winter, but I had to check for myself to see if indeed there was a limber hole at the base of the cabin ladder.

Not in mine.

I had to fight my way back into the boat, start moving things around the sole, but I cleared enough stuff to see the area. No limber hole.


Jimmy, are you the original owner of your Mac?

[Jimmyt]

This caught my attention. My is wrapped up right well for the winter, but I had to check for myself to see if indeed there was a limber hole at the base of the cabin ladder.

Not in mine.

I had to fight my way back into the boat, start moving things around the sole, but I cleared enough stuff to see the area. No limber hole.


Jimmy, are you the original owner of your Mac?

Nope. Second owner.

Not sure why someone would put a limber hole in with no way to drain it, but there it sits.

[NiceAft]

Since my is a 2005, maybe yours is a later model There were changes made. For example, the wood trim was removed from around the windows.

What are the two bolts for

[Jimmyt]

Since my is a 2005, maybe yours is a later model There were changes made.

What are the two bolts for

Limber hole could have been a dealer or PO mod, too - don't know. You are my first reference to another M that doesn't have it.

The two diagonal bolts are my battery selector switch mounting bolts. It is mounted inside the battery compartment, where it's impossible to see. I've gotten used to doing it by feel, but the location has me scratching my head...

[Ixneigh]

On the 26M the limber hole is to alert the crew if there is a lot of water sloshing around in the boat. It will drain out into the cabin area where it can be seen.

Ix

[NiceAft]

On the 26M the limber hole is to alert the crew if there is a lot of water sloshing around in the boat. It will drain out into the cabin area where it can be seen.

Ix

Must be on the newer models.