Finding that Darn leak

Hey folks,

I seem to have a leak in my port hull. I am taking on a bout 1/4 to 1/2 gallon during a 2-3 hour sail. I have removed and resealed the plugs and checked sealant on rudder screws etc. I was thinking of flipping the hulls over this weekend and using air and dish soap/water mix to check the hull since there are no obvious gouges/dings etc.

So my question is whether there are typical areas where older boats leak (she is an '81) that I may not have considered, and if there is a better way to check for leaks.

Thanks all

_________________
1985 Prindle 16

Hull / deck seam.

Boat of that era had a thin film of silicone smeared on the seam to seal it up. New boats have a bead of polyester resin drizzled on the seam - it's much more effective.

You'll need to remove the old silicone (sanding) and thoroughly clean the seam (acetone) to get the resin to stick.

ok - so did the soap test with low volume air being pushed into the hull. Seams are good, no bubbles. Bubbles were seen oddly though around the hole where the bridle tang bolts into the bow and more understandably around one of the pylons. However the volume seemed really low so not sure that it would account for the amount of water. I think perhaps that the plugs are really old and also perhaps contributing to the issue, although given that I was using the drain holes to pump air I couldnt check it.

Has anyone else seen leak issue in drain plugs when they are old even if they seem to be secure and crack free? It looks like they are original

_________________
1985 Prindle 16

It may not have seemed like much with the boat sitting still, but you have to remember that it will flex quite a bit during a sail. The spots around the pylons may open up a bit more during sailing, especially in wind and chop. Just a guess.

I would still replace the o-rings around the plugs for safe measure.

_________________
James
86' Redline Hobie 16
Sail # 76909

A gallon of water weighs 8.33 pounds
1/2 gallon in a days sail is no reason for concern
My old 16 used to get this much water in a days sail

My 21 SE gets some water again not enough to worry

I was out on a friends 16 many yeears ago
I grabbed a life jacket and put it on The friend asked why?
I said we were sinking which we were due to bad or missing O rings in the drain plugs

Have you checked your drain plugs and O rings these fittings are under water at all times and seals are critical. I use DOW 5200 sealant for under water things

Thanks folks for the responses. I replaced the plugs and bases and also siliconed around the pylons and bow tang. Sailed on Saturday and had barely half a cup of water which I am thinking may well be residual from the last time. Much happier with that

_________________
1985 Prindle 16

Fyi... when stored with the plugs out, you can get water in though the plug hole too.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)