Leaking Port Pontoon, no luck on finding source

The past few weeks I have noticed a leak in my port pontoon. Twice I have hooked up my air compressor to the pontoon and sprayed very soapy water all over the hull. I have done it twice now. The first time I did it I found a pin hole leak in the very botton center of the pontoon and filled it. I went sailing yesterday and still noticed a leak, no improvement, so today I got the compressor out again and tried to find the leak, the first time I did it I only checked under the water line, this time I checked most of the boat. I found two leaks.

My question is would the leaks I found be able to fill the boat with the amount of water I am seeing 1-3 gal per 4 hours. They bubble very slowly with the soapy water, and yes I did check the drain plug, many times and no leak there. I even twist the plug slowly until I see some leakage to make sure the air pressure is working. I just cant image these two tiny leaks above the water line causing that much leakage.

I got 1-3 gallons after 4 hours of sailing. The are very small leaks, bubble very slow and are above the water line, I know water shoots up there all the time.




The red dot is where the leaks are.

Video on the two leaks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujL-s5fplY0

Or it could it be this. My aft cross beam had the dead eye ripped out, previous owner. It left two holes on the cross beam. Could water enter these holes and drain into the pontoon, these holes seem that they would be leaking the right amount of water. But I am not sure to if they leak at all, I forgot to check it with soapy water. They are toward the the port side 4 inches, which is the leaking side.


Any other possibilities?
JD
Sail #277
[email protected]

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ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277

For sure, the holes in your crossbar are not the source of the leaks. There's no connection between the inside of the crossbars and the hulls.

It doesn't take much of a hole to let water in - actually, it takes two holes - one to let the water in and one to vent air. Assuming the vent holes under the front crossbar aren't plugged, I'd say those two holes could let that much water in.

But I'd be looking at the bottom of the daggerboard trunk. Something that's underwater all the time.

Are the ports the originals? Are they pull out or screw in? Some leakage is sometimes acceptable and not worth worrying out, but 3 gallons maybe. You can purchase replacement ports (always replace both the rim and the cover, use a good silicone} for about $12.

You seem to be doing everything right.

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Sails off Angola, NY, Lake Erie.

I have a near-new condition dead eye & rivets if you want to get that going again. The corrosion level around the old area looks a little scary, though?

I have found the most common source of leaks on the Hobie 18 is at the top of the daggerboard trunk.
Usually at the rear of the trunk.
The "match" of trunk to deck isn't very good and often doesn't get enough sealant. Even if it did get enough sealant at the factory, the expansion and contraction caused by heating and cooling and the flexing caused by use over the years has a tendancy to break the seal.
I know it is not an intuitive place to check for leaks because it is so high out of the waterline, BUT, when sailing in wavy conditions or medium to high wind conditions, the water tends to "hydraulic up" into the daggerboard trunk and then into the hull.
It is kind of hard to check for leaks in the top of the daggerboarrd trunk without turning the boat upside down.
One way to check and make sure the entire daggerboard trunk is sealed is to place duct tape over the top and the bottom of the trunk, poke a small hole in the duct tape and then pressure the hull, and spray the hole with soapy water.
If there is a leak anywhere in the trunk you will get bubbles at the hole in the Duct tape. Then you can take the tape off and go in search of the location of the leak and then after the sealant has had a chance to cure put the duct tape back on and recheck.

One other place that I have found leaks is where the screws/bolts go thru the lip of the deck at the bow tangs and the cross bars.

Recently a sailor here in our division had a hull that was leaking thru a crack in the bottom of the hull.
Couldn't see it until he turned the boat upside down and sprayed the entire hull with soapy water.

For what it is worth, and FYI, I have never found a leak at the plug.

Good Luck

Stephen

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If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, maybe it is time to water your own lawn.

I re-sealed the rudder gudgeons and that stopped my leak.

There's a top secret leaky area that I've seen in 18s of your vintage. On the outside of the hulls near the rear crossbar saddles, sometimes the hull deck joint will separate. (easy fix) When the boat is sailing the stress from the crossbar will open up the gap, but it's difficult to see during a pressure test. Also, as said above, if you have the pop in port covers, that can do it.

Hope that helps.

Thats the tip I was waiting for. I was pretty sure after sailing yesterday that the twisting forces of sailing were opening up a leak. Can you be a little more specific about location of that spot your describing.

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ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277

The edge of the lip where the hull/deck joint seam just underneath the crossbar saddle. Put some force with your hand on the flat part of the hull just underneath the saddle and see if you can get it to separate. Most of the time it takes more force than you can put on it with your hand. Look right at the seam for raw looking exposed glass. If you find something odd, hook up the compressor, get your soap and a screwdriver and see if you can open up the seam and get some bubbles. I've never seen it on the inside of the hull, but it's entirely possible. Also, I've never seen it on the forward Xbars, but that's possible as well.

We had a local sailor here in Colorado that had his Hobie 18 separate on the outside of the starboard hull at the front crossbar. He didn't catch it until a really windy day and it "unzipped" from about 6 inches behind the front crossbar to about 3 feet in front of the front crossbar.

I think the best way to check for leaks in that area would be to turn the boat upside down, CAREFULLY apply pressure to the hull while someone sprays the entire lip area with soapy water.
While you are at it, do the whole boat, bow to stern, AND do the inside of the daggerboard trunk where it is joined to the top deck. When applying pressure watch the front 3 or 4 feet of the bows for "ballooning" that is the largest unsupported area, and you really don't want to "Pop" a hull. :::Shudder::

Turning the boat upside down isn't really all that big a deal, strip the rigging off, get a tall friend,
(can you tell I am a short guy) just lift one hull until the boat is kind of balanced on its side, then one guy balances it there holding on to the front crossbar, while the other guy walks around to the other side, shift the balance point, then the second guy walks around, and you can both lower it to the ground upside down.

I've gotten to the point where Judy and I can do it without any help.

if the wind is blowing, BE EVEN MORE CAREFUL (don't ask me how I know.)

Stephen

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If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, maybe it is time to water your own lawn.

I just found the leak, I applied more pressure to the hull, and it started to bubble. The pressure I used before was not enough. I am sure this leak only opens when the hull is under stressed. I decided to patch any other dings and cuts and repaint the thing. I am broke and don't ever want to pour money into this thing. So I am using a good spray paint. I am painting it the same color so if it chips it wont show, and If I ever get some more money I will use brightsides.

For the spray paint I sanded the the whole thing down twice, 150 and 220. Then cleaned it and bam, gunna spray it.
What do ya think.

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ALLEY CAT 1984 RED LINE HOBIE 18 MAGNUM
Sail # 10505 or 277

I think you have found the Leak, Thats great news and i think once you have paint the cat you will feel like a Rich Man, Congratulations.

I believe that painting it alone will not achieve the result you want, as that surface comes into contact with the ground I would rather fibreglass it in etc - Use Rick Buchanan's excellent guides - it will probably cost more or less the same, yet you will be reliable and don't need the stress of wondering whether it will fail etc.

Next step would be rear crossbar.