Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Tue Mar 19, 2024 2:57 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 10:36 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed May 05, 2010 1:07 pm
Posts: 11
Greetings

One of my hulls is leaking pretty badly (5-15 gallons after 3-4 hours sailing with 3 or 4 people). I've done one attempt at determining the leak, but wasn't able to find it. Perhaps I wasn't delivering enough air pressure with my cheesy plastic yoga ball pump.

So I think since it seems the vast majority of hull leaks are the drainplugs, rudder gudgeons, and pylons, I figure I might as well re-seal all of those, unless its found prior.

My question is how the gudgeons and drain plugs are attached to the leaking hull. My 16 is on a boat-lift like raft, and its a big pain to pull it onto a trailer to work on it, but I can work on it over the water as long as I bring out all the tools that I need. I'd like to take both off, generously apply some new sealant, then put them back on and cross my fingers and hope that does the job.

Anyways, I have read some claims that there is a big aluminum plate with threaded holes on the inside of the hull, which the gudgeon screws thread into. Is that true? Is that also the case for the drain plugs? If it's something different, how is anything in there accessed? Is it any more complicated than undoing the rudder pin, unscrewing the 6 screws to take it off, then screwing them back in and replacing the pin?

Thanks!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 11:10 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2004 7:20 pm
Posts: 57
Location: Shreveport, LA
It is indeed true that there is an aluminum plate that is drilled and tapped for the rudder gudgeons to attach to. I have to admit that I am not so sure about the drain plugs but one has to assume that it is so.
I have to ask though, if you are getting that much water in the hull, can you not see where it is draining out before you pull the drain plug? have you looked at the bottoms of the hulls to see if they are worn through or cracked?
hope this helped at least a little.

_________________
Why did I sell my 16?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 11:46 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed May 05, 2010 1:07 pm
Posts: 11
I haven't seen any obvious leaking on the bottoms of the hulls. I suspect its either the rudders, pylons, or the join between the deck and the sides of the hulls, because the boat did spend about a week and a half moored in the water, but did not fill with water. However, when I have 3 or 4 people, which is regular, it gets a lot, and the rudders are almost entirely submerged the entire time. When I've sailed solo it hasn't been bad.

I think the bottoms of the hulls are ok, I would think that I would have noticed by now if they were worn, but I could be wrong :(

millipede wrote:
It is indeed true that there is an aluminum plate that is drilled and tapped for the rudder gudgeons to attach to. I have to admit that I am not so sure about the drain plugs but one has to assume that it is so.
I have to ask though, if you are getting that much water in the hull, can you not see where it is draining out before you pull the drain plug? have you looked at the bottoms of the hulls to see if they are worn through or cracked?
hope this helped at least a little.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 5:44 am 
Offline
Hobie Approved Guru

Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:11 pm
Posts: 5197
Location: Detroit, MI
There is also a piece of ~ 1/2" plywood in the transom that spreads out the loads from the rudders. You'll see it when you pull out the drain plug housings.

The drain plug housings are held in with two wood screws.

With the amount of water you're getting in the hulls, I highly suspect the hull/pylon joint and the hull/deck seam.

The best way to seal the hull/deck seam is to flip the boat upside down (in grass/sand), clean off the joint (old silicone) with a disc sander, then drizzle a thin bead of resin along the joint. To keep the mess down, tape everything off. This is what's done on the new boats and it works much better than smearing silicone along the joint.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:41 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed May 05, 2010 1:07 pm
Posts: 11
Is there any significant danger of the inner aluminum plate coming loose and falling out while the gudgeons are removed or is it securely glued into place in there?

Thanks


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 4:32 pm 
Offline
Hobie Approved Guru

Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:11 pm
Posts: 5197
Location: Detroit, MI
Whatsisname wrote:
Is there any significant danger of the inner aluminum plate coming loose and falling out while the gudgeons are removed or is it securely glued into place in there?

Thanks

It's got a layer of glass over it, so it's not going anywhere. However, they can work loose over time. If you're concerned about it, replace one or two of the bolts after you've taken one of the gudgeons off, before you take the second gudgeon off.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 8:06 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Wed May 05, 2010 1:07 pm
Posts: 11
Well, today I had the boat sit in the water for about 1-2 hour and it filled with a gallon or two, so its definitely the drain plug or the bottom of the hull is damaged. I didn't find any leaks in the hull, did find some at the pylons, and I'm not sure about the drain plug because of the air pump. Regardless I removed the gudgeons and drainplug, removed all the old crud, slathered them silicone adhesive and put them back, and resealed the pylons.

So, tomorrow or thursday I'll take the boat out and see if it solved anything!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:21 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2004 7:20 pm
Posts: 57
Location: Shreveport, LA
good luck!

_________________
Why did I sell my 16?


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 8 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group