mid cabin bilge water - anchor locker

[BobCT]

can any of you guys explain how the anchor locker drain works? I know that sounds like a ridiculous question but let me add some detail...

When I was working on my boat on the hard, my mid cabin bilge was bone dry until the cover came off. I was using the fresh water tank for at least a month while covered and the holding tank had anti-freeze and stayed dry so no internal leaks.

Cover off and some rain, I get 2-3" of water in the bilge (mid bilge in front of the head). This happened the other day, I pumped it out and the next day, with no add'l rain, I had more water in the bilge.

So where is the water going that ultimately drains out of the weep hole in the bow? Is there some sort of a sealed area? I see the drain hole but can't see the other side, it's under the shelf where the anchor line sits.

My theory is the drain is clogged and water is making its way down into the bilge. That might explain why I pumped it dry one day and then more appeared the next day.

Bob

[gardnersf]

Bob,

I was wondering the same thing this year. i still get water in my bilge after rain. I have rebedded all the deck fittings, sealed the hacthes and still get water.

[RWS]

That drain hole can easily get stopped up with sand/mud from your rode.

I drilled mine out a bit bigger.

RWS

[S.A.M.]

Bob,

The midcabin lockers have no drain. A design flaw? I drilled a 1" hole on each side of the bow point at the bottom of the locker and the put ss clam shells over the holes, slightly turned back.

As to the water in the midship bilge, my a/c drains there. Mine stays in a covered slip and so i have not run into a rain proplem. And I've never checked after washing the boat.

[BobCT]

Sherman, my A/C is not running (actually needs a charge) so I know that's not the source... at least not yet

Scott, I've pretty much done what you have as well. I don't see any obvious signs of entry at least not to account for the amount of water I see.

So where is the anchor drain draining from? Is there an area below the anchor rode shelf where water builds up? Something must be directing water towars the drain right?


Bob

[S.A.M.]

Bob,

I took out my shelf when I installed a windlass, so the rode had a better fall. The shelf is nothing more than plywood.

I found no drain hole for the locker.

[Tuck]

rained? have you considered your rear deck hatches?

[captainmaniac]

What model is the boat ? I take gobs of rain water through my aft deck hatches (F32) - the hatches are 'scuppered', but they drain into the bilge instead of going overboard through some through-hull. Another possibility is fresh water tank. There is usually an 'overflow tube' off of the main fill pipe for the fresh water tank. Unfortunately, this overflow tube may just dump into the bilge... (that's how my '79 is set up).

[RWS]

the fresh water overflow tube(vent) on my 1983 10 meter drains overboard.

There is no shelf in the anchor locker on this model.

RWS

[S.A.M.]

the fresh water overflow tube(vent) on my 1983 10 meter drains overboard.

There is no shelf in the anchor locker on this model.

RWS

Harris,

What I have learned over the past year is that the only thing shared between the midcabin and express is the hull. Our midcabins are heavier and balanced differently. The express is a much better performing boat.

[RWS]

The midcabin offers amenities not available in the express.

Perhaps the evolution was one of reducing costs while increasing the appeal of ownership.

Regardless, the mid cabin was a commercial success and many more (it seems) mid cabins were produces than the express.

Great boats, regardless of the loss of the WOW factor over the past 25 years or so.

RWS