87 Int. Express source of water in bilge at bow and salon

davescarrs · Post by **davescarrs** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:06 pm

I have a 1987 10 meter Trojan International Express new to me this year. It seems to collect water under the salon/bilge (bilge cavity also leads up to the front nose bow area). The engine room bulkhead appears to be sealed off from salon area. There is a small slit visible from the salon bilge hole (just under the stairs) that travels under the waste tank, but it is sealed. It doesn't connect to the engine room area. It's just a small space under the waste holding tank.

If it is sealed as it appears, how am I getting water in the bow nose area, which then leads up to the bilge just under the stairs in the salon? I don't think the fresh water tank is leaking. It seems to be a significant amout of water that accumulates. i don't believe there is any seacocks up front to even leak. Have you noticed any water accumulation in the bow nose area leading up to the bilge area just below the stairs in the salon?

I have bilge pumps in both areas, but just wondering why water collecting there. Even if the areas weren't sealed off (bilge ran from rear transom of boat to front nose of boat), I get water and there hasn't been any rain!

Wes · Post by **Wes** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:36 am

Hi Dave,

My first question is, are you in salt water? If you are, is the water fresh or salt? I found a hose from the sink in our forward head had split and was running into the bilge. You might also check the drain from the galley sink.

Good luck,

Wes

davescarrs · Post by **davescarrs** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:02 pm

i'm in fresh water. Thanks for the suggestion. I may have to look everything over again, but the water comes in even when the boat or the sinks have not been used.

jimbo36 · Post by **jimbo36** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:44 pm

have you checked your fresh water holding tank for leaks? or a system hose? Do you have a shorewater connect that could be leaking inboard?

RWS · Post by **RWS** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 1:20 pm

the anchor locker has a drain hole that can easily get plugged up with bottom debris. You could be getting rain water in through there, or just dripping off the anchor rode.

RWS

Danny Bailey · Post by **Danny Bailey** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 5:02 am

Do you have a leaking rudder or shaft stuffing box? A lot of Trojans have sealed hollow keels that if the seal is leaking will allow bilge water anywhere in the boat to migrate to the lowest area which is the bow.

RWS · Post by **RWS** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:28 am

you might try emptying the fresh water tank as an easy, quick test to see if anything changes.

RWS

davescarrs · Post by **davescarrs** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 10:15 pm

am I correct in assessing that the engine room bilge water is sealed from the salon in an 87 10 meter Int Trojan/Bertram express? I can't find an area where it can get through. I figured I had leaky seacock, but can't figure out how it would get from engine room to salon.

RWS · Post by **RWS** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:34 pm

My 1983 10 meter has a full liner from the engine room back to the transom.

Water can and does travel between the liner and the hull, however I believe the liner stops at the forward engine room bulkhead.

There is no liner between the stringers from the bulkhead to the center bilge area, as that area houses the 40 gal waste tank, however water may be able to travel underneath that tank, I am not sure, but this is doubtful.

Hope this is some help.

RWS

davescarrs · Post by **davescarrs** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:29 pm

thanks for the replies/advice! The boat is in heated storage and I will be running different experiments in an attempt to find where and why the water is coming in. Thanks. I'll post when I figure it out.

Thanks again!!!

davescarrs · Post by **davescarrs** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:05 pm

Update...

The freshwater tank is not leaking, I filled it up while out of the water and not a drop in bilge (center or front bow). I also put the plug in the transom and filled up the back area between the liner and the hull along the transom area with water. no leaks coming from rear plug or anything in rear area where water had filled up enough. Pulled plug and let water drain.

The boat is now in the water. I am able to see water passing through the center bilge area heading to the front bow nose area. A slow steady small stream. It comes from under the waste tank area which I thought was sealed. I think the water is going between the liner and hull and coming up under that waste tank. Possibly the side exhaust has a leak and is some how coming in. Other co-owner while bottom painting stated the exhuast holes caulk material appeared to be a little shoddy.

Anyone have any suggestions opinions on where else it may be or if side exhaust a re occuring problem?

RWS · Post by **RWS** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:29 am

When we did the refit we had to enlarge the side exhaust holes.

These were then sealed with epoxy.

As I recall, isn't there a plastic or maleron ring over reach of these holes?

Those old overboard fittings for deck drains, sinks, shower etc did deteriorate as a result of UV sunlight over the years. I wonder if those side exhaust trim rings are the same?

It seems that the exhaust chamber or muffler if you will is made into the liner.

It's worth a look.

RWS

davescarrs · Post by **davescarrs** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 1:54 pm

I'm wondering if I pull the boat out of the water if I can hit the exterior side of exhaust holes with 5200 around each smaller exhaust hole or something as a temporary fix without having to rip apart the inside cover over the exhaust. Not sure if 5200 would hold up to the heat from the exhaust? Any other suggestions on a caulk type product that would go around an exhaust fitting? Perhaps I could put a peanut butter mixture of epoxy after scraping out older malleable stuff. Scared to make it worse. Also, don't wanna blow the season. Tempted to try and live with the leak and then have all winter to teat everything out.

davescarrs · Post by **davescarrs** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 3:03 pm

Does anyone have observation/access holes in their engine rooms to see the space between inner liner and actual hull?

davescarrs · Post by **davescarrs** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:23 pm

********FOUND THE LEAK!!!!************

It appears the stainless metal piece on the interior side of the hull holding the shaft brace support is leaking. Oddly, there are no nuts on the bolt threads coming up from the exterior underside. The port side (not leaking) doesn't have any nuts on the threads of the bolts either. Don't think the stainless metal piece would have threads in it (bolts are probably welded to the shaft support as one piece). The bedding compound may be holding it together by itself.

You guys know if your shaft support has nuts on it on the inside of the boat?

Going to get nuts right now, maybe tightenting it up will do the trick. The whole thing is a little scary if there are suppose to be nuts and their aren't any.