Water leak on Bavaria 30 Cruiser

[Sadlerfin]

Hi,

I have water in the second bilge from the companion way on my Bav 30 I can't see where it's coming from other than from the cross member between the bilges where there are small drainage holes this is in turn sending water to the third bilge where the first of the keel bolts are situated (are you still with me?).

The water is stale and I can't make out if it's fresh or salt, but if it was salt then where could it be coming from? 100% all the keel boats are dry. Now the confession! I did run aground recently , however, I checked all the keel bolts after the incident and all are dry, All the sea cocks are dry and the sail drive gaiter is dry, I've checked all sinks , heads and showers all are dry.

So last weekend I cleaned and dried all the water locked up and went home, come back on board a week later and all the bilges are dry set off for a day sail and water returns , so I figure it's in the cross members and sloshing around but where is it coming from??

Advice and comments would be appreciated. I have a photo if anyone can tell me how to paste it

Regards and thanks Derek

[IslandAlchemy]

It'll almost certainly be fresh water that'll be coming in from a deck fitting.  Common sulprits are:-

Stantion bases
Mooring cleats
Deck fillers
Genoa tracks
Hatches and windows (gets in behind the frame and runs down between the 2 skins)

Get your hand in the saloon high level cupboards and see if the tops of any are damp.

[Ziffius]

When you went aground how much deceleration force was there, I'm thinking there might have been enough to surge some stale trapped water from some deep pocket forward into the crossmember area. If it eventually stops coming out after several sails that's probably what it was. Otherwise

[MarkTheBike]

Hi Sadlerfin

I had exactly the same problem (albeit in a B34/2001). I also couldn't tell if it was fresh or salt to begin with. Each time I mopped out, it came back but gradually the staleness got less until it was definitely fresh water. I went round everywhere to find a leak from the outside but there was none. For the inside, I sprinkled talcum powder under all joints in the fresh water pipes (hot and cold). Eventually, I traced the problem to some (i.e. more than one) of the press-fit connectors for the pipes. Some leaks were near the engine compartment (so picking up old oil drip smears under the engine = musty taste) and others near the pump and pressure vessel. These different leaks tracked through different holes in the bulkheads, filling up the cross-members and making me think it had been rain leaking in from many places. The upshot was, I replaced the connectors (easy to do but some are tricky to get to), and the bilge has now been bone dry ever since (after 18months wet). Island Alchemy is right to highlight the problem areas for outside but check the cold water system before looking for external leaks as it's easier to do and it was definitely the culprit in our case. Good luck.

Click 'Additional Options' button under your text box. There's an 'Attach:' function where you can browse for your picture.

[sunshine]

You can get the bilge totally dry by sucking the water out of the cross members through the little holes that allow water to drain from one bilge compartment to another.  Use the oil extractor pump you usually use for oil changes (make sure it is clean) and stick the pipe into the cross member holes while pumping the reservoir.  It's amazing how much water sits in there and you can suck out by waggling the pipe-end around.

[Impavidus]

It'll almost certainly be fresh water that'll be coming in from a deck fitting.  Common sulprits are:-

Stantion bases
Mooring cleats
Deck fillers
Genoa tracks
Hatches and windows (gets in behind the frame and runs down between the 2 skins)

Get your hand in the saloon high level cupboards and see if the tops of any are damp.

As Bob say's above;
use an aqua vac to suck all the water from the matrix frame.
If the water is clear next check the area around the water pump make sure the water is turned on an pressurised. Feel around the pump and filter with your hand or a dry tissue. there is a problem with the seals on some water pumps that form the valves. the symptom for leaks on th efresh water system in the pump funning randomly when no water is being used. Usually the middle of the night just as your dozing off!
Check the hot and cold pipes from the clorifer. Especially the red hot pipe in the last 400mm before it enters the cylinder. Little pin holes in the red pipe some times appear. check the inlet pipe to the water tank. The clips can sometimes lose there grip on the pipe. Check the sender unit and the inspection cover. Do this with the water tank full to the brim.

On some older Bavaria's the deck fittings on the sugar scoop are bedded in silicone mastic, and the bolts are just sealed where they touch;  eg the dive ladder, filler caps etc, the binnacles are too, so check the sealant around all these. White silicone has a life of 5-7 years in marine applications due to the UV and harsh environment. Even the very best only last 10 years.

If you replace them go for a butyl sealant, or a polyurethane. Do not use polysulphide or bituminous mastics. Sika flex has a good web site to help.

Hope this helps

Ant

PS perhaps we should do a find that leak check sheet for the forum........ ? 
   

[Sadlerfin]

I FOUND IT😀

After weeks checking the fresh water system I took a sample of the water had it checked and it turned out to be sea water.
Finally found a pin prick hole in the back of the exhaust and a small amount water was being sprayed out when the engine was running this in turn found its way into the blige.

One to remember for the future.

Happy days.....

[sunshine]

Was it the rearward stainless steel end of the silencer?  If so, it seems to be a common problem when boats get to this age.  As well as the water in the bilge, you'll get a bit of exhaust in the back cabin which isn't too healthy.  There's another thread somewhere on the pros and cons of having the end welded, replacing like for like with a Volvo silencer or swapping in a plastic Vetus waterlock.

[Sadlerfin]

Yes it was and I was thinking of having it welded later in the season

What are the advantages of replacing with a plastic box

Regards Derek

[Craig]

The all plastic Vetus wet exhaust system does not rust or leak. I tied welding my Volvo exhaust when it started leaking. More problems that it was worth.

Only issue with the vetus system is that I also had to get another rubberised exhaust pipe from the engine to the vetus exhaust system as the Vetus part is shorter than the Volvo system.

Heat does not appear to be a problem in this area.
Craig
"Shirley Valentine"
Gold Coast
Australia

[sunshine]

Main benefit is cost.  I think the Vetus waterlock was about 40 quid, although as Craig says you need to factor in the cost of a slightly longer exhaust pipe from the exhuast elbow to the front of the waterlock.  This was still much less than the 250 I was quoted for a replacement Volvo silencer (whole thing, since end-plates not available separately according to the local VP dealer).

As well as not rusting, it also has a little drain plug which means you can empty the salt water out at the end of the season.

Other have managed to get a Volvo replacement much cheaper (130 euros) and some have managed to get a good weld repair to the original. See:

http://www.bavariayacht.info/forum/index.php/topic,1044.msg6765.html#msg6765

[Bavnav]

I have had similar problems and traced it back to the cold water pipe plumbing hose connectors.
Fair winds,
Bavnav.