Water Leaking from Keel
Date: March 28, 1999 In have a 1990 Endeavour 42. It is "on the hard" for the winter. I recently checked on it and found water leaking from a "pin hole" about an inch and a half above the bottom of the keel on the starboard side about 1 1/2 ft. forward of the aft edge. I drilled a hole and a small amount of water leaked out. I checked again yesterday and found the hole I drilled still "weeping." I drilled a larger hole an inch or less above the bottom of the keel and about 1/2 gallon of water ran out. I moved forward, drilling a hole about every foot, and found moisture seeping out until I got within about 3 feet of the forward edge of the keel. Has anyone else dealt with a similar problem? How might the water have gotten inside the keel? Is there a void inside the keel. Can anyone tell me the shape and location of this void. Would appreciate any input and suggestions.
Date: March 30, 1999 Ed, Since the water (and gas) tanks go deep into the keel, when they rot out as they tend to do at the 15 year point or so), you get the problem you describe. It's not going to be an inexpensive situation to fix. Is it ever? We had all new fiberglass water AND gas tanks installed. Although the gas tanks were still "OK", we figured we'd best replace them while we had the boat cut apart. The yard had to cut off the keel to remove and replace the tanks. Not a pretty sight! The other alternative was to have the entire insides of the boat removed and go in from the top rather than the bottom. The bottom up approach was faster and less expensive. We discovered the problem in mid May and the fix delayed our getting into the water for nearly 6 weeks. Here in Maine where the sailing season is so short to begin with, a delay like that really bites! Hope I'm wrong with my diagnosis and it's a problem that's easier to fix.
Date: August 26, 1999 My E32 developed a leak at the aft end the very bottom of the keel. The leak was intermittent, so sometimes the bilge pump ran a lot and sometimes not at all. When hauled and the hole discovered, about the diameter of a pencil, the reason became clear. The boat was docked in shallow water, with the seabed being silt. Thus sometimes silt plugged up the hole and sometimes the silt washed out. Now I'm wondering if plowing through the silt, and occasionally some sand, rubbed off enough of the bottom of the keel to leave it thin and lead to future leaks. The antifouling paint was rubbed off and the fiberglass strands visible though not exposed. Has anyone else had a similar experience or have insight to offer? Date: August 27, 1999 I don't know if the E32 is built similar to an E40 but I had some major repair work done this year on my keel. The yard actually ground through the bottom of the keel. There was a minimum of 3/4" of fiberglass in the bottom of the keel. It would seem like you would have to experience a lot of "hard" rubbing on a silty or sandy bottom to wear through any appreciable amount of fiberglass. Can you tell how thick the fiberglass is where the hole is? Date: October 31, 2000 I have developed a similar keel leak but in a different location. Our keel has developed a leak on the bottom but at the forward end. The leak was first notice in the spring with water dripping from the keel (on land). I drilled a hole at the dripping location to see if more water would run out. The keel continued to drip but no running water. Also did not encounter a void in the fiberglass when drilling the hole. The hole drilled was about two inches deep. Is it possible that water is seeping from the bilge into the keel? Has anyone encountered a similar problem and found a solution? Date: November 3, 2000 I have an identical problem with an E38. Any ideas would be very welcome. Regards Date: May 17, 2001 In regards to water seeping from the keel areas of our boat. We ground many small shallow blisters last fall and hoped they would dry this winter.Not so, there was water seeping out from the lower keel area. The fuel tank is installed on a bed of styrafoam type seating and foam is poured in around the sides, front and back I suppose this keeps the tank from shifting. I took our fuel tank out today and found the foam completely saturated with water.I figured sooner or later we would have to replace the tank and there was no way we could fill the blisters until the keel dried.5 1/2 hours to cut the tank out.Didnt have to remove the engine Used a saws all and mini grinder.2 more hours to get the foam out. I had drilled 10 -1/2 "holes in the keel to help drying but they were all still weeping. Our boat is a 1990 and the fuel tank was in good condition. Date: December 8, 2003 I had the same water leaking problem on the E42 1987. Stbd aft about 18" from the back of the keel and about 3" up from the bottom . Last year I used a 1" hole saw to cut away the glass since I couldn't dry the weeping up. I was very lucky cause about 1-1/2" deep I was touching the bottom of the fuel tank. BE REALLY REALLY CAREFUL IF YOU DRILL THERE!!!!!!! I wound up having to tilt the boat aft, to allow the water to drain, after a couple of days I had the marina tilt the boat fwd, and re glassed the hole. As was stated the tank is surrounded by foam (real dumb). I am hoping that I will not have to replace the tank too soon since I only have about 550 hours of use on the engine and it would create a nightmare in the cabin if I had to pull the engine & tank.
From: Ed Hamilton ehamiltn@bright.net
From: Gerie Smith bills5@bangornews.infi.net
Sounds like you might have a leaking water tank. We had the same problem last year with our 1983 Endeavor 40. I'm surprised your tanks developed problems this soon, since your boat is a 1990.
From: Bill Gillette William.Gillette@med.va.gov
From: John Bartoszek JBartosz@symbol.com
From: rdugangab@email.msn.com
From: Don Kirkwood don_kirkwood@mail.dynastart.com
From: Terry Armitage nanter@nbnet.nb.ca
From: Robert Lightbourn RLightb240@aol.com
