Water through CB pendant hole

[jkj2nd]

Hi Folks,

I've never owned a keel/centerboard sailboat. During maiden voyage wind was blowing a steady twelve knots and gusting to fifteen. Needless to say, my Sun Cat was moving at a nice clip! Once she was moving "at speed" occassionaly water was sucked into the cockpit through the center board trunk pendant hole. Is that normal? I assumed it was; and, that's the reason for the large port and starboard drain holes in the cockpit floor.

She's very stable and sails like a dream.

Thanks for you input.

jkj

[ontarioSuncat]

That is normal, BUT I would check under the deck to see if any water is getting back under the floor. The connection between the deck and the tube is with a gasket and in mine the screw that holds the cleat pearced the gasket and water was dripping into the bilge. Wrap a paper towel around the tube under the floor. You have to enter the starboard Locker and stand on your head to do it. I removed the wooden block and applied liberal amounts of caulk and reapplied the gasket and block.

[jkj2nd]

The bilge is dry; so, no water getting in through the gasket you mention.

Thanks

jkj

[gray]

I get lots of water in my bilge so I will try recauking as you suggest. Sounds like you were able to reuse the gasket?

[ontarioSuncat]

The one screw at the forward end is real close to the pipe and it pulls the gasket away from the pipe. Put gobs of caulk in there and it should seal it all up.

[Craig Weis]

Normal. Pull it apart and figure out some gaskets, O rings, square washers to back up the gaskets, what ever.
That's always the case with centerboards.
It's simply a hole under water.
You can't goop in enough 3-m 5200 to stop the water, if you did you could not raise nor lower the centerboard.
And remember; " It is not possible if fix a leak from the inside." so says the Navy's Blue Jacket Manual.

skip.