New Sun Cat - Water in Cabin

[OldSarge]

I just started sailing my new Sun Cat (Hull# 541) and after today out on Albemarle Sound ended up with about 3" of water in the cabin. According to the manual, you can only bail or use an external manual pump to get the water out. After trying that method for a while and the water level not significantly dropping, I figured what the heck and used the onboard manual bilge pump - which did drain the cabin. I'm assuming the water came from the centerboard somehow and Com Pac has changed the drainage in the cabin to run to the bilge. Does anyone have any insight to this situation? Weather was clear, light winds, no rain. A few days ago, she was dry as a bone.

[Dave-in-RI]

Cabin meaning inside under cover, not cockpit? (verifying)

I removed and replaced the companionway in my 2010 Sun Cat, and learned there are large openings beneath it right into the bilge. So, if your bilge is full to the point it overflowed, yes, it will go right into the cabin from under the companionway step. Using the bilge pump would therefore lower the levels and, if you're not balanced fore and aft (ie, popping a wheelie), drain the cabin.

This leads to potential usual culprits of scuppers, drain pipes, folded mast open to the sky, etc.

[bruce]

A new boat shouldn't take on water sailing in those conditions. I assume it's under warranty.

You say it was bone dry a few days ago. I'll infer that the boat is in the water, or on the trailer somewhere that you don't visit daily. Was the boat dry at the start of your sail? I'll assume it was, and that it's not rainwater.

That's a lot of water from a leaking centerboard pivot seal, regardless of age. If your trim was way off, heavy in the stern and the scuppers submerged, you'll have water back up the drains. (With an oversized outboard for example.) I don't know at what point that could start flooding the cabin and/or cockpit but I don't recall complaints from SC sailors about the cabin flooding routinely.

At this point I'd guess a defect in the drains or centerboard pivot. Once I spent some more time trying to isolate the problem I'd call Com-Pac.

[OldSarge]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. The motor is a Torqeedo and I'm not that fat so no excessive loading at the stern. I'll check again this afternoon and see if there is any water. Bilge was pumped out after sailing yesterday. I did notice some water sloshing out of the centerboard line slot in the cockpit, but assume that's normal and would run out the scuppers.

[Dave-in-RI]

Bilge should be dry and dusty.

[bruce]

It's common on centerboard boats for water to squirt up the tube where the pendant runs down to the board. Water sloshing in the centerboard trunk needs relief, and the tube is the only escape at the top of the trunk. Never much volume, and the cockpit drains should take care of it.

[Unlimited65]

Three inches is a lot of water -
Shoot water down the drains and see if there is a crack in one of the return pipes. 

[kickingbug2]

gotta be the scupper tubes. if they are anything like a cp16 then they are pretty thin pvc and prone to damage

[OldSarge]

Not getting a warm fuzzy with my new boat! She's been sitting in a slip for a week with no additional water in the bilge, so it's only occuring when sailing. I'll have a chat with the factory. There is an older post about leaking from the scupper valves or such, but it wasn't clear what needed to he sealed.

[bruce]

Can't blame you, but it is hull #541. If people were routinely getting 3" of water in the cabin during a sail in calm conditions that would be well documented

I'm not fan of Com-Pac's scupper design at the transom (glassing PVC pipe at thru-hulls rather than using properly-gasketed thru-hull fittings), but I'm not sure that's even relevant here. If you can't find the leak that's OK, tell Com-Pac of your problem. They'll be concerned, and do their best to take care of it.

[Dave-in-RI]

Hmm. Try sitting well forward of the tiller, shifting balance/trim to keep the scuppers above the water while sailing. If it stays dry, that's a good diagnosis without hauling her out. Feeling lazier? Plug the scuppers from the transom, outside in, like a garboard plug. The scuppers leak because the drain pipe is flimsy and can crack, plus they can break free where they exit the hull. They're not actually through hulls, just glassed in basically. I forget the specifics on how to remedy it, but it's on the forum somewhere. Don't limit your searches to just sun cat page.

[Jim in TC]

Little to add but an observation about water in the cockpit: once when considerably overweight, with 4 in the cockpit and 2 in the cabin (most not lightweights, either) we took on maybe 3 or 4 inches of water in the cockpit which would not drain as the scuppers were no doubt submerged. In that setting the cabin remained dry.

We continue to get water in the cabin after a big rain, and the source of those leaks is stubbornly resisting diagnosis, but these are drips in the cabin and a small puddle at the mast step. Sponge quantity not pump!

I agree that the factory will be responsive and will be interested in their comments and resolution.

[bruce]

There is an older post about leaking from the scupper valves or such, but it wasn't clear what needed to he sealed.

These threads cover the scuppers themselves pretty well, but no scupper will stop water from coming up the drains is all conditions. The best, IMO, ball scuppers, will be sucked off it's seat once you get some way on.
https://cpyoa.com/forum/index.php?topic=12575.15
https://cpyoa.com/forum/index.php?topic=11757.msg88922#msg88922

I suspect your problem, as others have said, is in the drain piping.

[OldSarge]

I finally put my Cat back on its trailer to inspect the scupper drains & flaps. Turns out the lowest drain had bad sealant that allowed water to bypass the drain tube and enter the bilge. Rich at Hutchins was very good about communicating and was ready to do whatever was needed to resolve this issue, but as you can tell it's a very simple fix. I pulled all the others and re-bedded everything with marine adhesive & sealant since if you do one you might as well do all!

[bruce]

I'm glad you found the problem, and stopped the leak. I'm glad Com-Pac responded well, as they should, but a new boat shouldn't leak at the thru-hulls. The design of the drains at the transom is a known issue, as I mentioned earlier.

On the PC, the flat transom has a 3/4" plywood core, same thru-hull design. Not sure if or how the curved Sun Cat transom is cored, but if water continues to leak there any wood will rot making a much bigger problem.

Leaks at the Sun Cat thru-hulls are seen, but, if caught early, generally the  damage can be limited.