Keeping the boat dry

[wroundey]

Bought my1981 CP 16 in January so I have not had the chance to put her in the water yet. This afternoon when I was crawling around inside I noticed that I evidently have some deck leaks (probably some bad bedding to deal with when it stops raining). But the water is in two areas:  just forward of the compression post and in the low area between the two "berths". I don't know what is under each of these area so the idea of drilling holes scares me, but I need some way to drain the water and get it out of the boat. Suggestions? I am in St Charles, MO so if there are any CP 16 owners in the area I would not mind coming out to take a look at your boat (or vice versa) and see how you take care of this.

[MacGyver]

You are pretty close to me, but still far away.... I am in Carlyle Illinois, Right on Carlyle Lake.

Had to go to  a Nuero in St Charles... havent been back since.
Is there any way you could take pictures and post or send em?

Also, CLR is a get together at Carlyle Lake's West Access Marina on July 11-15, 2013
It is hosted by kickinbug on here, cool dude, and the people there are a lot of fun. Details on it in the General Announcements part

Also, while I am thinking about it, be sure to store the boat Nose high! gets that boat draining really well, and also the water should all run to the bilge.

Mac

[wroundey]

How does the water access the bilge? I did tilt the trailer and noticed that there was not any water back in the battery box. How do I post photos to this site? I would be glad to share some.

[Smier]

There is no bilge on the CP16, the cabin is the lowest point you can easily access and is formed by the hull itself.  In between the two bunks is the concrete filled keel.  It is just under a somewhat thin coat of fiberglass material.  You can tip the boat back on the trailer and allow all the water to drain to the rear of the boat to get it out for now.  I would recommend tarping the boat until you can figure out where the water is coming from to prevent further damage until repairs can be made.  I have some pictures of other members boats I can upload later if you'd like.

[kearns]

Last spring I encountered a similar problem.  My first inclination, like yours, was to reseat and seal most of the deck hardware because I presumed the leak was coming from the deck.  Wrong.  After a maddening two months of searching (there was water in the boat after every heavy rain), I realized that the leak was in the hull - deck joint not on the deck itself.  Removal of the rubrail and resealing with 5200 did the trick.  Wait for a hot day to do this, because the rubber rub rail is easier to work with when it is really warm out.  Stretching it and reattaching it is a chore.  But the boat is dry as a bone now.  In my detective work, I discovered that there is a kind of interior "channel" along the sheer line inside the boat.  The water would sit between the rub rail and the boat after a rain, find its way to this interior (probably through several locations) but then would work it way along this interior channel till it found even a small opening (usually at the "bottom" most point of the sheer line amidships).  My water settled near the foot of the bunks and also dampended the carpet lining on the interior of the hull (near the chain plates).  It was soooo difficult to find because it was deceptive.  Anyway, maybe my saga will help you.

[wroundey]

We had a bunch of rain the past two days and when I checked the boat just now it looks just like it did on Saturday before the rain. My question today - if I raise the trailer tongue so the water runs towards the stern, where does it go? I have a battery compartment in the back of the cockpit and I looked in there and did not see any water. Are there some more rear drains that might be clogged up? Do I have to slither back in the berth area to clear things out (or pay one of my small kids to do that for me)?

[nies]

If you have a CP16 the water is sitting in the stern of the boat somewhere, I would lower the bow and see if the water comes forward and sponge it out, at least in my 16 there are no internal drains..............nies

[Smier]

On my 1980 CP16, the battery compartment in the stern, located under the hatch between the two cockpit seats is wide open.  I can look from inside the cabin alway the way under the cockpit to the rear transom.  My boat is basically hollow, so if I were to pick up the trailer tongue. Any water would run to the stern, directly under that hatch and I could easily sponge it out.  There are no drains.

[wroundey]

Ah, and since I  tilted my trailer and did not see any water back at the battery box, I must have some sort of blockage under the cockpit that prevents the water from getting back that far - time to send in the kids to check it out.

[kickingbug1]

    with the curve of the hull, you will have to tilt that bugger up pretty far to get any water all the way to the stern gotta be a pain anyway you slice it. as to the clr, if you can make it please do and like mac said check the site and find the particulars. also if you want to get together for a sail my boat or yours at carlyle lake this spring give me a yell. always happy for a crew.   fordtruck52@yahoo

[Smier]

I have my 16 on the original trailer, tipping the boat up is very easy as the boat is almost perfectly balanced on the trailer.  With the rudder assembly removed, simply chock the wheels so it can't roll, and pick up the tongue.  Mine is quite easy to lift.  I'd do it in the grass to keep from scratching or damaging the stern.  If you look at this photo here, you can see that the axle placement on the factory trailer is pretty close to the center of the boat.  It's why you can't stand in the cockpit near the stern without flipping the bow up into the air.  I hate to say it, but I learned the hard way to hook my truck up to the trailer or to put a jack stand under the rear of the trailer frame after I forgot I had unhooked the truck and proceeded to climb into the boat, standing it on end!

[wroundey]

I have seen the mention of the CP gathering at Carlyle this summer and need to check my schedule - my wife has me busy with the wedding our oldest daughter in June so I may need some time on the water to recover. Kickingbug1 - I may take you up on the sailing offer just to get to know the boat better.

[Salty19]

Wroundey-  Hope to see you at CLR.

As for your leaks, I'll guess your mast step is leaking causing the forward water. Or it's leaking right at the bow fitting, running down the inside and falling on the forward area.    For the other area, are you talking about the sole, as in the floor between the bunks or behind the bunks?

I don't doubt a lot of older CP's could use a good once-over refitting of hardware and replacement of rub rails with new deck to hull adhesive at this stage in their lives.  I vote to do this as good preventative maintenance, and if if still leaks chase from there.

Also the scupper drain pipes inside the stern are known to sometimes experience failed PVC glue. These can leak while sailing but a water spray test might not. Then the water will go to the lowest point depending on how the boat is situated.

Dry out your boat well with an electric heater to prevent mold and rot water damage, reduce weight, etc. Then once totally dry ANY leaks will be detected quickly.

[MKBLK]

After a good rain, I always find water in the "bilge" of my '81 CP16. I'm pretty certain it is getting in via the not so perfectly sealed anymore hull/deck joint. The water flows down the forward deck and is directed right into the joint that the rub rail conceals. I simply jack the trailer as high as it will go and drain the water to the stern where my bilge pump pumps it out. A sponge does the rest. If the carpets have gotten wet, I pull them to air dry them and put a small electric heater in the cabin to help dry it out like Salty recommends (DON'T PUT THE HEATER ON WET DECK). Also I open the hatch and forward vent to improve air circulation when it's just a bit damp. Don't forget to close her up before nightfall or you'll just get more moisture.

Of course, if I plan on over-nighting on the boat, I need to seal that leak if I don't want to get wet. The water comes down the hull and onto the bunk before getting to the cabin deck. More critical, is a broken scupper tube. See my post under "Bilge Pump for a CP16" elsewhere on the CP16 forum.

Marty K.

[nies]

Had a leak a long time ago and made the boys stand in the driveway with a hose and act like a rain storm while dad sat inside and waited for water to show itself, turned out the hatch and sliding hatch needed to be matched very closely, the boys have forgiven me when they discovered what craze things they could make their children do in the name of boats..............................nies