my new boat is filling up with water...

[JimD]

Finally got the new boat (Glen-L Minuet) in the water. Sails like a charm. But the bolt through the centerboard trunk that the board pivots on isn't sealed very well and after about only an hour in the water I had about two inches of h20 in the bilge. The bolt is only sealed with a neoprene gaskets at the moment, snugged down as tight as possible. Can anyone recommend a goop to stuff in/around the pin to slow the flood to a drip or two?

[Art Read]

When all else fails, 3-M's 5200. Can you disassemble it to get the "goop" where it needs to go? Actually, something like Sikaflex 291 might be a better choice if this is an area you can conceive of ever needing to re-do someday. What's under those "gaskets" now? Anything?

[JimD]

Thanks, Art. There's nothing under the makeshift gaskets except wood and glass. Its only a 15 footer so the centerboard trunk is 1/4 inch plywood, fiberglassed on the wet side, epoxied on the cabin side. I expect I'll be taking the board out at the end of the season as part of a general overhaul as I've only made kayaks before and sailboat construction is new to me. 5200 sounds like it would do the job. I've never used it. Hopefully I won't bust up the trunk in October when I take the pin out.

[JimD]

Art, I forgot to ask you more about the Sikaflex. Something I scrap off with out too much trouble in a few months would be better

[Dave R]

Jim, you don't want 5200, then. 4200 or the Sikaflex would be better. 5200 will grab on like a bulldog and not let go.

[Art Read]

What Dave said. 5200 is for ever. The 3-M 4100 or Sikaflex 291 "should" do the same thing but will peel off again with a little "persuasion" should you ever want it to. Maybe...

[Ed Harrow]

Not being able to "see" the issue, me thinks there are two problems. If there is only a flat rubber gasket under a flat washer, tightening the pivot bolt will help seal the gasket against the box, but won't do much to tighten the gastket against the bolt, or so it seems to me.

I think the gasket needs to be compressed in both directions to get a proper seal. What do the plans show for this assembly? Seems like an inverted cone washer with a thick gasket would do a much better job of sealing.

[JimD]

Thanks, all. I has some plumbers goop handy so I loosened off the bolt, gooped it around the rubber washers and tightened it back up. That might even be enough. Will put it in the water again tomorow and see what happens.

[capt jake]

I think the Plumbers Goop (great stuff) will tear out when the center board is rotated. It also sticks like the dickens (not as much as 5200) but it doesn't like to be moved around. Sounds like you need a gasket that will seal while allowing rotation?? Hmmm.... A thin peice of UHMW as a gasket/bushing? Maybe?

[JimD]

Thanks capt jake. The pin doesn't really move. Its not fixed to the centerboard. Its a very simple setup. The centerboard is half inch steel plate with a hole drilled through in the front corner. The pin is a standard 7/16 inch bolt that runs through one side of the trunk, through the hole in the board, and out the other side of the trunk. So the pin will wear a bit every time the board is raised and lowered, but it only costs a buck at any hardware store and will be easy to replace once a season or so.

[Mike Keers]

Jim,
I have a Glen-L 13, and the centerboard (altho wood)is pivoted the same way. I've tried a variety of things over the twelve or fourteen years I've owned the boat, and never been able to stop the leak entirely, for reason mentioned above.

This past season, I finally came up with the solution--instead of the bolt and Nylock and the variety of washers, gaskets, goops, etc, I cut a piece of SS rod a tiny bit shorter than the dimension from face of bed log to face of bed log--that is, each end of the rod is a little less than flush with the surface where the flat washers used to sit. I then made up two small plates about 1" x 2", and screwed these over the hole and end of the rod each side. The plates are set in silicone, which seals good but is removable. The plates keep the water out and the pin in. It's a simple matter to remove the board by pulling the plates, and using a drift to push the rod out if needed.

I used aluminum plates because the boat is only used in fresh water, and it's what I had. For salt water, I'd probably look to something else.

[capt jake]

I think Mike has the idea! I have a set of plans that outlines exactly what he is describing.
this sounds like the ticket to me. smile.gif

[ 06-23-2002, 01:59 AM: Message edited by: capt jake ]

[JimD]

Mike, I'll definitely keep that in mind for next season. I'm thinking of redoing the trunk over the winter, making it wider to accomodate a heavier board for more ballast, perhaps going to inch thick steel plate instead of the half inch the plans call for. At that time I'll make the trunk stronger and look at trying your solution. In the mean time some plumber's goop around a neoprene gasket with large flat steel washers overtop has stopped the leak completely for now.