Hi Everybody,

Myself and another bloke own a Hood 23 swing keel model which we keep in the water at a mooring. The boat appears to have a leak. Approximately 1 litre of salty water every 5 hours or less is entering the bilge somewhere. The seacocks for the toilet are definitely not the culprit. The most likely culprit we think is the fibreglass casing for the swing keel. However, we can't make out exactly where the water is coming in. Also, it looks like we will have to remove the fibreglass floor covering the bilge at A in the photo to inspect further.

Does anybody have any suggestions or experience with this problem? Also, is there any other sailing forum that I should also post this question on?

Thank you.

Thank you. I will also post the question there.

Ramona said..
If you think the leak is at A then force some "Knead it" into the gap. Just cut off a small section and knead it. Goes off in about 10 minutes.
www.selleys.com.au/products/adhesives/minor-repairs/selleys-knead-it-aqua

Don't worry about drying the area much knead it works under water. If that stops the ingress then the leak is under the floor. Then next time the boats out of the water find the source on the outside and fix.

good stuff that knead it

w8ingforwind said..
Keel bolt ????

It's a swing keel and the pivot bolt should be above the waterline. Probably a crack along the bottom edge of the keel box.

Ramona said..

w8ingforwind said..
Keel bolt ????

It's a swing keel and the pivot bolt should be above the waterline. Probably a crack along the bottom edge of the keel box.

I thought they were the same as the 20, a swinging blade inside a big lump of iron about 200kg which is bolted to the underside of the hull.

PeterHazael said..

Ramona said..

w8ingforwind said..
Keel bolt ????

It's a swing keel and the pivot bolt should be above the waterline. Probably a crack along the bottom edge of the keel box.

I thought they were the same as the 20, a swinging blade inside a big lump of iron about 200kg which is bolted to the underside of the hull.

One off the bolts holding the lump of iron to the hull not the swinging bolt