Drain (Bilge) Collection Chest - Leaking

jimL · Apr 15, 2016

This is a consolidated repost from another site – appreciate any thoughts.

I'm wondering if any other trawler owners have had leakage issues with the mid-ships or aft drainage collection (chest) boxes. In short....the box on the starboard side of my boat, glassed to the inside of the hull, leaks into the boat at that joint when water enters the box through the hull opening (wave action). Several hoses use that box to drain overboard: the starboard flybridge deck drain, main deck scupper and several bilge pumps.

I have tried many times to fix it, to the point where I'm considering sealing it off and running the hoses to two new thru hulls further forward (where I can actually get at the hull side). I'd rather not resort to that, but it's very challenging to access it from the engine room. All attempts at fixing it thru the hull opening have failed, though they did slow it down a bit.

I'd appreciate any advice I can get on this one.

JimL

C lectric · Apr 17, 2016

Can you post a photo or two?

Leaks at the joint between the box and the hull?

SOunds to me like the glass work has not adhered to one side or the other.
That usually comes from improper preparation OR maybe some water getting in the way BEFORE the resin has had time to set properly.

On the limited glass work I've done I have often found that if the glass is simply forced into a corner without a fillet of thickened material first, that the glass will pull away from the surfaces as you shift attention elsewhere, leaving gaps and voids. That fillet must have a good size radius. If that happened then you could lose the seal.

HeadMistress · Apr 17, 2016

I'm wondering if any other trawler owners have had leakage issues with the mid-ships or aft drainage collection (chest) boxes.

Would those "collection chests" also be known as sumps?

jimL · Apr 17, 2016

Here's a pic of the starboard aft chest leaking. It's aft of the starboard fuel tank and outboard of the starboard muffler.

Capt.Bill11 · Apr 17, 2016

Looks like you have leaks at the top and bottom. It appears in that photo at least like the box was inset into the hull form the out side.

Send a picture of the outside of the hull where the box is.

What boat builder had this bright idea pray tell?

jimL · Apr 18, 2016

This is where the chest empties out through this oval thru-hull. In theory, all the drains empty into this chest from the top, and the water is supposed to drain out. However, when you look inside, the bottom of the chest is at least an inch BELOW the thru-hull resulting in the water staying in the bottom of the chest. My guess is that over winters, it froze and caused the chest to separate. The question now, is how to repair?

I'm thinking if I could find a material to reline or seal the chest from the outside and also place enough filler of some type to raise the bottom of the chest so all the water drains out...... Mainship.

what_barnacles · Apr 18, 2016

Is it or the nylon fittings leaking?

rwidman · Apr 18, 2016

jimL said:
This is a consolidated repost from another site – appreciate any thoughts.

I'm wondering if any other trawler owners have had leakage issues with the mid-ships or aft drainage collection (chest) boxes. In short....the box on the starboard side of my boat, glassed to the inside of the hull, leaks into the boat at that joint when water enters the box through the hull opening (wave action). Several hoses use that box to drain overboard: the starboard flybridge deck drain, main deck scupper and several bilge pumps.

I have tried many times to fix it, to the point where I'm considering sealing it off and running the hoses to two new thru hulls further forward (where I can actually get at the hull side). I'd rather not resort to that, but it's very challenging to access it from the engine room. All attempts at fixing it thru the hull opening have failed, though they did slow it down a bit.

I'd appreciate any advice I can get on this one.

JimL

Have you asked a pro to fix it? Sometimes we have to do that. Look for someone who does fiberglass repairs.

hollywood8118 · Apr 18, 2016

for a easy repair how about vacuuming the part that holds water, then 5200 the point where the box contacts the hull from the inside. Then mix up epoxy and coat the inside of the box.. then mix epoxy with micro balloons and fill it so that it no longer holds water. after the paste cures coat with another epoxy only layer .. then paint.
It appears from the vertical weld this is a metal boat?
HOLLYWOOD

jimL · Apr 18, 2016

This is a fiberglass boat, not metal.

I had an initial evaluation at the yard where the boat is located. The yard owner crawled in the compartment and verified that the leak is from where the chest is seamed into the inside of the hull.

He indicated the 'right way to repair' is to grind down the fiber glass and re-seam the chest into the side of the hull.

WesK, The yard indicated that at this point in the season (Spring) they would not be in a position to do this and that I would have a hard time finding someone who would. He indicated that, except for the location of it, it’s not a difficult job, but because its accessibility is VERY limited, it would be a significant challenge to get to.

That repair would not solve the issue of the difference in elevation between the bottom of the thru-hull and the opening.

Hollywood, I like the idea of sealing with 5200 and then filling in the space between the bottom of the chest and the thru-hull. What is a micro balloon? and what other products could I use to do this? Would West Marine SixTen Epoxy or Epoxy Putty Stick work to raise the elevation inside the thru-hull?

Mainships have another thru-hull similar to this forward on the starboard side. This thru-hull only has a ¼” different in elevation – a ticking issue. That one is working ok, for now.

I appreciate your thoughts and ideas,

JimL

hollywood8118 · Apr 18, 2016

jimL said:
This is a fiberglass boat, not metal.

I had an initial evaluation at the yard where the boat is located. The yard owner crawled in the compartment and verified that the leak is from where the chest is seamed into the inside of the hull.

He indicated the 'right way to repair' is to grind down the fiber glass and re-seam the chest into the side of the hull.

WesK, The yard indicated that at this point in the season (Spring) they would not be in a position to do this and that I would have a hard time finding someone who would. He indicated that, except for the location of it, it’s not a difficult job, but because its accessibility is VERY limited, it would be a significant challenge to get to.

That repair would not solve the issue of the difference in elevation between the bottom of the thru-hull and the opening.

Hollywood, I like the idea of sealing with 5200 and then filling in the space between the bottom of the chest and the thru-hull. What is a micro balloon? and what other products could I use to do this? Would West Marine SixTen Epoxy or Epoxy Putty Stick work to raise the elevation inside the thru-hull?

Mainships have another thru-hull similar to this forward on the starboard side. This thru-hull only has a ¼” different in elevation – a ticking issue. That one is working ok, for now.

I appreciate your thoughts and ideas,

JimL

sorry for the confusion, i guess i looked too quickly at the seam to the left of the box and thought it was a weld.. one can clearly see the F/G cloth print through is one looks closely.
West system sells a few different kinds of fillers for their epoxies that will take up space.. the thing to watch is that the stuff fully cures before encapsulating it.
HOLLYWOOD

Capt.Bill11 · Apr 19, 2016

Pull off the outside trim ring and fill the low area and slope it towards the opening. You could fill the low space with spray foam or a core material and glass over it.

The seams shouldn't be to difficult to seal with glass cloth and epoxy.

jimL · Apr 19, 2016

Capt. Bill 11,

That's what I was thinking. I just need to figure out compound o use the bring the level of the bottom of the compartment up to a point where the fluids can drain off .

Thanks all for your comments.

JimL

rwidman · Apr 20, 2016

jimL said:
.......... WesK, The yard indicated that at this point in the season (Spring) they would not be in a position to do this and that I would have a hard time finding someone who would. He indicated that, except for the location of it, it’s not a difficult job, but because its accessibility is VERY limited, it would be a significant challenge to get to .............

There are other yards and there are many independent fiberglass people. I'm sure there are some in your town who would be willing to take on this project. Get on the Internet and do some searching.

I don't think you really need to raise the bottom, a little water in there isn't going to hurt anything but if you want the bottom raised, your fiberglass person can do it.

Drain (Bilge) Collection Chest - Leaking

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