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Old 07-06-2020, 08:54 PM   #1
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Vessel Name: Higher Ground
Vessel Model: 1972 Gulfstar Trawler
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1972 Gulfstar 36

Hello- I am the new owner of a 72 gulfstar trawler 36’ boat. I am in need of some advice. I put the boat in the water last week and it began taking on water at a rate that operates the bilge pump every 20 minutes. My question is this normal? In the survey the condition of the hull is rated good but notes a minor crack in the keel FRP Port And starboard forward of midship. The previous owner said he would repair this every year before putting it in the water With fiberglass mesh and some resin but pulling it for dry storage usually put pressure on the keel and opened it back up. If this is in fact the cause of water coming in can it be fixed from the outside or is a larger undertaking needed ie removing the floor inside and addressing.
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Old 07-07-2020, 12:32 AM   #2
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I hate to say it, but it isn't normal for bilge pumps to need to cycle that often. You didn't say how long they pump or how much water they move when they come on. But, all other things being equal, I wouldn't feel at all safe with that situation.

Pump it dry, using external pumps and a shop vac as needed and get down there and see where it is coming from -- soon.

If your boat loses power, which isn't all that uncommon at a marina, you could be without pumps. It happens more often than one might imagine. We lost a boat at my marina that way about a month ago (slow leak became not so slow on engine raw water hose), nearly lost one earlier that same night (I pumped it out until the marina got a hold of the owner and BoatUS took over and then towed it away, cause remains unknown to me). And, another one nearly became a reef in January, but was saved by another neighbor -- but not before $15,000.00 of damage in the engine room. Many, many years ago, long before my time, my own boat reportedly took on water due to a muffler or two rotting out at the weld.

Leaky raw water hoses are giving a warning. That drip can become a tear fast. Ditto for rotted out mufflers. And, other things. There are also plenty of things that just need adjustment to be squared away, e.g. packing glands, etc.

It isn't unusual for cockpit hatches or other things to have minor leaks in the rain -- but significant leaks can, over time, be a risk.

If you are running off shore water (an idea that makes many of us nervous), especially while unattended -- a leak in the freshwater system can also sink the boat.

Some leaks can't sink a boat, e.g. a freshwater link when running from tankage or a holding tank but ewwww) or related plumbing or fixtures.

At any rate, back to your keel. That situation doesn't sound good to me. But, I don't know how that keel is attached. If it is glassed in, it can't sink the boat -- unless someone drilled through the hull into it, e.g. when mounting something to the hull. If it is bolted on (which I doubt, but don't know), bolts can be sources of leaks if the keep is compromised -- but I wouldn't expect that much that fast.

As for the fiberglass repair -- that makes very little sense to me. Fiberglass isn't hard to fix. It just has to get ground down for a large enough area and built back up in layers. Then sanded, primed, and painted. Especially below the water line and bottom painted, that ain't hard or necessarily particularly expensive. It sounds like the PO just made a cosmetic repair and effectively glass taped over the crack vs doing it right. In any case I'd recommend doing it right.

I think fixing the keel would be done from the outside while the boat is out of the water. If the keel is leaking into the hull, how much of a project that is depends upon how and how much. But, it might be best done with the keep as it'll be easier to dry out on the hard.

Depending upon how water is getting from the outside, through the keel, and through the hull into the boat, it could be as easy as some splash zone (2-part resin). Or, it could be complex

At any rate, I'd recommend digging into it sooner than later and if needed, hauling the boat while it gets sorted out.

Danger! Danger! Will Robinson! Danger!

Good luck!
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Old 07-07-2020, 03:28 AM   #3
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There is no such thing as a normal leak on a FRP boat. They may be common, but in my opinion, should not be considered normal. A wet bilge greatly complicates leak detection and remediation. If you ask me, a bilge pump should not cycle every 20 days let alone 20 minutes. A dry bilge is the greatest gift you can give yourself and your boat. Unfortunately, it's a rare one. Few owners spend the time and effort to get there but once achieved, is much easier to maintain.

Your post is unclear whether the keel fissure is indeed the source of the leak. Frankly, I'm having a hard time visualizing a keel to hull joint on a trawler so cannot imagine what your Surveyor saw and what your the PO was talking about. As the previous post said, fiberglass isn't hard to repair. Takes some talent to make it look good (which I don't have) but if it's out of the water, $50 of resin and some cloth go a long way towards a repair even with a Neanderthal like myself.

You need to find the leak. Most likely culprit is a leaking stuffing box, especially if the boat is dried out over the winter. On a boat of this vintage, if it still has the old wedge style sea cocks, that would be number 2 on my list. But you need to find the leak. You might be able to wait for repair until next haul, but find the leak.

Good luck

Peter
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Old 07-07-2020, 12:11 PM   #4
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Not to pile on, but I cast a third vote for absolutely NOT normal, and absolutely needs to be fixed SOON!
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