Stan wrote: >>My inner liner was very "tender" in that area and tended to crack when stepped on. YES! I noticed that same thing -- the floor seems extremely thin there where the porta-pottie sits. In fact, that's why it is so immediately apparent that there is water in there -- because the moment you step on it you can hear and feel the water sloshing inside -- kind of like a little waterbed. Are you saying that water may have actually seeped through from the inside of the cabin, through small cracks in the floor? It is true enough that this boat was kept, at least for the last year, outside in the elements. (Covered by a tarp but still.) If there IS a leak I'd like to find it this winter so I don't lose any sailing time next season. OK, here's the question for ALL you experienced M15ers out there: do I just pump out what's in there now and wait and see what happens when I put her in the water next season? Or do I perform the dreaded "fill-up-the-hull-with-water test" as soon as possible? PS: OK, Stan, point taken. My lovely bride does have a name. It's 'Debra' and she's kind of shy, so go easy on her. Steve & Debra Chicago, IL M15 #152
Steve, My 15 was also built in '81, in August. Furious construction schedule back then. I picked mine up in Houston, TX for $3500 and did a round trip from Pittsburgh in 4 days. Storm Petrel also had some water in the bilge. I bailed/sponged it dry and haven't had a drop since, except for spilling and splashing. I hope you are as lucky. The floor of the potty well is thin but never seemed wet on my boat. This spring I repaired a small amount of rot in the cockpit locker covers, around the hinges. If it hasn't already been done, your decks should be checked for any soft or mushy spots. The water could have come through one or more deck fittings, and have impregnated the balsa deck core - a bad thing. There is info on what to look for, and how to repair it, in the MSOG archives and magazines like Good Old Boat. A Midwest rendezvous sounds great - deal me in. Welcome to the group, and best of luck with #152. Bill Riker M-15 #184 Storm Petrel -----Original Message----- From: montgomery_boats-admin@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:montgomery_boats-admin@mailman.xmission.com]On Behalf Of Steve_McClellan@hmco.com Sent: December 19, 2001 5:29 PM To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: M_Boats: Welcome aboard Stan wrote: >>My inner liner was very "tender" in that area and tended to crack when stepped on. YES! I noticed that same thing -- the floor seems extremely thin there where the porta-pottie sits. In fact, that's why it is so immediately apparent that there is water in there -- because the moment you step on it you can hear and feel the water sloshing inside -- kind of like a little waterbed. Are you saying that water may have actually seeped through from the inside of the cabin, through small cracks in the floor? It is true enough that this boat was kept, at least for the last year, outside in the elements. (Covered by a tarp but still.) If there IS a leak I'd like to find it this winter so I don't lose any sailing time next season. OK, here's the question for ALL you experienced M15ers out there: do I just pump out what's in there now and wait and see what happens when I put her in the water next season? Or do I perform the dreaded "fill-up-the-hull-with-water test" as soon as possible? PS: OK, Stan, point taken. My lovely bride does have a name. It's 'Debra' and she's kind of shy, so go easy on her. Steve & Debra Chicago, IL M15 #152 _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
Welcome, Debra, to the ranks of happy Montgomery sailors ! Steve, look into the three storage wells inside the cabin for signs of water (that old ring around the bathtub look) and around both windows. If water got in any of the compartments it could move under the interior molded shell and would settle in the vicinity of the potty location. And, yes, I believe water could seep through cracks in the gel coating and fiberglass interior liner and get trapped under the potty location. That might be the best of the possible reasons for water to be collecting there. When the outside cockpit gets water in it, it drains around the line used to raise and lower the center board. It isn't unusual for wave action to cause a back flow of some water up into the cockpit. You've probably read the many solutions found for that. However, thanks to an incomplete glassing job on the trunk, I took water in the cabin as well as the cockpit until I found the flaw and patched the thin fiberglass housing through which the center board line and the cockpit drain pass. There is only about a 3/4 inch drain hole on the floor of the cockpit but the housing below the deck opens into a square or rectangular shape and is totally hollow. The water normally fills the (long rectangular) center board keel cavity and when there is sufficient pressure it will push upward, fill the trunk and squirt up out of the drain. If that trunk isn't sealed, water will flow out into the sump and eventually flood the floor. Give the hull a very close examination for holes, cuts or deep nicks. Hopefully, you will not find any spongy areas but test for them anyway around any possible holes. If the water isn't coming through the hull you are in luck - all you need do then is find where water is leaking down into your cabin. (down is better than up) I've never tried filling a cabin with water to find a leak - and don't think I ever will. By the way, when you take her sailing, don't let the center board down (or pull it up) too enthusiastically. The pivot point for that very heavy centerboard is tough but it is vulnerable. I expect your 1981 board has multiple cracks and fractures in that stress area by now. Mine came crashing out a few years ago and I had a ball getting it fixed. Stan Carol II, #177
Steve, Any chance the boat was trailered in a rain? I've had water creep in under the slider. Do you have a vent that could have allowed some leakage? Steve P Sojornen M15-159 ----- Original Message ----- From: <Steve_McClellan@hmco.com> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2001 2:28 PM Subject: Re: M_Boats: Welcome aboard
Stan wrote: >>My inner liner was very "tender" in that area and tended to crack when stepped on.
YES! I noticed that same thing -- the floor seems extremely thin there where the porta-pottie sits. In fact, that's why it is so immediately apparent that there is water in there -- because the moment you step on it you can hear and feel the water sloshing inside -- kind of like a little waterbed.
Are you saying that water may have actually seeped through from the inside of the cabin, through small cracks in the floor? It is true enough that this boat was kept, at least for the last year, outside in the elements. (Covered by a tarp but still.)
If there IS a leak I'd like to find it this winter so I don't lose any sailing time next season.
OK, here's the question for ALL you experienced M15ers out there: do I
just
pump out what's in there now and wait and see what happens when I put her in the water next season? Or do I perform the dreaded "fill-up-the-hull-with-water test" as soon as possible?
PS: OK, Stan, point taken. My lovely bride does have a name. It's 'Debra' and she's kind of shy, so go easy on her.
Steve & Debra Chicago, IL M15 #152
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participants (4)
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Bill Riker -
Stan Winarski -
Steve & Diana Parsons -
Steve_McClellan＠hmco.com