sadler 25 - water in bilges

[jazdow1]

I'm getting a fair amount of water in the bilges of my Sadler 25. Mostly the aft two. Cant' trace where it may be coming from. The water tastes salty. Has anyone had similar experience with this boat?
JD

 

[SoSageofLorn]

Have you checked the shaft seal?

 

[CraigB]

Have you been sailing in rough seas? On my S34 I usually get a little bit of seawater in the engine bilge which gets in via the cockpit lazarettes when we get a lot of water over the cockpit.

 

[NFCN]

Someone gave me some very god advice the other day. Dry the bilges out thoroughly, and lay pink loo roll strips where you think the water might be coming in. The paper changes rapidly to red when wet and you should be able to chase down the leak quite easily.

Shaft seal would be my bet, then raw water sea cock, then impeller.

 

[johnlilley]

Hi there
shaft seal could be leaking but occasionally the flexible connection (rubber tube) that connects the gland to the stern tube deteriorates on the underside due to grease & rubber incompatability and allows continual dripping which is difficult to see. When new these are hard, when about to fail they become very soft and you can feel they are not too good, particularly the hidden underside.
The other area is the tube itself which sometimes develops bonding failure and subsequent leakage. All in the same area.

John Lilley

 

[charles_reed]

\'Fraid it\'s

all a question of probabilities, which you'll need to check out in an order similar to this, usually in gear and under power:-

1. Most inexplicable leaks (IME) are down to a leak on the raw-water system, usually a pump seal or perished pipe.
2. If the water is oily, check that the exhaust hose/muffler aren't leaking.
3. Prop shaft, either leaking gland or (if you have one) leaking flexible from stern tube to seal. The latter, because it's under the least pressure is the less probable.
4. Raw water inlet, seacock, pipe or filter.

 

[davies]

Using loo paper as a water detector is fine if the boat leaks in harbour but, if it is a moving-boat or rough-sea problem, the likely result is bilge pump strum boxes blocked with paper mush.

 

[dansaskip]

If your sadler is built like my sadler 25 then I wouldnt suspect the shaft seal - any drips from mine or seawater cooling cock are kept within the engine compartment. When you say back 2 bilges - do you mean the rear 2 in the cabin sole?
It could be leaks around stanchion bases or toerail from splashes on deck.
If you mean the stern 2 acessed via the cockpit lockers then maybe its from the cockpit drains or exhaust exit.

Hope this helps

 

[jazdow1]

Yes the shaft seal does drip a bit but not enough to explain the amount we get cominig in. I have created a dam to isolate the engine bilge so that contains any water there.

 

[jazdow1]

The water is first noticed in the aft cabine bilges - not under the engine. We were out on Saturday last in v wet, choppy weather and the bilges filled up spilling on to the cockpit floor when heeled.
My feeling is the water is coming from the hull joint or stanchions.
I'll need to investigate further.
Thanks for all the comments.