One important area to check when there is mystery water in the M17 bilge is the cockpit drain hoses and more particularly the through hulls to which they attach. When I first purchased my M17 I had unexplained water in the bilge. I wriggled back under the cockpit with a flashlight to investigate with the boat at the dock. I found a tiny bit of water dripping at the outlet end of one of the cockpit drain hoses and when I grabbed it to check more closely I stuck my thumb right through the metal nipple that was glassed into the hull as the attachment point for the drain hose! I quickly got the boat on the trailer and home for repairs. Since those outlets on the M17s are below the waterline a failure far from shore could be a disaster. The repair involved cutting out the old through hulls and glassing in some new 1-1/2" stainless steel tubing in their place. I was a total fiberglass repair novice at the time but it was doable with a little research and slow steady work. It was especially helpful that it didn't have to be cosmetically perfect, just strong. Check it out closely now, and make it an annual winter maintenance procedure to check those. You'll be glad you know the condition of the darkest recesses of your vessel. Mark Dvorscak Former M17 owner
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Gordon Gilbert Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2008 9:46 AM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats Subject: M_Boats: Bilge full of water I was just cleaning out my M-17 for the winter and I was surprised that the bilge was about three-quarters full of water. A small amount of water may have run in after spurting through the centerboard pennant hole (I generally keep it plugged, though), but I doubt that would have been enough to nearly fill the bilge. Also, the portable hand pump I had sitting partly in the bilge had a bit of rust-colored slime on it, suggesting that maybe the water came through the keel. I had the boat's keel trunk and centerboard worked on last winter to relieve a sticking board. When the shop first cut a hole in the keel to check for rusting ballast, they mistakenly cut partly through to the bilge on the first try (about a 2.5" diameter hole). Of course they reglassed everything, but I can still feel the cut round hole at the very bottom inside of the bilge right where the keel trunk is walled off. My questions are: 1. Does anyone else get much water in their bilge? I assume a completely dry bilge is the norm. I kept my boat on its trailer during the season, with the exception of a couple four- to five-day cruises. 2. Does anyone have suggestions on how to ensure a dry bilge in this situation? I suppose I could cover that hole area with a layer of thickened epoxy, but it's a tough area to access and clean and see what you're doing. Again, I'm not certain that the water came through this previously cut area. Thanks in advance for any suggestions! Gordon M-17 #377 "Sapphire" Milwaukee _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.173 / Virus Database: 270.8.1/1732 - Release Date: 10/18/2008 6:01 PM _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
