Prindle 1984 - Cross Bar Water Infiltration?

[big_water]

Hi There,
I have an 84 Prindle in great shape but... It takes on water even on dry land... Let me explain... It's been on dry land and I still need to drain the hulls periodically. I'm guessing that the gaps between the cross bars and the hulls lead to holes beneath the cross bar for cross bar bolts.

I'm guessing that when it rains here, this is where the water goes. I have inspected the top and sides and bottom of both hulls and all is well. I also looked at the top access holes and the rubber seems and seals seem fine.

My first tendency is to use marine grade caulking where the cross bars meet the hulls. I'm concerned about whether or not Prindle designed the hulls this way on purpose to allow the hulls to ventilate. Marine type caulking will not come off easy, hence why I am requesting advice. My drain plugs are also fine.

Advice appreciated...

Steph, Quyon Québec, Canada

[Ram]

no way were they designed that way , I had an 18' ft Prindle , about the same age as yours- I had it for about 10 years and beat the hell out of it, sailing offshore in 6 foot seas-mine never leaked- I sold it and 3 months later it broke apart offshore - great cat
5200 will fix it

[captainstubbie]

i have a nacre 18 square - just used the 2 part expanding foam (about $300 total) and filled both floats full. presto - no worries about water ever. been 5 years, no adverse performance effect, no more water inside the 'toons.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by captainstubbie

i have a nacre 18 square - just used the 2 part expanding foam (about $300 total) and filled both floats full. presto - no worries about water ever. been 5 years, no adverse performance effect, no more water inside the 'toons.

I dont beleave filling the hulls with foam will stop the water, it may just hide the water, then your boat gets heavy- i would take the cross members apart use 5200 and put it back together that will fix it- also would be a lot lighter than foam

[big_water]

I appreciate your input.

Our water levels are so low that all the previously hidden dead-heads (logs from the log boom era are sticking straight up 4 inches under water) are stalling me from taking the cat out - even now , Aug 6th!

I put marine grade caulking only on the horizontals where the brace meets the hulls in hopes that this is/was the problem. I'll see if the hulls are still empty soon.

I really appreciate your input - most generous.

Steph
Quyon, Québec Canada

[SearenitySail]

Did you carefully check the glue seam where the deck is glued to the hull. Many times that will appear solid, but leaks. Run a bead of silicone along it and spread out with your finger every couple of years.

Worked on my Hobie 16.

[big_water]

Yes, I used marine-grade caulking along the cross beams where the meet the hulls on each beam front and back.

Thanks for the feedback buddy...

Steph

Quyon Québec
Canada

[captainstubbie]

when i filled the 'toons with foam i put some paint along the waterline fore & aft so i could tell is the was getting heavier (soaking up some water) over time. to this day the marks are still @ the water line - if it has abosrbed some water, it sure isn't much. :-)

[TaoJones]

I had a Nacra 5.5sl that had a water intrusion problem in the starboard hull. I stored the boat at home with a tarp over the whole thing, so water never got in during rain. I did that, though, to protect it from the sun.

The first time I raced the boat, we waxed the fleet - and many of the other cats were bigger. It was a two-day event, though, and the second day we just could not get out of our own way. We had no speed at all and couldn't manage to fly the starboard hull. Really frustrating.

When the boat was hoisted out of the water at the end of the second day, the extra strain on the hoist was apparent. Then we heard the water sloshing in the starboard hull.

We set her back in the water, adjusted the slings forward and hoisted again. Once we had her about five feet above the water with the bows pointed up about 15* we opened the drainplugs - it took about fifteen minutes for the water to stop coming out.

We estimated we had been trying to sail with an extra 300 pounds of water in the starboard hull.

Keeping water (weight) out of your racing sled is a very good idea.

TaoJones

[big_water]

How was the water getting in?

Steph

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by big_water

How was the water getting in?

Steph

My Nacra had been placed with a beach cat dealer in Long Beach, but the PO had disassembled it for some reason. When the dealer, or his employees, had reassembled the vessel, the attachment of the aft crossbar to the starboard hull had not gone well, apparently. A bolt had gotten cross-threaded, then sheared off somehow and they had to drill it out. In the process of "fixing" it they created an opening into the starboard hull that they never even tried to remedy.

This had all been done hurriedly for the purpose of a scheduled test sail. They were just finishing up when I got there, and away we went. It was easy to miss on a casual inspection, but a close look after the fact revealed the shoddy nature of the work that had been done.

Still, without the starboard hull taking on water as it had, I would probably never have inspected the attachment so closely. It was a lesson I never forgot.

[2ndstar]

I used to sail 18 sq meters and would use a vacuum cleaner reversed to slightly pressurize the hull through the drainplug and sponge soapy water over the hull to find leaks. Bubbles will appear at the leaks. Be careful not to over pressurize the hull or damage may occur, ie let some of the air from the vacuum escape.

Carl

[big_water]

Good idea and safety guide. I'll keep that in my bag of tricks if the partial marine caulking (where the cross bars meet the hulls) does not solve the issue.

Much appreciated

Steph
Quyon, Québec
Canada