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It’s a Grampian
After the marina put it in the water there was water inside the boat. We pumped the water out and It’s not talking on water now.
It’s a Grampian
12 Responses to “What would cause a sailboat to take on water after being put in the water?”
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October 25th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
a hole in the boat
October 26th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
um, gee I suppose putting it in the water might have something to do with it.
If it was drydocked for a long period, seams could have shrunk away from each other, and now that it’s wet, they have swollen to the point that they’re sealed up…maybe, I don’t really know, but if’n it’s not leakin anymore, who gives a……dang.
have a beer and enjoy the ride.
October 28th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
It was probably rain or a wave that knocked water in if it is not recurring. If you ran the enine and it took on water it could be a problem somewhere there.
if it was still taking on water I would say a hole or crack, but it is not.
October 30th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
There is caulking, etc around both the keel and various through-hulls that dries a bit after being out of water. A little seepage when the boat first goes in is normal, and always expect to have a little water in the bottom of the bilge. I haven’t seen a boat yet that is absolutely water-tight.
You’ll want to make a mental or physical note of what is the normal amount in the bilge, and what is abnormal, so you know if you do really have a leak.
November 1st, 2009 at 11:43 am
It sounds like you have a wooden hulled boat. When it was dry, the seams opened and allowed the water in. Later, the wood swelled and closed the seams, making it watertight.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Grampians usually have toilets on board that discharge outside. It could be the valve was a little open upon putting it in the water and closed after the boat settled in the water. Another possibility is that a hull fitting was pried open while in the sling and closed after being put in the water as the stress was now even on the boat instead of on the parts held by the sling.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:02 am
if by chance its a wooden sail boat alot of times the wood has to swell to fill small spaces between planks. after they swell the leaks would stop. hope u have a wooden boat or else i was useless sorry
November 6th, 2009 at 2:40 am
boats are usually blocked with the stern slightly lower than the bow so rain water can drain out the cockpit scupper perhaps yours wasn’t,or perhaps rain water gathered in a hidden corner of the bilge and became apparent when the boat was righted,also check your snuffing box
November 6th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Is it a wooden hull? Then the water expands the wood and the leak stops. If it’s an inboard water cn leak in the stuffing box… where the shaft goes through th boat into the water. Or when the boat was last run there could be a leak in the intake water hose. Start the engine an check the connections.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
I had this too….. I replaced the seacocks and there is a wooden backing plate that helps spread the load. Well….I didnt calk it good enough when I installed the new seacocks. As soon as the boat went back into the water, There was a bit of a leak . Water just seeped in. Maybe a half gallon in 24 hours. After the backing plate swelled up with water, the leak stopped.
People with wooden boats have this problem if they have their boats out of the water for a long time and then they go back in. The wood dries out, shrinks and leaks until it swells up with water again. .
If it isnt leaking now, dont really worry too much about it.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
If it is a wooden planked boat, the planks have probably shrunk. They will swell after a couple days, to a couple of weeks. If the leaks continue, you may have a concern. Most wooden boats leak, this is normal.
November 11th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
when any boat has been out of water they “dry out” this causes the bout to “shrink” opening all gaps b/tween the timbers. put boat back in water and timbers swell …….gaps close. if it has an inboard motor fitted the packing at stern flange will do the same thing. so not to worry and welcome to the joys af boating….. may the sea be kind and the winds fair