Jet 14 Class

[Jet_600]

AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Ok, so now that is out of my system. Does anyone have any ideas on how to seal up the inside of a centerboard trunk? Cause, my boat don't float. In fact, quite the opposite, she really really likes to fill up with water.

I know I'm gonna have to seal the thru hull bailer, cause it isn't functional anymore as far as I can tell, but she's taking on water through the centerboard trunk too. I think. At least when we pulled it back out of the water a good portion of the boat full of water leaked out through the centerboard trunk.

Oh, and since this is her second sinking episode my boyfriend's name for her has stuck. She's now officially The Sub. Her unofficial name is the Blood Thirsty Sub, because it seems like I end up bleeding every time I put her in the water.

Oh and if anyone has a good idea of how to flip the boat over so I can seal the centerboard trunk, suggestions about that would be useful too.

[MZaugg]

Hello Colorado,

Getting the boat on it's side so you can get a good look into the trunk from the bottom is a good idea. Find a good open grassy spot, put the mast up. Get the boat off the trailer one way or the other. I tip up the trailer until the back of the boat is on the ground and can pull the trailer forward letting the boat roll on the rollers and pull the trailer out from under it. Then use the mast or halyard to pull the boat over and then put a weight on the end of the mast to hold it down.

Remove the centerboard. The leak will most likely be in the bottom three or four inches of the trunk. Look at the joint between the bottom of the trunk and the hull(fore and aft joint) and then the vertical joints between the trunk halves at the very front and back of the trunk. Even if you can't see an open seam or crack I would seal these, they are most likely the problem. You will need some fiberglass and epoxy. If you have a West Marine cataloge or better yet a store nearby that would be a very good place to start. You will need to sand or rough-up the existing fiberglass surface around each spot you want to seal or fix. Just enough to get a real good bond between the new fiberglass/epoxy and the old. A paint stir stick with some 80 grit sandpaper glued to it or a "green" scrub pad will work. It is not a pleasant job working away up in there but it must be done.

I have some cardboard on hand and wax paper so that once it is roughed up and I mix up the epoxy with a little thickener I work it into the joint, cover that while the epoxy is still wet, add more epoxy to saturate the glass then cover it with wax paper and slide the cardboard in that just fits the slot width to hold it all in place against the aft or forward joint. The fore and aft hull to trunk joint is the same but can be done with out the cardboard. I would do each joint separately as there are too many things to get done and hold in place before the epoxy starts to cure otherwise.

You can do the same thing to remove the suction bailer. Remove the bailer, grind and sand the surrounding hull to tapper to the hole. put waxpaper covered stiff cardboard on the opposite side then build up fiberglass and epoxy to fill the hole. Once it cures sand both sides smooth and paint.


Look for what is poking and cutting you. Cotter pins, sharp edges, exposed screws or bolts, grind or sand them or cover them with tape. Many of us spend a good deal of effort rounding and softening the cockpit parts and pieces looking for such items to make the boat as crew friendly as possible.

This all sounds harder or easier than it really is(?!?) But take your time and have some extra hands on deck when you are lifting or moving the boat and you should be fine.

Wish we could be more help.

Marion Zaugg, #1132

[Jet_600]

Hey,
that helps a lot. Gives me some good ideas on what to do anyway. I really appreciate the suggestions.

[Jet_600]

Update on my silly little boat. 600 is now propped up on her side in my backyard under a tarp and Colorado has decided to be rainy... of course today I got lucky and it didn't rain but my fiberglassing had to be put off by one day because of rain yesterday. It is coming along, slowly but surely. I hope to have it done, sometime ^.^

As long as I have patience things are going well. When I get impatient they start to go badly. Go figure.

On closer inspection, ie sticking my nose inside the centerboard trunk so I can see what is going on up there, I think I know where it is leaking from so I am concentrating my efforts on sealing up that area and a few other areas that my cause problems in the future where the old fiberglass inside the centerboard trunk has gone bad. The bottom bit has some glass and there are a few places where it is coming loose.

Again thanks for your advice.

Julie

[gobi]

Julie-

Bring it east. nationals are out here this year. we will fix it, you can race nationals and we will send you back with the yot not leakin'.

Best,


Michael
_________________
Michael Parramore
Jet-14 #646- "Green Beans"
Lyman 26- "Lym & Tonic"

Severn Sailing Association
Annapolis, MD