Unauthorized Water
After finding one deep blister, I drilled a hole below it in search of more water. I ended up drilling 2 holes with perhaps gallons of water pouring out of the keel.
I'm looking into it, and I think water may be seeping from the bilge down into the keel, but I'd appreciate any advice people have.
View attachment 23638
Is your visible bilge area empty? I wonder if it generally stays empty of water? If so, some of it percolates down in the abyss by the ballast casting.
IIRC the factory glassed over the ballast area, and so there must be a place where water gets down below the normal sump. In turn, the sump collects water from the stuffing box and any other incidental leakage -- which normally should stay there to be pumped out.
One descriptive quibble if I may - the water is coming from your "hull" and the internal ballast in the keel cavity is inside that hull molding. So if there is ever a leak in that area, like from grounding damage, you'd notice it on the inside when/if it worked its way up to the sump.
Looks like the hull area where you drilled is solid and in good condition. Once the internal water accumulation is drained out it will be dry... until you fix the sump "leak" anyhow.
Good luck. Checking everywhere underneath the cabin sole might be a somewhat of a challenge. All of the sole pieces in our boat unscrew, but yours might be fastened differently.
Advice worth .01, with Friday discount. :0
