Subject: Fresh water accumulation in R-27/OB's cockpit's bilge
This issue has been and still is a case for Sherlock. 😱
I was convinced I had found out where the fresh water (rain) was entering the R-27/OB's aft-most bilge.
What I have been seeing after a few days of wind and heavy rain is that fresh water accumulates in the aft-most bilge to the extent it runs through the seep hole between the aft-most bilge and the main bilge area where the auto bilge pump is located.
Today I tested my theory. I filled the well under the engine that has a single drain. This drain passes the well water accumulations through a fairly large (maybe 2" dia) hose to the outside side of the stringer projection for the engine mount and transom platform. My thoughts were that this drain somehow leaked either at its connection point at the well, at some connection point between this and where it eventually passes the water outside or even a small hole puncture in the hose itself. Any water escaping in this fashion would leak to the aft most bilge area directly under the engine well.
Today I filled the well with fresh hose water and leaped back into the cockpit with flashlight in hand to inspect what I thought would surely reveal the leak. But no... there was not a drop of water to be seen leaking down into the aft-most bilge. I checked the well to ensure the water was draining and it was, albeit rather slowly. It is slow because the drain line is practically horizontal inside the area under the well and runs over to the side exit port (see 2nd photo below and the exit port is clearly visible immediately to the left of the person's left leg) which is half submerged in outside water... that is at the water line at this part of the hull.
So now I have to believe the fresh water (rain) is entering the aft-most bilge from some other place.
Upon further examination of all the area above the aft-most bilge the only possibility so far is that somehow driving rain water is being pushed into hole that the F300 and Kicker motor conduits carry wires through the transom. The hole is fitted with a plastic shroud with an outside flange to fit the hole snuggly and then the corrugated conduit with its wires inside lays inside of this. Inside the corrugated conduit exits the plastic shroud by about 1" and the wires are then fully exposed. Thus, there's a gap around and between the corrugated conduit and the plastic shroud through which driven rain water could find its way through and leak down into the aft-most bilge. I did notice some water residue inside the plastic shroud on the inside where the wires become exposed.
So my next test will be to spray a fine mist of water at the outside of the transom's ports where the plastic shroud's flanges are located to see if there's sufficient water flowing through the gap between the plastic shroud and the corrugated conduit to convince me this is how fresh water leaks into the aft-most bilge.
Here's a picture of the aft-most bilge I'm referring to... The first picture is for the R-23 which has a very different assembly for mounting the engine. The 2nd two pictures are for my R-27/OB model.
Goto my photo album here to see the 3 pictures -- http://www.tugnuts.com/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=51464
The aft-most bilge for the R-27/OB is beyond the two legs and a close up for this area is the last photo.
This issue has been and still is a case for Sherlock. 😱
I was convinced I had found out where the fresh water (rain) was entering the R-27/OB's aft-most bilge.
What I have been seeing after a few days of wind and heavy rain is that fresh water accumulates in the aft-most bilge to the extent it runs through the seep hole between the aft-most bilge and the main bilge area where the auto bilge pump is located.
Today I tested my theory. I filled the well under the engine that has a single drain. This drain passes the well water accumulations through a fairly large (maybe 2" dia) hose to the outside side of the stringer projection for the engine mount and transom platform. My thoughts were that this drain somehow leaked either at its connection point at the well, at some connection point between this and where it eventually passes the water outside or even a small hole puncture in the hose itself. Any water escaping in this fashion would leak to the aft most bilge area directly under the engine well.
Today I filled the well with fresh hose water and leaped back into the cockpit with flashlight in hand to inspect what I thought would surely reveal the leak. But no... there was not a drop of water to be seen leaking down into the aft-most bilge. I checked the well to ensure the water was draining and it was, albeit rather slowly. It is slow because the drain line is practically horizontal inside the area under the well and runs over to the side exit port (see 2nd photo below and the exit port is clearly visible immediately to the left of the person's left leg) which is half submerged in outside water... that is at the water line at this part of the hull.
So now I have to believe the fresh water (rain) is entering the aft-most bilge from some other place.
Upon further examination of all the area above the aft-most bilge the only possibility so far is that somehow driving rain water is being pushed into hole that the F300 and Kicker motor conduits carry wires through the transom. The hole is fitted with a plastic shroud with an outside flange to fit the hole snuggly and then the corrugated conduit with its wires inside lays inside of this. Inside the corrugated conduit exits the plastic shroud by about 1" and the wires are then fully exposed. Thus, there's a gap around and between the corrugated conduit and the plastic shroud through which driven rain water could find its way through and leak down into the aft-most bilge. I did notice some water residue inside the plastic shroud on the inside where the wires become exposed.
So my next test will be to spray a fine mist of water at the outside of the transom's ports where the plastic shroud's flanges are located to see if there's sufficient water flowing through the gap between the plastic shroud and the corrugated conduit to convince me this is how fresh water leaks into the aft-most bilge.
Here's a picture of the aft-most bilge I'm referring to... The first picture is for the R-23 which has a very different assembly for mounting the engine. The 2nd two pictures are for my R-27/OB model.
Goto my photo album here to see the 3 pictures -- http://www.tugnuts.com/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=51464
The aft-most bilge for the R-27/OB is beyond the two legs and a close up for this area is the last photo.