1973 Pearson P26 Leak

[P26guy]

Hey everyone I am new to this forum and am looking for a little advise. I have a 73 Pearson P26 with a little water leak problem. I really love this boat but, I am finding that when I am sailing close hauled and healing pretty good, I am getting water entering my storage holds in the cabin on both sides of the boat. I think the water is leaking from under the rub rail where the deck is attached to the hull. Has anyone seen this before, and is there an easy not too expensive fix? Any help would be appreciated.

Mike

[JimsCAL]

By "storage holds" do you mean under the settees? If so, its more likely coming from the bilge. I doubt the rub rail is submerged unless you are close to being knocked down.

[celenoglu]

Although the hull to deck joint is a possible suspect, it is not easy to overcome this problem. The best way is to try to keep your boat more upright. Normally this part should not be immersed when sailing (at least not always). There might be other places where water can find a way. Check your boat by heeling to one side and then the other. Make sure where the water is coming from.

[southerncross31]

Check the portlights...if you take water over the rail.

[P26guy]

Thanks for the replies. I did have all of the portlights resealed which were leaking when it rained. I dont have the rail submerged when healing but think its more of the waves crashing underneath. The waves the other day were about 1 to 2 feet. One thing I did not do is concentrate water onto the rub rail which I will try when I get back to the boat. I did however soak the deck of the boat for quite some time to check for leaking hardware. I will let everyone know what I find.

[arf145]

Any thru-hulls open that shouldn't be? With our boat, the head sink thru-hull has to be closed when heeled to stbd or seawater can flow inside through the drain.

[L124C]

Originally Posted by JimsCAL

By "storage holds" do you mean under the settees? If so, its more likely coming from the bilge. I doubt the rub rail is submerged unless you are close to being knocked down.

I don't know where you sail JimsCAL, but in the SF bay, we bury the toe rail (above what are commonly referred to as "rub rails") on a fairly regular basis. Not for extended periods, but certainly in the gusts. To the OP; Your toe rails could be leaking. I recently re bedded mine with Butyl Tape. I'm also currently chasing a leak on my boat. Search this site (and my threads) for more info. I also highly recommend Jim Casey's book "Sailboat Maintenance". A little pricey, but worth every penny IMO.

[Siamese]

Ditto on checking the thru hulls. I had water coming into the shelf behind my dinette on my Catalina 309. Had to be the window in the hull, right. Nope.

Turned out that when I slammed down on some big Lake Michigan waves, water was forced through the drain for the sink in the head. Water pooled on the counter-top, found it's way past the bulkhead, and settled behind the dinette where it began to mess with the veneered plywood.

Now I make sure I don't leave the thru hull open in the rough stuff.

Water is sneaky stuff.

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by P26guy

... I am finding that when I am sailing close hauled and healing pretty good, I am getting water entering my storage holds in the cabin on both sides of the boat.

Which "storage holds?" Are you talking about the storage under the port and starboard settees? Have you checked the bilge? If there's water in it, it could be rolling out of the bilge and into those storage areas. That used to happen on Abracadabra, when she tended to have more-than-usual water in the bilge because she needed a her stuffing box re-packed.

Jim

[JimsCAL]

Originally Posted by L124C

I don't know where you sail JimsCAL, but in the SF bay, we bury the toe rail (above what are commonly referred to as "rub rails") on a fairly regular basis.

I owned a Peason 26 for 10 years. The topsides are pretty high for that sized boat. I think you would have to be over 45 degrees or more before the rub rail would be in the water. If you do this regularly you are not sailing the boat very well.