Dawncraft 25 Bilge water

[howell]

I have a Dawncraft 25, there have been quite a lot of leaks from windows and other small holes, I think a lot of water has made its way into what I think is described as a DRY bilge, can I cut a small inspection hole in the glass fibre floor in order to see if there is water there and pump it out. Where the are small cracks in the glass fibre floor, these are a bit moist at times. Thanks for any help.

[Naughty Cal]

There shouldn't be any water in there really. The bilge should be dry.

 

If you don't already have an access hole to the bilges then you will need to make one to get the water out. 

 

Most boats already have access somewhere. If not obviously be careful when cutting the hole not to go too deep!

 

A wet vac is useful for getting all of the water out.

[Tony Brooks]

Can someone who really knows Dawncraft confirm it really does have a GRP floor or an inner moulding that includes the floor. I would have expeted this to be an older boat with loose floorboards so when I read GRP floor alarm bells ring.

[Iain_S]

As Tony says, it really needs someone who knows the Dawncraft. Some GRP boats have Integral buoyancy  between the inner and outer mouldings, which must be sealed to be effective.

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/547c70b740f0b602410000cb/Loch_Ryan-Open_Sports_Boat.pdf

 

[Tony Brooks]

What worries me is that the GP "floor"  might be the hull itself but without detailed knowledge of the design or possibly photos we can't be sure.

[Alan de Enfield]

Many years ago I had a 'twin skinned' GRP boat which was foam filled for buoyancy - the foam became (somehow) saturated  and the boat put on 'tons' of weight. The only way to remove some of the water was to drill a big hole thru the transom, at keel-height and fit a bung. Lift the boat out for the winter and it was surprising how much water dribbled out - but the foam was still soaking wet (which could be felt by poking about up the hole).

 

Never did sort it out and ended up selling the boat.

[Rickent]

1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

What worries me is that the GP "floor"  might be the hull itself but without detailed knowledge of the design or possibly photos we can't be sure.

I was thinking exactly the same, op needs to be 100% before making any holes.

[PaulJ]

Dawncraft has a floor exactly as described by Alan de Enfield. They are prone to the  bilge keel bolts leaking and saturating the foam between. The nuts on these are hidden between the two layers.

It is not uncommon to (carefully) drill a small access  hole to pump out water.

Measure carefully and if you are in any doubt do it out of the water as I have no idea what 'modifications' may have been carried out to your boat over the years or even if it is a Dawncraft!

 

Edited May 13, 2018 by PaulJ

[ronnietucker]

I have a Dawncraft 22 which has two angled seats at the front (see the diagram in my sig). Under those seats are wooden panels that lift up to give access to spaces with bags of gravel in them (ballasts I believe). Under the floor between the seats is a bilge pump. It's on/off switch is at the steering wheel on my boat.

[harrybsmith]

I believe early Dawncrafts had removable plywood floors throughout and thicker GRP layup on the hull, and at some point Dawncraft switched from this to having integral GRP floors and a thinner layup.  (Highbridge, who bought their moulds off Dawncraft, went back to the old system)

 

Look at the colour of the water, it probably is from leaking windows as it's nigh on impossible to stop them weeping a tad, however if there's lots and it's canal coloured then your wooden keel strips or one of the rubbing strakes may be slowly leaking