Hi, I’ve looked at several Nonsuchs for sale and was surprised to see significant water in the bilge for all of them. All on the hard. All times after recent rains/or raining- clear.
What are the most common reasons for this? Any experience or thoughts? Best, James
Cant speak for all Nonsusch, but I keep a dry bilge, but after a hard rain i always get a little water in bilge. I suspect it comes from my leaky hatches and portlights, it comes down the anchor chain both fore and aft, some sneaks in through cockpit lockers or Head ventillation cowl. Not a lot, and bilge will be dry in a day or two…but water tends to find a way to sneak in somehow.
Ehrich Rose
SV KAHUNA
1987 NS 30U #391
Hernando Beach Florida
Ehrich Rose
SV Kahuna
1987 NS 30U #391
Hernando Beach Florida
In the case of Nonsuch Luck water was entering the bilge around the keel bolts. In the end, I had the keel dropped and re-bedded which has stopped the leaks. Rainwater still gets in via the mast and a small amount eventually makes its way in the bilge, but it doesn’t amount to very much.
Here’s a link to the photos I took of the whole process keel re-bedding.
Bob Illingworth
Nonsuch Luck 30U #367 (GBR1262T)
Moored Brightlingsea, UK cruising the rivers of East Anglia and the North Sea.
Hi James,
I suggest you solve the known problems first. Check the mast boot as that is a common area but easily fixable. I stuck pieces of paper towel in strategic locations to search for moisture after a rain to narrow down the problems. After re-bedding all the cabin and deck top fitting I finally was able to narrow the biggest problem to be the port deck drain which comes into my port bunk area and exits below port coaming area. The hose had a slit in it donating water into my bilge via the port cockpit locker and engine room.
My recommendation is to take your time, come up with a plan and eliminate areas. Look at the wood work work and cabin head liner to see indications of water damage. Most all of the problems are easily fixable. A moisture meter might be a good investment.
Keep in mind that these well built boats are old and bedding material probably needs replaced. When I bought my boat, I told my bride that I need to budget another 3K just to deal with issues such as this.
If you are looking for the perfect Nonsuch, then be prepared to pay accordingly. I would not shy away from purchasing a Nonsuch because of water in the bilge. Try to get a feel of why it’s there. Might be a simple fix. Just look around the boat to gets some hints. Unless you have core damage, these things are not a big deal. You might add to your vocabulary while working on them though.
Good luck,
Where are you from.
Cheers,
Butch
Butch Garren
Nonsuch 30, #196
Whiskers II,
Solomons, MD
Hi James,
I agree with Butch : most problems are easily fixable. This year, my NS22 was on the hard from October to June and there was no water in the bilge.
Good luck,
Roger Mongeau
NS22 27° Celcius #27
Magog, Canada
I haven’t looked at many other Nonsuches but I suppose you must be correct, most of them leak. Butch pointed it out in a previous post and I will do the same: If not maintained these boats take in rainwater like a sponge! Most of them are 30+ years old and sealant just doesn’t have that lifespan. If sealant hasn’t been replaced, it could be (probably is) like powder.
So, is water in the bilge a big problem? Could be, depends on where it’s coming from. If deck hardware of a Nonsuch leaks, it’s not directly noticable. They have a very luxurious interiour liner (in stead of vinyl) that allows water to drip behind the paneling to the bilge. (Un)fortunately, most of that leakage water will, somewere along the route to the bilge, come in contact with interiour veneer works. So I would say, look voor moisture stains in the woodwork and use common sense. Are bottoms of interiour panels or bulkheads moistured (discolourd)? Pay special attention to the hidden “bulkhead in-place holders”, mounted from the cabin roof. And pull away cusions and feel if they’re damp, check out the veneered plywood behind it, TAP it… still solid or delaminated? Are there rusty of greenish hinches or other metal interior parts that would be shiny without moisture intake?.
Any moisture in interiour woodworks could be and probably is leakage from hardware.
Another point is that water in the bilge can be dryed. The route that water has made to get there is more important. Think of the water that did NOT end up in the bilge but made it’s way in to the core…
Mine was just put in today, but there was water in the bilge. It was covered in the autumn, then inside a boatworks, then outside while my wife and I did some work.
I’m trying to re-bed everything eventually; but just forward of our engine in the hull is a raised point; water pools under the engine, and it can only come from places in the stern. Maybe the bilge pump on the cockpit floor, locker coamings, even the binacle.
If it came down the mast, or most of the cabin, it would not pool at this particular place.
We’ll figure it out; eventually all of the deck hardware will be re-caulked, except for the toe-rail.
JohnS NS26C 046, 0.6 hours on new Beta 20!
Hi John,
I know my boat is different but it may help to know that when I found the slice in the port after deck drain it first caused dampness in the port cockpit locker making all spare lines wet. It then puddled in the engine compartment prior to going to bilge. Only noticed it after a raining or seldom deck scrubbing. On my 30, the cockpit locker lids have drain hole under them but they drain into the cockpit. Never been a problem there but they are easy to monitor. As mentioned before, if you know it’s going to rain, place paper towel sheets at strategic places in those area and see if it’ll give you a hint where it’s coming from. You’ll find it, stick with it.
Cheers,
Butch,
Butch Garren
Nonsuch 30, #196
Whiskers II,
Solomons, MD
Butch: Is yours a C or a U??
Joe
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[/details]Hi Joe,
She’s a “C”
Butch Garren
Nonsuch 30, #196
Whiskers II,
Solomons, MD
Likely leak points are the hand rails that need re-bedding and the metal anchors on the cabin top that secure the bulkheads. Leaks aft on the 26’s can come from the bottom of the rudder post which is under considerable pressure when sailing in a good breeze due to significant weather helm.
Older boats on the hard that have not been maintained will accumulate water from multiple sources including toe rails, stanchions and deck fittings. This is common for all older boats, not only Nonsuches. Unfortunately older Nonsuch owners often love their boats too much and can’t bring themselves to part with them when they are past being able to maintain them. They are worth restoring and will never leak around the chain plates because they do not have them.
Mascouche, the first Nonsuch 26 built (1981) is still going strong. She does not need an automatic electric bilge pump. However rebedding is part of the standard maintenance regime. There is always something that requires caulking. I find butyl caulking the most durable and hope it lasts me out.
John Newell
Mascouche 26C1
Toronto
“Significant water” to me is more than something coming through leaking handrails and ports - if it is such, significant water should be easily traceable, but possibly expensive to fix as it causes damage getting to the bilge.
Presently, we get water initially at the front of the bilge - I presume via the mast boot which shows its 30+ years of age and will be replaced this winter. I suspect some also comes in via the anchor chain and maybe mast openings.
We used to get water in the rear of the engine compartment through the speaker openings. The cones of the “waterproof” speakers died of UV resulting in big holes. New speakers fixed that problem (and sound much better). We also used to get water on a cushion in the main cabin from a leaking port and in a locker in the main cabin from a source unknown. I striped everything from the deck and cabin house except the mast collar and after painting, rebedded all and no more leaks from the deck that I can see/find.
lloyd herman
Rendezvous, 1987 30U
Port Washington, NY
Generally the bilge in La Reina is dry. In heavy rains if the wind is blowing from the wrong direction a small amount of water will come down the mast and drain into the bilge. When I bought her the two drains in the cockpit lockers leaked. There was also a split in one of the drain hoses for the cockpit scupper drains. The split was just before the through hull under the rear quarter. It would leak every time I was under motor or on a port tack. It did not leak when the boat was stationary so it was a bit hard to track down.
Before I bought La Reina I was a member of a sailing club that owned 4 Grampians, a C&C 27 and a Catalina 30. They all had substantial amounts of water in the bilges. I do Canadian Coast Guard courtesy safety checks and many of the boats I inspect have water in the bilge. As was pointed out in other replies most bilge pumps will leave about 1/2” or more of water in a bilge and many owners don’t take the extra effort to dry them out.
Mark Powers
La Reina 26C
Vancouver, B.C.
Tiroc
When I bought Tiroc in 2013 she had at least two leaks and the bilge had to be emptied weekly. (The bilge pump was not automatic, that is another story.) The stuffing box was repacked and the bilge was so dry that two years ago I worried it was too tight. I checked the temperature with a thermometer. It was fine. At the suggestion of another sailer I rebedded the handrails which stopped a difficult to find intermittent leak. I also replaced the mast collar.
Now after sailing in a strong wind I find a small amount of water in the bilge. Even after several sails/weeks there is not enough to activate the bilge pump. I lift the boards and use a small container and sponge ocasionally.
Mike Darlington
Tiroc
Whitby, ON
What size and model do you have, Mike??
Joe
Superb info all that many owners will benefit from. Many thanks