Cal 33-2 wet bilge

I may have posted this before but didn’t discover a solution so I’m trying again. My Cal33-2 SN0026 has had a wet bilge for as long as I have owned it (since 2000). I think the water is coming in at the top of the mast. When I first bought it, the bilge was wet and there was some seepage around some cables exiting (tightly) through a hole in the base of the mast. I was afraid the cables were getting pinched, so I carefully drilled a hole adjacent to the exit hole and over a quart of water came out. Since the water is inside the mast, the problem is not the mast boot. Is there supposed to be any type of weather seal at the top? My boat only has the aluminum halyard sheave plate which will allow water entry. What other provisions might stop water intrusion into the mast? I had a friend with the same boat three SN earlier and his bilge was always dry. He never went up the mast so he couldn’t say wat was up there. Thanks, Al

Hi Al, I do get some water in the bilge from the mast but it’s not much. I just make sure that the mast is free to drain. I think that it would be difficult to stop the water from finding a way in. Chris SV Damiana 33-2 > On Jun 6, 2018, at 3:11 PM, aw… [at] bellsouth.net [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > I may have posted this before but didn’t discover a solution so I’m trying again. My Cal33-2 SN0026 has had a wet bilge for as long as I have owned it (since 2000). I think the water is coming in at the top of the mast. When I first bought it, the bilge was wet and there was some seepage around some cables exiting (tightly) through a hole in the base of the mast. I was afraid the cables were getting pinched, so I carefully drilled a hole adjacent to the exit hole and over a quart of water came out. Since the water is inside the mast, the problem is not the mast boot. > > > > Is there supposed to be any type of weather seal at the top? My boat only has the aluminum halyard sheave plate which will allow water entry. > > > > What other provisions might stop water intrusion into the mast? I had a friend with the same boat three SN earlier and his bilge was always dry. He never went up the mast so he couldn’t say wat was up there. > > > > Thanks, > > > > Al > > > >

I think that is normal. Some masts have a plug and drain at cabintop but I am told that doesn't really work that well. On Wed, Jun 6, 2018, 3:24 PM Christopher ra… [at] yahoo.com [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > > Hi Al, > I do get some water in the bilge from the mast but it’s not much. I just > make sure that the mast is free to drain. > I think that it would be difficult to stop the water from finding a way > in. > Chris > SV Damiana > 33-2 > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jun 6, 2018, at 3:11 PM, aw… [at] bellsouth.net [Cal_Boats] < > Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com <Ca… [at] yahoogroups..com>> wrote: > > > > I may have posted this before but didn’t discover a solution so I’m trying > again. My Cal33-2 SN0026 has had a wet bilge for as long as I have owned > it (since 2000). I think the water is coming in at the top of the mast. > When I first bought it, the bilge was wet and there was some seepage around > some cables exiting (tightly) through a hole in the base of the mast. I > was afraid the cables were getting pinched, so I carefully drilled a hole > adjacent to the exit hole and over a quart of water came out. Since the > water is inside the mast, the problem is not the mast boot. > > > > Is there supposed to be any type of weather seal at the top? My boat only > has the aluminum halyard sheave plate which will allow water entry. > > > > What other provisions might stop water intrusion into the mast? I had a > friend with the same boat three SN earlier and his bilge was always dry. > He never went up the mast so he couldn’t say wat was up there. > > > > Thanks, > > > > Al > > > > >

One more thing, they do make a rubber wrap or sealant material that most boats have wrapped around the bottom of the mast to stop external water intrusion. You should have one of those. Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android On Wed, Jun 6, 2018 at 6:24 PM, Christopher ra… [at] yahoo.com [Cal_Boats]<Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: Hi Al, I do get some water in the bilge from the mast but it’s not much. I just make sure that the mast is free to drain. I think that it would be difficult to stop the water from finding a way in. ChrisSV Damiana 33-2 On Jun 6, 2018, at 3:11 PM, aw… [at] bellsouth.net [Cal_Boats] <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: I may have posted this before but didn’t discover a solution so I’m trying again. My Cal33-2 SN0026 has had a wet bilge for as long as I have owned it (since 2000). I think the water is coming in at the top of the mast. When I first bought it, the bilge was wet and there was some seepage around some cables exiting (tightly) through a hole in the base of the mast. I was afraid the cables were getting pinched, so I carefully drilled a hole adjacent to the exit hole and over a quart of water came out. Since the water is inside the mast, the problem is not the mast boot. Is there supposed to be any type of weather seal at the top? My boat only has the aluminum halyard sheave plate which will allow water entry. What other provisions might stop water intrusion into the mast? I had a friend with the same boat three SN earlier and his bilge was always dry. He never went up the mast so he couldn’t say wat was up there. Thanks, Al

We noched the base of mast to 1/2 high above base plate to keep Water from collecting in mast We are DECK STEPPED . On Wed, Jun 6, 2018, 3:12 PM aw… [at] bellsouth.net [Cal_Boats] < Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > > I may have posted this before but didn’t discover a solution so I’m trying > again. My Cal33-2 SN0026 has had a wet bilge for as long as I have owned > it (since 2000). I think the water is coming in at the top of the mast. > When I first bought it, the bilge was wet and there was some seepage around > some cables exiting (tightly) through a hole in the base of the mast. I > was afraid the cables were getting pinched, so I carefully drilled a hole > adjacent to the exit hole and over a quart of water came out. Since the > water is inside the mast, the problem is not the mast boot. > > > > Is there supposed to be any type of weather seal at the top? My boat only > has the aluminum halyard sheave plate which will allow water entry. > > > > What other provisions might stop water intrusion into the mast? I had a > friend with the same boat three SN earlier and his bilge was always dry. > He never went up the mast so he couldn’t say wat was up there. > > > > Thanks, > > > > Al > > > >

I had a 1986 CAL 33-2 and the bilge setup was one of the few things I disliked about the boat. One, the stuffing box drip goes into the cavity under the engine, unless you do something to route the water around to the bilge. If you had your stuffing box not properly adjusted too much water would run in under the engine and then run out all over the cabin sole when you healed. I hated that, but never worked out anything to route the water. I don't think the mast is weather sealed on top. I would get some water from the mast, but not tons. I did find it hard though to keep the bilge totally dry. I wouldn't seal the base of the mast. Seems it would be better to let the water run out into the bilge and you can sop it up. To get the bilge totally dry I had to use a sponge. Seems if you got the bilge totally dry and then monitored closely during some period of no rain that would give you a good idea if the water is coming from only the mast during rain. Might be coming from other places as well. At least I'd want to rule out any other source of a water leak. Someone at my marina had a leaking water tank. Does the water seem to be fresh water or salt water? You could have a leaking thru hull, etc. My Cal had a couple of the stern thru hulls start leaking and of course that only showed up when motoring as the boat squats in the stern. Water would come in during motoring and the bilge would be very wet. Went ahead and replaced all those thru hulls, freshly re-bedded and no more water leaking while motoring. I actually found that leak while motoring and looking under the stern birth at the muffler I had just installed, checking for any leaking and noticed water running from the stern. Leslie Former owner of a CAL 33-2. I replaced the cabin sole in mine. Here are some pictures so you know what is under that plywood. ​ New sole. ​ ​ On Wed, Jun 6, 2018 at 6:11 PM, aw… [at] bellsouth.net [Cal_Boats] < Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> wrote: > > > I may have posted this before but didn’t discover a solution so I’m trying > again. My Cal33-2 SN0026 has had a wet bilge for as long as I have owned > it (since 2000). I think the water is coming in at the top of the mast. > When I first bought it, the bilge was wet and there was some seepage around > some cables exiting (tightly) through a hole in the base of the mast. I > was afraid the cables were getting pinched, so I carefully drilled a hole > adjacent to the exit hole and over a quart of water came out. Since the > water is inside the mast, the problem is not the mast boot. > > > > Is there supposed to be any type of weather seal at the top? My boat only > has the aluminum halyard sheave plate which will allow water entry. > > > > What other provisions might stop water intrusion into the mast? I had a > friend with the same boat three SN earlier and his bilge was always dry. > He never went up the mast so he couldn’t say wat was up there. > > > > Thanks, > > > > Al > > > > >