# A little over my head



## jfl14609 (Jul 22, 2012)

Hi everyone been lurking around for a little while reading some post here and there. Finally I got a great deal on a cs 27 and here I am time to really learn. I need to do a bit of work to it mostly cosmetic. the problem I am having now is its sitting on a cradle dry and every time it rains it takes on water into the cabin floor. I haven't had a chance to investigate too much but it would seem to me that one of the through hull fittings should be a simple drain?


----------



## leogallant (Jul 29, 2011)

There should be a battery powered bilge pump that pumps overboard above the water line. If battery powered pump is not working, there should be a manual bilge pump accessible from the cockpit if you can find the handle for it.


----------



## jfl14609 (Jul 22, 2012)

Thanks for the fast responce you must have been reading my mind. I was wondering what the rubber boot is in the cockpit area. it does have a battery operated bulge I just wasnt sure if there was any type of a drain plug I could pull as I would think the batter would drain over time


----------



## zedboy (Jul 14, 2010)

Yup, the battery will drain over time. Better find a solution for that - got a shore power setup you can leave plugged in? Or solar panels.

Otherwise just punp it manually when you're there. A little water won't hurt short-term. Chase down the leaks when you can. Hatches and around the mast are likely culprits.

No drain plugs in boats bigger than a toy. Remember, this thing's way too heavy to float on foam; if a drain plug popped out, you'd sink. On that note, check all your through-hulls while you're on the hard. All hoses should be in good condition and double-clamped, and fitted with ball-type valves (not gate valves like a garden hose).


----------



## jfl14609 (Jul 22, 2012)

I never thought about the solar i could prob go to harbor freight and get a cheap panel and just wire it directly to a small battery to only run the pump. I am thinking the water is coming from the cockpit area I am wondering if it has something to do with the floor drains. I actually was looking at the gate valves thinking man those would be better if they were ball valves. is pvc ball valves best?


----------



## Wcoast sailor (Jun 18, 2012)

Some smaller boats actually had the cockpit drain into the bilge. Get a hose and check out where the leak is from. Also a small shop vac (a wet type) is helpfull to empty the bilge and keep the boat clean in the cabin.


----------



## jfl14609 (Jul 22, 2012)

Wow I really love this site lots of great info that makes sense. has anyone done anything to change that like add a new through hull above the water line


----------



## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

Congrats on your CS 27 purchase: CS 27 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com
The Canadian Sailcraft boats have a great reputation for high build quality and superior design.

That said, even a well made boat can develop leaks. You'll need to find the source of the leaks and stop them. Finding the leaks may not be so easy. You might just consider that all your deck fittings are suspect and re-bed them all. Here is a very good tutorial on just this subject: Re-Bedding Deck Hardware Photo Gallery by Compass Marine at pbase.com

If you can't cure the cause of the leaks then you can treat the symptom by covering your boat with tarps while it sits on the hard. Of course, this does not solve the root cause, but it may help dry your boat out for a short while.


----------



## jfl14609 (Jul 22, 2012)

hopefully next time I get out there i can get a hose going but the cockpit drains are perfect place to start then I will just grab a new battery and install it and remember when i go there on weekends to charge the battery for a few hours


----------



## jfl14609 (Jul 22, 2012)

I was also wondering what everyone recommends for batteries


----------



## leogallant (Jul 29, 2011)

jfl14609 said:


> I never thought about the solar i could prob go to harbor freight and get a cheap panel and just wire it directly to a small battery to only run the pump. I am thinking the water is coming from the cockpit area I am wondering if it has something to do with the floor drains. I actually was looking at the gate valves thinking man those would be better if they were ball valves. is pvc ball valves best?


You'll want valves to be bronze. If you follow the link to MaineSail, posted by CalebD, you'll also find articles on bronze fittings.


----------



## dmchose (Sep 5, 2003)

Welcome to the site. The following link will take you to a site that has very good information on a number of subjects on boat maintenance stuff " with pictures " ;-)
Compass Marine "How To" Articles Photo Gallery by Compass Marine at pbase.com
EDIT: I see now this site was suggested earlier. Sorry... 
Don


----------



## jfl14609 (Jul 22, 2012)

Thanks for the link sorry I completely missed it in the first post. I must be on info overload. This boat was basically given to me so I am really starting from complete scratch as far as learining.


----------



## Sailmon (Sep 30, 2009)

Youll be on info overload for about a year. Relax. Take a little time to figure out where your leaks are coming from. Spend some time reading and ask a lot of questions. Start yourself a list, crack a beer, and figure out what has to take priority over everything else. Don't sit there thinking of all the things you have to do. Pick one or two and get to work. Forget about the rest until you get to it. This is how to keep sane when you have a new (old) boat. Face the fact that YOUR LIST WILL NEVER END. Figure out what kind of sailing you want to do and base your decisions for gear on that. Don't try to fix everything. Get what you need done to sail. It's only then you will discover the things that are really important and those things that can wait.


----------



## Sailmon (Sep 30, 2009)

jfl14609 said:


> I was also wondering what everyone recommends for batteries


Free. But if you must buy, Lifeline makes the best batteries.


----------



## jfl14609 (Jul 22, 2012)

Free huh how do we do that so far I havent found anything for this boat thats free (accept awesome advice). whats the minimum people recommend for a bilge pump. I am thinking about having a few of them in the boat so I want to keep the one in the keel as small as possible to conserve power.


----------



## chuck53 (Oct 13, 2009)

I'm not familiar with the CS27 but most boats in that size range have a house battery or batteries to run the boat 12volt electrical system. The bilge pump is usually wired directly to the battery.
If your boat is already set up like this, there's no need to get another battery just to run the bilge pump. Just keep the battery(s) you have charged up and you will be fine. 
A cheap solar panel will only provide a tiny trickle of a charge, not enough to keep the battery up if you have a serious water leak.
As said above, first item on your agenda is to find your leak and fix it.


----------



## LongTallSailor (Jun 17, 2011)

Good luck on your sailing endeavors, jfl14609.


----------

