Coppercove1
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2017
- Messages
- 33
- Location
- Canada
- Vessel Name
- Treasure Hunt
- Vessel Make
- Marine Trader LaBelle 44
We took our new to us Marine Trader LaBelle 44 out for a shakedown cruise to Squamish from our berth in Vancouver Harbour last weekend. The vessel runs well and is extremely comfortable cruising and sleeping on board. We also successfully toured Northern Howe Sound with 10 family members on board and the vessel is a hit with the family.
As I had expected, had some trouble docking in strong cross wind due to the large wind area. Decided then to advance our plan to add a bow thruster.
As expected, some glitches showed up and embarrassingly drove home the need to add an engine room check after shut down on every watch.
After about 4.5 hrs running on Saturday we shut down, attended a family members BBQ and then reboarded Saturday night. Early Sunday, my wife asked what is that sound, sounds like water dripping?. I said, just small waves slapping the hull, as we were broadside to wind and tidal action. When I eventually crawled into the engine room for a pre-start check, much to my surprise and horror, the engine room bilge was filled over the high water alarm with no sound, and we had a good leak on the port shaft seal.
The starboard shaft seal had leaked after the sea trial and I was told to fiddle with the bellows and it would stop and did. I did the same thing and temporarily stopped the port leak. We put the manual pump to work, taking about 25 gallons out. No power to the engine room bilge pump or the aft bilge pump, also none to the high water alarm.
Eventually started motoring back to Vancouver, checked engine room on the way and saw water spraying from the port shaft seal. Put the port engine into neutral idle, and the spray stopped. I motored about 2.5 hours more with the port engine idling in neutral (later learned that this can burn the clutch plate, although in theory the transmission would still have been cooled by the engine in idle). Eventually tested the port in gear at 1000, 1500 and 2000 with no more leaks.
Decided to advance our refit work to address the 16 recommendations of the inspection mechanic, plus invest in a bow thruster. Had our new mechanic on board to help immediately troubleshoot issues with seals, pumps, alarms, etc.
Findings: both engine room bilge pump and aft bilge pumps were fried, probably corrosion. I will check with the surveyor to see if he checked these during the hull survey. Regardless, I should have checked all of these myself. Also, the high water alarm is wired to the boat horn. I had been turning DC circuits off when I thought they are not needed upon shut down. Need to leave the horn on!
Finally to the title of my thread. When we went to install new bilge pumps and loosened the base plate screws, water came up from below the bilge floor through the screw holes. The question is, does this vessel have a wet keel for ballast, or is a supposedly dry keel filled with water? No exterior hull issues were noted upon haulout, so is this just accumulated bilge water from over the years?
We have added this to the list of work when we go onto the hard next week.
Any similar experience with wet keels/dry keels would be highly appreciated!
As I had expected, had some trouble docking in strong cross wind due to the large wind area. Decided then to advance our plan to add a bow thruster.
As expected, some glitches showed up and embarrassingly drove home the need to add an engine room check after shut down on every watch.
After about 4.5 hrs running on Saturday we shut down, attended a family members BBQ and then reboarded Saturday night. Early Sunday, my wife asked what is that sound, sounds like water dripping?. I said, just small waves slapping the hull, as we were broadside to wind and tidal action. When I eventually crawled into the engine room for a pre-start check, much to my surprise and horror, the engine room bilge was filled over the high water alarm with no sound, and we had a good leak on the port shaft seal.
The starboard shaft seal had leaked after the sea trial and I was told to fiddle with the bellows and it would stop and did. I did the same thing and temporarily stopped the port leak. We put the manual pump to work, taking about 25 gallons out. No power to the engine room bilge pump or the aft bilge pump, also none to the high water alarm.
Eventually started motoring back to Vancouver, checked engine room on the way and saw water spraying from the port shaft seal. Put the port engine into neutral idle, and the spray stopped. I motored about 2.5 hours more with the port engine idling in neutral (later learned that this can burn the clutch plate, although in theory the transmission would still have been cooled by the engine in idle). Eventually tested the port in gear at 1000, 1500 and 2000 with no more leaks.
Decided to advance our refit work to address the 16 recommendations of the inspection mechanic, plus invest in a bow thruster. Had our new mechanic on board to help immediately troubleshoot issues with seals, pumps, alarms, etc.
Findings: both engine room bilge pump and aft bilge pumps were fried, probably corrosion. I will check with the surveyor to see if he checked these during the hull survey. Regardless, I should have checked all of these myself. Also, the high water alarm is wired to the boat horn. I had been turning DC circuits off when I thought they are not needed upon shut down. Need to leave the horn on!
Finally to the title of my thread. When we went to install new bilge pumps and loosened the base plate screws, water came up from below the bilge floor through the screw holes. The question is, does this vessel have a wet keel for ballast, or is a supposedly dry keel filled with water? No exterior hull issues were noted upon haulout, so is this just accumulated bilge water from over the years?
We have added this to the list of work when we go onto the hard next week.
Any similar experience with wet keels/dry keels would be highly appreciated!
