Water collecting outboard of stringers

[Sisu22]

I'm wondering if anyone else has encountered this bilge issue. I have water collecting on the outboard sides of the stringers that doesn't seem to drain down into the main bilge. Granted, there is not supposed to be water there - but is there a limber hole or something else that should be draining this?

This shot is on the stbd side under the rear hatch. Fuel tank is visible to the right of this pic.

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[Ben423]

I discovered the same problem three months ago when we launched our new-to-us 28TE. On the port side water entered the hull through a small leak at exhaust thru-hull and collected on the outboard side of the stringer. On the starboard side, it appeared to come from joint between the bait tank and deck. I'm not 100% sure about that but water only collects there when the bait tank is full.

[Sisu22]

Yeah it is getting stinky in there... any solution or do you just wait for it to evaporate?

[Ben423]

Haven't done it yet, but I plan to add a layer of fiberglass around the perimeter of the tank/deck joint. Have to do that on the inside of the tank because there's no access on the outside. For the exhaust thru-hull, next time I haul the boat I'll re-bed it. It's a minor leak (1-2 drops/minute) but it is annoying.

[Tom Cunningham]

Home depot sells a wet -vac motor that sits on top of a 5 gallon bucket. (bucket head/ bucket vac) I use this to vacuum dry any water amounts too small for the bilge pumps to get.........

[Morgan]

On our recently acquired ‘93 TE 28 we are now getting increased water pooling outside of starboard stringer. Maybe it’s colder weather, maybe my filling the fuel tank (lowering the stern), or maybe the problem is getting worse on its own. The previous owner had attributed the water to clogged hatch drains, but closer inspection has water coming in near the joint between the exhaust and the hull (single stb. side exhaust). Using a mirror and good light, I can’t pinpoint the leak inside on the fiberglass. On the outside, the plastic trim has pulled back a little from the hull, but sticking my hand up the exhaust, it feels like metal and not all fiberglass.
I was hoping to avoid pulling the boat for a couple more months so advice would be welcomed.
Thanks, Morgan

[Sisu22]

On our recently acquired ‘93 TE 28 we are now getting increased water pooling outside of starboard stringer. Maybe it’s colder weather, maybe my filling the fuel tank (lowering the stern), or maybe the problem is getting worse on its own. The previous owner had attributed the water to clogged hatch drains, but closer inspection has water coming in near the joint between the exhaust and the hull (single stb. side exhaust). Using a mirror and good light, I can’t pinpoint the leak inside on the fiberglass. On the outside, the plastic trim has pulled back a little from the hull, but sticking my hand up the exhaust, it feels like metal and not all fiberglass.
I was hoping to avoid pulling the boat for a couple more months so advice would be welcomed.
Thanks, Morgan

Are you able to physically see the leak if you have someone spray a hose on the outside?

[Morgan]

Since the boat is in the water I can’t do that well. I thought I had narrowed my search down inside the boat when i left it in in a slip and had restrained myself from putting any sealant inside the hull thinking I’d never get it all out to fiberglass over later. I did run a bead of Boat Life around the outside of the outboard “trim ring”. Going back to the boat a couple days ago it seems to have slowed dramatically. Could it simply be something up with that part around the exhaust outlet? I read about another Albin (with port side exhaust) that was leaking at the screw holes for a similar ring. Is this likely?

[carolmarie]

I had the exact leak (port side exhaust) and had to pull the boat (2001, 28TE) a couple of years ago to have the exhaust flange re-caulked. No leakage since. Don.

[Morgan]

That’s great news - as opposed to some kind of fracture between the exhaust pipe and the exhaust outlet. The Boat Life that I used around the outside of the flange cut down on the leak already. I have a modification to the trailer that has to be done first but will get it fixed soon. Many thanks for the help.