Water in Hulls

So my new to me H17 (which is awesome by the way) gets water in the Hulls. I suspect one of the spots where the water is getting in is at the wing holes (which I intend to repair this fall or in the spring). It gets water in the hulls when it is sitting on the trailer and on heavy wind days in the water.

I'm wondering if the water can be getting in at another spot or two because of the amount. When its on the trailer with wings mounted and it rains it could fill up with a couple gallons of water and in the heavy weather I can get a lot of water in the hulls even though the holes aren't submerged alot. Can water enter the hulls under the cross bars?

Another question is, under the black rubber caps on the cross bars, there appears to be a fastener of some kind, do these fasteners need to be tightened on a regular basis and what tool is used to do that (allan wrench? size? etc)

Thanks
Doug

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Division 10, Fleet 185
Hobie 17 and Hobie 14

Pressurize the hulls and spray with soapy water, looking for leaks. It's the best way to figure out for sure where water is getting in. Any thru-hull fitting or crack has the potential to be a leak.

The fasteners that you're seeing are the crossbar bolts, they are basically the thing that is holding your boat together. If you look under the hull lip, you will see where they engage the stainless steel bar. They need to be tightened and they need to be checked often. I'm sure there's a good reason for it, but for some reason, Hobie doesn't include lock washers with these bolt assemblies, so they do loosen - often. Your best bet is to get a T-handle allen wrench (5/16" I think, could be wrong) and keep it in your sailbox. Check the bolts regularly (i.e., if you can't remember the last time you checked them, then it's time).

sm

The only way water should be getting in when it's on the trailer is through the wing tubes.

Wing tube leaks are easy to find. Fill the tube with water and leave overnight. The water level the next morning will tell you exactly where the leak is.

Minor leaks can be fixed from inside the tube. Major blowouts will need a port cut in the deck to access the the tube from inside the hull.

Actually there is another way, other than the wing sockets, for rain water to get into the hulls. The end cap casting attachment points (four of them) for the cross beams. That is, where the cast aluminum cross beam end affixes to the hull. It is held into place by 3 screws, but also has a couple of guide pins along the bottom of the casting to help hold it into place and it is these guide pin holes that can leak. I know because one of mine did. To check, take off the crossbeams. Then with the hulls upright pour water to fill the depressions left where the cross beams normally go. Check in 30 minutes to an hour. If the water is still there, no leak. If the water has disappeared then that is a leak source (cause there may be others). Good luck