Warranty issue: Leaking shaft log?

[Jeff Shukis]

On my 40 (hull #24) I was doing a bit of "looking around" in the nooks and crannies and came across something rather disturbing. In the aft cabin, under the mattress, about 18" aft of the Volvo shaft seal, is a small bilge recess. Here I found a puddle of water about 4" by 8" and 1/16" deep. The disturbing part? It tastes salty and rusty and it's coming *up* through the hull - and not from the shaft seal, which is "lower" in the hull and completely dry.

 

Looking into the very bottom of the bilge recess I found a transverse crack about 4" long and 1/8" wide. I can shove a stick - actually a plastic zip tie - *down* into the crack about 5". That's 5" below what I thought, until a few days ago, was the bottom of the hull.

 

Talking to my dealer, the shaft log runs below this recess and is encased in a fiberglass "tray" under this part of the hull. My zip tie appears to be sticking down through the main hull form into this tray. Of course there should not be any water here. Beneteau says that they use 4200 to glue the shaft log to the tray and that it has obviously failed.

 

Beneteau has agreed to haul the boat and pay for the repair, but I'm not sure that what they want to do is correct. They want to have the yard haul, grind out the old putty, put in the new, let it dry, and splash the boat... in about 36 hours total. Is this the right way to fix this issue?

 

-- Has anyone else experienced this problem?

-- Doesn't the wet fiberglass need to "dry out" completely before they seal it up again? There was water deep inside the boat, below the hull liner and surrounding the shaft log, for many months. Won't this water cause problems later if it is just "sealed up"?

-- Won't my bottom paint be wrecked by drying out? It's Petit Vivid.

 

Thanks,

Jeff

[CAN DRAC]

Hey Jeff, sorry to hear that. Do you have any pictures you can share so we can better understand where this is happening?

[Jeff Shukis]

Good idea. I'll be at the boat tomorrow and will take some snaps.

[foster]

If this might help ?

3M™ Marine Fast Cure 4200 Adhesive Sealant

One part general purpose polyurethane reacts chemically with moisture for flexible bonds to wood, fiberglass, gelcoat, plastic and metals. Forms a watertight seal on joints and boat hardware above and below the waterline. Formulated to allow for disassembly of parts.

[David J. Fife]

Hello Jeff,

 

I have a 423 with the exact leak that you have described. I am getting about a pint of sea water in eight hours of run time. I was told by my Beneteau broker that they have seen this issue before (typically 5 - 6 years of use).  I was told not to be concerned about this and next time I hauled the boat for a bottom job to scrape out the 5200 at the end of the shaft, let the sea water completely drain and re-seal.  Have you had any definative answers or satisfaction regarding this issue?

 

Dave

[Jeff Shukis]

An update on the issue: Beneteau has agreed to have my local yard haul the boat, grind out the end of the shaft, and fiberglass it.

[CAN DRAC]

I spent some time in the shaft area today and looked for this well to see if I have this issue. I noticed the area around the shaft was filled with some brown paste that is now dry and solid (see pic attached). Unfortunately, I cannot see 18' aft of the shaft because I have my spare battery there followed by the inverter but I hope it's all filled the same way. Does that make sense?

[James Taylor]

Candrac, is that your original volvo shaft seal or a replacement? Looks good, nice and dry. If a replacement, did you do it and if so how difficult or easy was the job?

JT