Aft Cabin Ceiling Leak

Nov 24, 2018
27
Hunter 376 Medora, ND
I have this leak that is coming from the ceiling in my aft cabin above the bed on my 1996 376. It is dripping from the access plate but I can't figure out where the water is coming in from.
 
Nov 24, 2018
27
Hunter 376 Medora, ND
Bolts for the binnacle. The bolts are bone dry, as are all parts of the underside of the cockpit floor that are visible from there.
 
Nov 25, 2018
17
Hunter 40 Boston
I'm having the same problem on my 87 hunter 40. Cockpit pedestal is right above that access plate. I have cocked around the base of pedestal Where it meets the cockpit floor and around the base of the pedestal that meets the the base piece.
I have not tried cocking around each screw.
I guess I need help also
 
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Jun 5, 2012
51
Hunter 38 Chicago, IL
our 2005 H 38 was from under the deck access panel. Pulled the screws and panel and the water was leaking near various wires entering. Recaulked and good to go.
 
Nov 24, 2018
27
Hunter 376 Medora, ND
We eventually figured out that this was all coming from the window above the port hanging locker in the aft cabin. The latches on the window were not fully tightened so it let water seep in, which ran all the way through the headliner to that access hole. Possibly this would not normally flow to that hole but we have the bow heavily laden with too much chain so the bow is down more than it should be.
 
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Jul 16, 2018
125
Hunter 40 Boston
My boat was on the hard for 2 years when I bought it. That was last fall. Water was pouring in the rear cabin like mad for a while. I spent winter under wraps as a liveaboard and was running a dehumidifier regularly. I finally dried everything out (and my bilge stopped collecting more water) by mid-winter.

The areas I saw my water coming in the back was on the hull walls right above where the deck and the transom storage met, and again in the center behind the pedestal.

I've had a fan running in the rear cabin all winter as well, and it's basically just been storage space for me since it was too wet to use. But now with the non-stop rain of Spring2019 I was expecting to see water pouring in, but I didn't. It's quite dry. I'm wondering if maybe there were gallons of water sitting stagnant between the layers of glass of the deck that finally found their way out last fall and have been dried since. I think it also helps that I've cleared the scuppers which were full of leaves while it was on the hard (when it rained the rear deck had 3 or 4 inches of water in it)

Based on the above poster, I'm worried my electric/engine panel is a culprit too. Because when I yanked the cover-plates under my winches they were all bone-dry and no signs of previous leaks. I've got a couple spots I know water gets in, but maybe it's not as bad as I originally thought.

Have your leaks resolved at all?
 
Nov 24, 2018
27
Hunter 376 Medora, ND
Yes, we close that window tightly now so no more leaks in that spot.

Your cleaning of the scuppers surely helped your situation. The cables for the binnacle run into the under seat storage areas and have no provision for a tight seal where they pass through (hidden under the fiberglass panel that covers the rudder quadrant). So when that was full of leaves it is likely water was getting into the storage compartment, and from there it can get into the tank area and then seep through the back wall into the bed area.
 
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Jul 16, 2018
125
Hunter 40 Boston
Yes, we close that window tightly now so no more leaks in that spot.

Your cleaning of the scuppers surely helped your situation. The cables for the binnacle run into the under seat storage areas and have no provision for a tight seal where they pass through (hidden under the fiberglass panel that covers the rudder quadrant). So when that was full of leaves it is likely water was getting into the storage compartment, and from there it can get into the tank area and then seep through the back wall into the bed area.
Got any pictures of what's going on under there?
 
Nov 24, 2018
27
Hunter 376 Medora, ND
Sorry not at the moment. If you stand on the back platform and pop out the two screws on the aft end of that rudder quadrant cover (this is the entire floor of the walkthrough area) then it will slide right out and you can see for yourself.
 
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Twille

.
Oct 8, 2012
63
Hunter 38 Henderson, nc
The leak over my bunk in a 38 was from the screws holding down the cockpit access cover. They had penetrated all the way thru. I took those out and filled the holes. Then drilled and taped the rear lip of the Edson base to hold the access cover on the front end. No holes on horizontal surfaces = no leaks
 
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Jul 16, 2018
125
Hunter 40 Boston
I took a closer look at my documentation from Hunter and I realize now just how much of the headliner will drain back to the rear cabin given the opportunity. Definitely going to have to re-check every fitting.