I have an 1987 Hunter 23 and it seems to be leaking at the chain plates. Any tips on remedying this problem would be greatly appreciated . Thanks
Chain plate leaking
- Thread starter knotatwork2
- Start date
Yes, but before sealing them go ahead and inspect them for corrosion. It is probably unknown for how long they may be leaking.
Are you talking about the shroud chain plates? If so there cover plates going around the chain plates where the caulking has deteriorated. There are four screws that need to be removed. Lift up those cover plates cleaning out the old caulking and adding new caulk. You can over caulk here to ensure a good seal but clean up the excess caulking quickly. Advise if this the case
Check the deck core, and the wood board anchor points inside the cabin for water damage. Looking at a picture I grabbed off YouTube it appears fairly easy to replace the "mini bulkheads" that anchor the chainplates. But in reality they are like big backing plates so if the deck core is damaged you have a more serious job. Still a reasonable fix.. just a bit more technical. Tapping the deck and the little bulkheads with a small hammer or screwdriver handle should reveal whether the water has built up and caused some damage. A crisp sound is good, a dull thud triggers further inspection.. maybe drill a few pilot holes to check for wet wood. If the deck core has minor damage, I've had some success with penetrating epoxy, like "Capt Tolly's... Chances are, if you've noticed it fairly quickly, there won't be any damage at all and you can just reseal the area on deck under the cover plates.
We need to know which chain plate or plates as the original post did not spell out which or even if there is any damage to the bulkheads or what ever. The original poster needs to explain further.
Yes the shroud chainplates are seeping. I put a bead of sealant around the edges this year , but still got some water seeping in. So I am wondering what to look for when I take them apart.
Take the screws out and you will only be able to lift them up so far. What has happened the caulk has shrunk deteriorated sepersted or whatever to allow water to seep down thru a slit. You will understand when the screws are out and lift the cover plates. You may have to pry those plates up bu do so gently. I think 5200 sealant was used originally but 4200 .butyl tape or a good silicone (architectural grade) will suffice Do advise if there’s any damage to the bulkheads inside. As for the chain plates where they go they the deck I do not recall seeing any wood or balsa core but could be wrong as it has been many years since working on them
Thanks for the information. It's 22 degrees and 5 inches of snow here now , so it will be a little while before I start this latest project. Merry Christmas
at least cover or seal someway so when it goes above 32 degrees, there will be no water seepage inside the boat. Protect your investment.