Aft Cabin Leak

Sep 4, 2018
33
Beneteau Oceanis 440 Huntington
Hi All,

Have a ‘95 Oceanis 440 with a water leak from the cockpit into the aft Cabin. The water appears to be entering either around the aft portion of the cockpit table and pedestal or the self bailing stern tubes.AA60431C-C623-4588-B2C3-7EB4111312EB.jpeg 7AEA5340-747C-4A47-921A-5E884B4F9489.jpeg Has anyone had a similar problem with the 90s era Models? The water pools above the area in the aft cabin around the steering cable access panel. D9D176CB-C63A-423A-BEB8-1793901C58E2.jpeg 694182E3-B435-4B2E-AA5B-F329350ECFD3.jpeg 7236EA8F-2747-49CC-8007-C1E4FD420D8D.jpeg There was a small amount on the underside of rudder cable assembly but not enough to allow the amount Any insight would be most appreciated.

Happy Holidays
 
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Gunni

.
Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Is the floor of the wheel steering compartment above the cables getting wet? That would drain to this location.
 
Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
Do you have the built in cooler In your table ,if so check drain in cooler and hose ,is water getting into it from rain or are you using the cooler.On mine any water on the table self drains into cooler then out the cooler drain thru hose and into cockpit
 
Sep 4, 2018
33
Beneteau Oceanis 440 Huntington
Hi Mechone,

Yes. It has the built in cooler. The plug was in and the cavity was filled with water from rain. Not used as a cooler yet. When I removed the drain plug it poured out onto the cockpit floor. I then noticed there was water dripping in aft cabin. Mine does not have a hose connected to the drain. So I ruled out leak in table but somewhere between drain in table to aft bailers water is coming in.
 
Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
I think I didn't say it right ,there is a hose that attaches from the bottom of the cooler drain to the side of the table ,you can't see it. You must remove the side panel beside your steering wheel and look in .this is where you will see it and you may be getting water in there from some where else, ie, around compass, s/s grab rail etc.
Also even thou you had the plug in it could still be dripping /leaking from around the drain itself and may have to be resealed . Put plug in some water and look in with flash light,thru the side compartment. Our my boat the aft bailers are past the rear cabin by about 2 inches.
 
Sep 4, 2018
33
Beneteau Oceanis 440 Huntington
Thank you. I will need to check that upon my next visit and let you know. I don’t recall seeing a connection hose inside the pedestal.
 
Sep 4, 2018
33
Beneteau Oceanis 440 Huntington
So it’s sunny and 51 in NY. A perfect day to check on the leak. I opened the pedestal access and it appeared dry to the touch and looked for a tube from the cooler in the table.
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D8C4999D-6706-485D-9F9B-042027B7379B.jpeg
2D9EAB07-4551-4BDE-B2D2-52DB03F41E94.jpeg
I did not see one unless you are referring is the drainage hole. Then I opened the access panels in the aft cabins. There was water in the pan. From the pics it appears there was quite a bit. I used a sponge to suck up the water. I tried my best to get a photos of the areas where the water pools. This is definitely the source of water into aft cabins.

52746474-364F-4C94-ADA9-5C47FBC359AE.jpeg
709BE25E-FA6C-49B0-AA45-B4FAC99EEA4C.jpeg
So the water may still be entering from the side of the cockpit table near the drain hole or below where the table meets the deck or from some other source. Your feedback is appreciated.

Thanks again
 

Attachments

Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
On my boat that side drainage hole on the inside has a white hose attached to it that goes to the bottom of the cooler drain. If you let some water out of your cooler can you see where it goes?
 
Sep 4, 2018
33
Beneteau Oceanis 440 Huntington
Yes. I let a full cooler out actually. Most went out the self bailers. It ran right past the table to deck joint from the drain hole in the picture. I think the seal may have degraded over the years.
 
Last edited:

Don S.

.
Nov 9, 2015
3
Beneteau Oceanis M 445 Olympia, WA
I have an early 1990s Oceanis 445. Same hull, deck and cockpit table/cooler/binnacle set up as the 440. I have had this water problem for years. Upon first inspection, I found the previous owner had tried to seal the table base under the cooler where it sits on the deck with some kind of silicone sealant. If it ever worked, it was not working during the first heavy rain after I got the boat. So for years, I coped with the leak by fitting a plastic 'diaper' under the wheel and aft portion of the cooler/table. I fitted it up through the access panels in ceiling of the two aft cabins, from which the water had begun dripping. I was able to set the diaper so that most of the water entering the area would hit the diaper and drain out the back of that area into the far aft storage area and down into the bilge. Later, I had a full Sunbrella cover made for the entire wheel, binnacle, cockpit table and cooler. That seems to have stopped water from collecting under the table/binnacle/cooler. It also keeps the sun and rain here in the northwest out of the cooler and off the autopilot, engine panel and other instruments on the binnacle. But after hours of testing, sealing, disassembling, caulking and drying out the aft cabins, I never have found that damn leak! So I am enthralled to learn if you solved the mystery!
 
Sep 4, 2018
33
Beneteau Oceanis 440 Huntington
Hi Gunni,

I thought I had replied to you but it appears not. Thanks for your response, the floor around the compartment above the cables is not getting wet as best as I can tell. This would be the interior of the pedestal, no real traces of water in that compartment either from the wheel or from the cooler. Only the deck in the cockpit is getting water on it. The boat is wrapped for the winter and it rained days prior before it was wrapped so the water was there for some time. The cooler was full with water for days before I uncorked it and there was no sign of it leaking before I let the plug out. The sudden rush of water on the deck besides the base of the cockpit table leads me to be believe that water may be getting in at the base of the table or via the bailers and then draining to this location in the boat.

Thanks again and Happy New Year.
 

Don S.

.
Nov 9, 2015
3
Beneteau Oceanis M 445 Olympia, WA
That's helpful. So might the proper fix be to pull up the binnacle/table/cooler assembly and re-bed the whole thing? What a pain! But even if one did that, there is so much movement of that assembly as people sit on it, kick it, put feet on it, stand on it once in a while etc etc etc, that I wonder if any bedding would last very long. The bead of silicone my previous owner put around the base of the assembly where it meets the deck, failed, as I mentioned. Your thoughts?
 

Gunni

.
Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
So I would observe what happens with a boat cover, and be prepared to use the boom as a hoist to lift the console a few inches and seal the deck to console face. Butyl rubber, not silicone. This is a precise job, involves taking the steering cables loose and taking the strain off engine cables and wiring. If you still suspect the scuppers, use some food dye in a 5 gal bucket to check them. A must fix situation. Good luck sir.
 
Sep 4, 2018
33
Beneteau Oceanis 440 Huntington
Thanks Gunni. That’s basically what the yard said. Even though I’m a DIYer.m I’m not sure that’s a job I want to do.
 
Sep 4, 2018
33
Beneteau Oceanis 440 Huntington
So I would observe what happens with a boat cover, and be prepared to use the boom as a hoist to lift the console a few inches and seal the deck to console face. Butyl rubber, not silicone. This is a precise job, involves taking the steering cables loose and taking the strain off engine cables and wiring. If you still suspect the scuppers, use some food dye in a 5 gal bucket to check them. A must fix situation. Good luck sir.
Hi Gunni,

Picked up 1/4 in Butyl Tape and re-evaluated the job with pal of mine. I’ve seen 3/4 Butyl on sailrite. Picked this stuff up at Home Depot. 4.95 for 40’ so I bought two. I’m going to talk the yard about loosening steering cables and engine cables ( access from side panel). Is there a trick to loosening this assembly?

B3BA24AC-5CCE-4533-880B-286A2B639874.jpeg
From the photo the assembly appears to be the point to loosen the cables. Engine cables I’m not so worried about. Do we need to support the rudder prior to loosening? Any insight is appreciated. Lastly, we were talking about how to hoist the unit and using the boom seems to be the best option. Any suggestions? I will post pics during the process. Thanks Again!
 

Gunni

.
Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Take the cables loose where they attach to the quadrant on top of the rudder post. Pull the slack through to the location you have here. No need to mess with the rudder. If you have an autopilot you may need disconnect the drive motor from the wheel chain. Get enough slack in your wiring looms coming into the console. Mark your wiring if you have to disconnect fittings.

Make sure you use top quality butyl tape, don’t want to be doing this job again.
 
Sep 4, 2018
33
Beneteau Oceanis 440 Huntington
I have an early 1990s Oceanis 445. Same hull, deck and cockpit table/cooler/binnacle set up as the 440. I have had this water problem for years. Upon first inspection, I found the previous owner had tried to seal the table base under the cooler where it sits on the deck with some kind of silicone sealant. If it ever worked, it was not working during the first heavy rain after I got the boat. So for years, I coped with the leak by fitting a plastic 'diaper' under the wheel and aft portion of the cooler/table. I fitted it up through the access panels in ceiling of the two aft cabins, from which the water had begun dripping. I was able to set the diaper so that most of the water entering the area would hit the diaper and drain out the back of that area into the far aft storage area and down into the bilge. Later, I had a full Sunbrella cover made for the entire wheel, binnacle, cockpit table and cooler. That seems to have stopped water from collecting under the table/binnacle/cooler. It also keeps the sun and rain here in the northwest out of the cooler and off the autopilot, engine panel and other instruments on the binnacle. But after hours of testing, sealing, disassembling, caulking and drying out the aft cabins, I never have found that damn leak! So I am enthralled to learn if you solved the mystery!
Not Quite solved. I thought I had it solved but it appears the water may be coming from the helm instruments traveling with the cables as the water is dripping from the wiring IMG_4278.JPG and possibly a deck fitting (bimini frame or stern bailers?)IMG_4281.jpg as this photo is looking to starboard - aft is the right side of the pic and the shiny area indicates water coming in so it's still unknown but I am determined to find it. Not sure how, perhaps use different dyed water on the deck to trace the source. After the last rain there was a lot of water in the aft cabin so it must be found.

Any further insight is most welcome.
 
Sep 4, 2018
33
Beneteau Oceanis 440 Huntington
Hello All,

Hope all is well with all of you. The shelter in place order has given me a lot of time to think about boat projects past and present. So I think I may have solved the water issue in the aft cabins. Here are some steps I took:
1. Checked for leaks inside the cockpit lazarets. Noticed cracked gel coat around a hex nut with water pooled around it. Traced to deck fitting for Bimini. Repaired and coated with silicone siliconed the area. Looked for other loose fittings and rebed.
2. Sealed the table on the exterior with Butyl tape compressed all the way around then sealed with marine silicone. I also created two drain holes (one in each aft cabin access area above the aft bulkhead) and added a drain tube, so water, if it collects there should flow down to bilge.
3. So far no water but I have had the helm/table covered with a tarp. I like the idea so I am going to get a new cover for the wheel/table/binnacle as well instead of a cover for the wheel and instrument pod because water tends to drip from the Boom/Topping Lift into the space between helm and instrument panel, so I think that will also help. Water will not collect in the table cooler either.

So far with steps 1 & 2 I have not observed water in coming into that access area. Fingers crossed.

Happy Sailing.