I have a Hunter 28 that seems to have developed a leak over this past winters storage. Even with a winter cover, a trace leak was found around a port opening ( not the gasket) in the interior. A line of muck led from the mast to the port. It seems to follow the liner. Any ideas?
Can't find the leak!
- Thread starter WJM53
- Start date
I'm trying to visualize this. How would water get under the cover? I can imagine it was either blown under if your cover was open at one end.. or it ran down the mast if your mast was poking through the cover. Since you said the muck ran from the mast, I would look at that first.
Go in the boat while someone outside is spraying the boat with a garden hose and watch the cabin top just under the mast.
Go in the boat while someone outside is spraying the boat with a garden hose and watch the cabin top just under the mast.
Follow the line of muck along the liner from the low point to the high point and check up on deck to see where water could be entering, check the mast base, electrical connectors, front hatch, etc. Check the area for softness. The muck line is probably wood tanning so the area on the cabin top may be wet and may need to be dried and repaired.
You can only imagine where to find leaks. One thing I have said that marine yards will not tell you a good trick to find leaks.
Simply close all hatches and those without good seals, use tape to tape that. Tape off the hatches if necessary and then put a large piece of plastic over the companionway and tape it down. Put a slit in it and add a leaf blower into the slit and again tape. Make sure you have someone with a bucket of real soapy water and brush. Turn on the leaf blower and brush everything. Where you see air bubbles coming out, that is a potential leak. what you have done is to pressurize the cabin and air has to escape. Found leaks you would not think they were there.
Simply close all hatches and those without good seals, use tape to tape that. Tape off the hatches if necessary and then put a large piece of plastic over the companionway and tape it down. Put a slit in it and add a leaf blower into the slit and again tape. Make sure you have someone with a bucket of real soapy water and brush. Turn on the leaf blower and brush everything. Where you see air bubbles coming out, that is a potential leak. what you have done is to pressurize the cabin and air has to escape. Found leaks you would not think they were there.
That was something I tried before with mixed results, but worth another try. The leak is more obvious this time.
