It's time to get serious about leaks below decks! I have found it most difficult to determine where they are coming from, so I have decided to remove hardware and fittings from the cabin top one at a time and rebed and replace. Because of the wonderful design of the cabin roof liner, it's impossible to access the back side of attachment hardware for these through bolted items. I would like to hear from owners who have had experience with this project to prepare myself for the task at hand. The first item on the list to remove are the hand rails as they are loose and the most evident source of leaks at this time. Any useful advise pertaining to this job would be greatly appreciated.
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Ed Schenck
Only screws Howard.
I believe you will find the handrails are screwed, not bolted. I have had the rails off of my '79 H37C a couple of times. The first time I drilled the holes bigger and filled with an epoxy paste. The rails are strong and there is no way for water to get into the coring. There were also screws holding down the one deck organizer for the mainsheet and screws held down the forward traveler for the staysail. I have one cabin-mounted winch and it is bolted but has a teak trim cap in the cabin. As is the cleat next to it. On my boat the other sources of water from the top are the mast partners, the dorade boxes, five hatches, and the companionway cover. Do you know that the water is entering from the coach roof? I ask because the more common area is through the coring around the portlights.
I believe you will find the handrails are screwed, not bolted. I have had the rails off of my '79 H37C a couple of times. The first time I drilled the holes bigger and filled with an epoxy paste. The rails are strong and there is no way for water to get into the coring. There were also screws holding down the one deck organizer for the mainsheet and screws held down the forward traveler for the staysail. I have one cabin-mounted winch and it is bolted but has a teak trim cap in the cabin. As is the cleat next to it. On my boat the other sources of water from the top are the mast partners, the dorade boxes, five hatches, and the companionway cover. Do you know that the water is entering from the coach roof? I ask because the more common area is through the coring around the portlights.
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Bob Talley
H-27 leaks
I had a 1979 H-27 for about 15 years. Also had water leaks from the coach roof area. As Ed said, the ports are always a culprit. I replaced all the opening ports with Beckson units from Boat US. Removed and recaulked the large fixed ports. Neither is a big deal. Just make sure to cleaan everything good and have lots of caulk on-hand. The grab rails are just retained with screws. They were not leaking on my boat. I did have a water leak through the teak rails that hold down/slide the main hatch.
I had a 1979 H-27 for about 15 years. Also had water leaks from the coach roof area. As Ed said, the ports are always a culprit. I replaced all the opening ports with Beckson units from Boat US. Removed and recaulked the large fixed ports. Neither is a big deal. Just make sure to cleaan everything good and have lots of caulk on-hand. The grab rails are just retained with screws. They were not leaking on my boat. I did have a water leak through the teak rails that hold down/slide the main hatch.
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Ed White
Toe Rail Leaks
I found that the toe rails were leaking on mu 1984 H-27. I wire brushed the joint lightly, and followed with a very thin bead of 3M 5200. I have had no other leaks from above... I do have a nuisance from a few keel boltsleaking very, very slowly.. The shallow bilge makes this a problem, so I sponge it out, or use a turkey baster every week or so. Despite the little amount of leakage, moisture buildup in the cabin is a problem, so I added a solar powered vent... Won't know how it works until next summer, but I can hear it running..
I found that the toe rails were leaking on mu 1984 H-27. I wire brushed the joint lightly, and followed with a very thin bead of 3M 5200. I have had no other leaks from above... I do have a nuisance from a few keel boltsleaking very, very slowly.. The shallow bilge makes this a problem, so I sponge it out, or use a turkey baster every week or so. Despite the little amount of leakage, moisture buildup in the cabin is a problem, so I added a solar powered vent... Won't know how it works until next summer, but I can hear it running..
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Marvin Muller
Turkey Baster
Although I too am engaged in the neverending battle for the dry bildge, I would be very happy if the volume of leaks on my 79 H33 only resulted in such a small amount of water. Buy a large pack of fresh sponges and enjoy your new solar vent.
Although I too am engaged in the neverending battle for the dry bildge, I would be very happy if the volume of leaks on my 79 H33 only resulted in such a small amount of water. Buy a large pack of fresh sponges and enjoy your new solar vent.
Rain leaks
I'm not sure that rainwater leaks are not the single most annoying problem in the universe. Here we all are with the primary goal of keeping our boats afloat, and here is Mother Nature torturing us with our worst fear-- showing us water in the bilge. What else are we to think it is? But with my boat out of the water at least I know for sure! I have so much stuff taken off my deck right now that I drilled three holes in the bottom to let the rainwater out!!! (People laugh at that. Nitwits.) As weather permits I am finishing up filling the cabintop with epoxy. I drilled what I call 'termite holes' all over the painted nonskid portion of the coach roof and used a 1/4" syringe to pump epoxy to fill voids left by rotten balsa core. (Really I think balsa core is the work of the devil.) It's amazing how much epoxy it took-- seemed like 10 gallons!!! It was like pumping it over and over into a black hole-- kept going below to see where it was pouring out. It wasn't. I had two small drips-- the rest was really filling the void. This is of course the easiest low-tech fix for rotten balsa core. There is nothing wrong with it, even structurally-- remember the balsa core adds no strength whatsoever, so long as it holds the two skins of fibreglass apart. Anything else doing the same job-- even styrofoam-- would do as well. My boat is early enough ('74) that there is no headliner, just a thin layer of glass over the balsa core from before they pulled out the deck part and turned it over. I have removed pretty much everything off the coachroof and will reinstall everything immeasurably better than it was done at the factory. --which brings me to my point. 5200 is your friend. Really. The combination of epoxy-saturated wood bedded to fibreglass with 5200 is the best defence against leaks and rot. It lends strength and stiffness and is impervious to what the weather and seasons will dish out. JC 2
I'm not sure that rainwater leaks are not the single most annoying problem in the universe. Here we all are with the primary goal of keeping our boats afloat, and here is Mother Nature torturing us with our worst fear-- showing us water in the bilge. What else are we to think it is? But with my boat out of the water at least I know for sure! I have so much stuff taken off my deck right now that I drilled three holes in the bottom to let the rainwater out!!! (People laugh at that. Nitwits.) As weather permits I am finishing up filling the cabintop with epoxy. I drilled what I call 'termite holes' all over the painted nonskid portion of the coach roof and used a 1/4" syringe to pump epoxy to fill voids left by rotten balsa core. (Really I think balsa core is the work of the devil.) It's amazing how much epoxy it took-- seemed like 10 gallons!!! It was like pumping it over and over into a black hole-- kept going below to see where it was pouring out. It wasn't. I had two small drips-- the rest was really filling the void. This is of course the easiest low-tech fix for rotten balsa core. There is nothing wrong with it, even structurally-- remember the balsa core adds no strength whatsoever, so long as it holds the two skins of fibreglass apart. Anything else doing the same job-- even styrofoam-- would do as well. My boat is early enough ('74) that there is no headliner, just a thin layer of glass over the balsa core from before they pulled out the deck part and turned it over. I have removed pretty much everything off the coachroof and will reinstall everything immeasurably better than it was done at the factory. --which brings me to my point. 5200 is your friend. Really. The combination of epoxy-saturated wood bedded to fibreglass with 5200 is the best defence against leaks and rot. It lends strength and stiffness and is impervious to what the weather and seasons will dish out. JC 2
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