i am a new owner of 1981 30'. noticed a puddle in aft berth after a downpour. there is a fiberglass enclosure under the wheel in the cockpit. it looks like the water is coming from the rear of this compartment. also, on the teak panel to the port side, water is streaking down in 4 places. not a great deal of water, but not acceptable. could be from engine start/guage inset. the tub like enclosure under the wheel appears to be removeable by 4 screws. i can't see anything else in the cockpit that might be causing the streaks. how do i tackle these problems? tom
drip, drip ,drip
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Check for drainage
There should be drainage from the cable box. It is at the rear of the box and it has a hose that runs to the transom. That is the way that it set up in the MKII, but I am not sure what they did withe the MKI. I took a shop vac and used it to suck out the dirt and grime from the cable box. Another thing that could help is the re-calk the fittings in the area where the leak is coming from. That might mean the control pannel also.
There should be drainage from the cable box. It is at the rear of the box and it has a hose that runs to the transom. That is the way that it set up in the MKII, but I am not sure what they did withe the MKI. I took a shop vac and used it to suck out the dirt and grime from the cable box. Another thing that could help is the re-calk the fittings in the area where the leak is coming from. That might mean the control pannel also.
quick fix
I had the same problem and was able to isolate the source. Water will drain into the rudder tub like enclosure and then drain out the transom as is the mk11 design. The water that was draining into the enclosure was also dripping into the helm wiring openings that are on the port side of the enclosure and then running all the way to the bilge! Caulk the openings. (wires and all)...worked for me George
I had the same problem and was able to isolate the source. Water will drain into the rudder tub like enclosure and then drain out the transom as is the mk11 design. The water that was draining into the enclosure was also dripping into the helm wiring openings that are on the port side of the enclosure and then running all the way to the bilge! Caulk the openings. (wires and all)...worked for me George
response
thanks for the responses. i'm not sure if i have any drainage out of the rear of the tub...i couldn't feel anything. doesn't mean there is not one. i'll remove the tub, suck out any gunk, caulk openings. let me know if i should not remove the tub. this is probably only the first in a bunch of questions that i'm sure i'll have. thanks again tom ( new )
thanks for the responses. i'm not sure if i have any drainage out of the rear of the tub...i couldn't feel anything. doesn't mean there is not one. i'll remove the tub, suck out any gunk, caulk openings. let me know if i should not remove the tub. this is probably only the first in a bunch of questions that i'm sure i'll have. thanks again tom ( new )
this may seem weird...
but I had one leak that I have been hunting for the last year. It was under the port teak trim that you mentioned. I removed the trim several times but couldn't find it. A few weeks ago, I resealed the deck fuel fill to the cabin top and now no more drip. The water travelled further than I thought was possible. I have also had several leaks from stanchions too in the past. P.S. I resealed the windows a while back with butyl tape and they have not leaked since. So I tried butyl tape on the fuel fill instead of a "proper" sealant such as 3M 4200. Does anyone know if I am wasting my time with butyl tape under the fuel fill - its only been about 3 weeks but we've had a lot of rain and no leaks yet.
but I had one leak that I have been hunting for the last year. It was under the port teak trim that you mentioned. I removed the trim several times but couldn't find it. A few weeks ago, I resealed the deck fuel fill to the cabin top and now no more drip. The water travelled further than I thought was possible. I have also had several leaks from stanchions too in the past. P.S. I resealed the windows a while back with butyl tape and they have not leaked since. So I tried butyl tape on the fuel fill instead of a "proper" sealant such as 3M 4200. Does anyone know if I am wasting my time with butyl tape under the fuel fill - its only been about 3 weeks but we've had a lot of rain and no leaks yet.
what and where are stanchions
rob..... i spent a little more time looking. my drip is coming from either the helm( which i'll seal) or the guage/start box. i will also check fuel entry point...but seems like a long shot in my boat. also, my boat doesn't have the drain in the " tub enclosure " like others mention. i also think that my rear port/starboard windows leak...boy, there is not much to caulk on the outside. and before i go..what are stanchions and where are they? are they what we call chain plates? t
rob..... i spent a little more time looking. my drip is coming from either the helm( which i'll seal) or the guage/start box. i will also check fuel entry point...but seems like a long shot in my boat. also, my boat doesn't have the drain in the " tub enclosure " like others mention. i also think that my rear port/starboard windows leak...boy, there is not much to caulk on the outside. and before i go..what are stanchions and where are they? are they what we call chain plates? t
looks like a tarp is in order!
I am lucky in that I have a full cockpit enclosure, so no water can get in through much of that area. I'm sure that I would be in your situation otherwise. Windows - I have had window leak problems too. That's when I bought the Butyl tape (tape available through RV stores to seal RV windows - identical to plumbers putty but formed into a long even strip). The screws come out, you pop out the window (push evenly - it will pop out - have someone on the outside to catch it), clean up the old caulking on the cabin and window frame, apply butyl tape around the window frame, and stick it back in and replace the screws. If they leak from between the glass and the frame then you need the full fix which is very time consuming and difficult. Stanchions - they are what support the lifelines - most of mine have leaked. Use 3M 4200 caulking on them. I have come to the conclusion that the drip problem will never be completely solved. There are just too many places for water to get in. I have to admit that the big tarp over the windows midships area has helped me save my sanity - although I think I have solved my drip problems...for now. If you look on my website you can see the window leak fix. Good luck! -Rob
I am lucky in that I have a full cockpit enclosure, so no water can get in through much of that area. I'm sure that I would be in your situation otherwise. Windows - I have had window leak problems too. That's when I bought the Butyl tape (tape available through RV stores to seal RV windows - identical to plumbers putty but formed into a long even strip). The screws come out, you pop out the window (push evenly - it will pop out - have someone on the outside to catch it), clean up the old caulking on the cabin and window frame, apply butyl tape around the window frame, and stick it back in and replace the screws. If they leak from between the glass and the frame then you need the full fix which is very time consuming and difficult. Stanchions - they are what support the lifelines - most of mine have leaked. Use 3M 4200 caulking on them. I have come to the conclusion that the drip problem will never be completely solved. There are just too many places for water to get in. I have to admit that the big tarp over the windows midships area has helped me save my sanity - although I think I have solved my drip problems...for now. If you look on my website you can see the window leak fix. Good luck! -Rob
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