More than anything else, fuel tanks, centerboards, chainplates-one of the toughest things I have found about this boat is keeping the interior dry. I think I have made significant headway in this area and will share what I have discovered and hope I hear of more experiences.
I have removed everything from the cabintop, repaired and re-installed. Still, for a couple of seasons I chased a leak which came through in the galley, where the cabinsides meet the cockpit.
I had stripped and revarnished the cabinsides and had no leaks at the cabin to deck joint forward. Everything was dry forward of this area. This leak could fill a soup bowl on each side in a good rain storm or wet deck from beating to weather.
I have gotten to know the area well. The fiberglass deck has a nice upturning flange which runs under and up the inside of the cabinside. This is through bolted(I believe) to the cabin and has a bedding comound which still appears pliable.
Where the cabinside ends and the cockpit begins, the flange does a 180 degree turn-from there it turns down from the deck. This is attached to the coamings from this area aft with bolts as well. Of course the downturning flange is not as leak proof and right at this intersection of the upturned-downturned flange, the water finds and easy path into the cabin.
I worked in the immediate area trying the seal the leak to no avail. I think I found it this year.
Close inspection of the joint between the cabin sides and deck was where it began to make sense. There is a small covering board of trim along this joint. It is screwed and plugged to the cabin side. This was the culprit. Any water, rain or spray finding it's way anywhere along this covering board , the length of the cabin, was weeping into the tiny crack-joint along the cabin. Due to the shear, gravity then was leading this small river under and along the cabin covering board- deck joint. The upturning flange was preventing it from coming into the cabin until it reached the downturned flange over the galley where it neatly poured out. If enough water weeps into this crevice, it can find a bolt hole and come into the cabin anywhere-veeberth etc. with a drip large enough to cause a big problem for someone below.
A last ditch this spring solved it. I intend to strip and varnish the cabinsides next year so I taped and caulked with Silicone, this little covering board where it meets the deck and the cabinside above. That was it. I have seen absolute deluges, covered decks etc since-no water-none. This is a bandaid only fix.
This covering board simply needs to be removed as I strip the cabinsides next spring. Any pieces(corner trim) needing replacement or better fitting will be cut.
With the actual cabinside to deck joint exposed, I will clean out this area and use a sealant with good adhesion, Sikaflex, silcone maybe, not sure yet till I see it. This is a "permenant" sealant joint. Boatlife does not have enough adhesion(for me) for this area. Then a few coats of varnish will be applied to the cabinside as well as the removed, cleaned covering board and trim. When this area is well sealed, I will reinstall the covering board. Again, I will use a sealant with good adhesion, not a 5200 type but something that will grip both surfaces and allow alittle movement while still mantaining a seal and the ability to remove the piece years later. I am sure that this will serve for the life of the varnish(6 to 10 years here in Maine)
I have removed everything from the cabintop, repaired and re-installed. Still, for a couple of seasons I chased a leak which came through in the galley, where the cabinsides meet the cockpit.
I had stripped and revarnished the cabinsides and had no leaks at the cabin to deck joint forward. Everything was dry forward of this area. This leak could fill a soup bowl on each side in a good rain storm or wet deck from beating to weather.
I have gotten to know the area well. The fiberglass deck has a nice upturning flange which runs under and up the inside of the cabinside. This is through bolted(I believe) to the cabin and has a bedding comound which still appears pliable.
Where the cabinside ends and the cockpit begins, the flange does a 180 degree turn-from there it turns down from the deck. This is attached to the coamings from this area aft with bolts as well. Of course the downturning flange is not as leak proof and right at this intersection of the upturned-downturned flange, the water finds and easy path into the cabin.
I worked in the immediate area trying the seal the leak to no avail. I think I found it this year.
Close inspection of the joint between the cabin sides and deck was where it began to make sense. There is a small covering board of trim along this joint. It is screwed and plugged to the cabin side. This was the culprit. Any water, rain or spray finding it's way anywhere along this covering board , the length of the cabin, was weeping into the tiny crack-joint along the cabin. Due to the shear, gravity then was leading this small river under and along the cabin covering board- deck joint. The upturning flange was preventing it from coming into the cabin until it reached the downturned flange over the galley where it neatly poured out. If enough water weeps into this crevice, it can find a bolt hole and come into the cabin anywhere-veeberth etc. with a drip large enough to cause a big problem for someone below.
A last ditch this spring solved it. I intend to strip and varnish the cabinsides next year so I taped and caulked with Silicone, this little covering board where it meets the deck and the cabinside above. That was it. I have seen absolute deluges, covered decks etc since-no water-none. This is a bandaid only fix.
This covering board simply needs to be removed as I strip the cabinsides next spring. Any pieces(corner trim) needing replacement or better fitting will be cut.
With the actual cabinside to deck joint exposed, I will clean out this area and use a sealant with good adhesion, Sikaflex, silcone maybe, not sure yet till I see it. This is a "permenant" sealant joint. Boatlife does not have enough adhesion(for me) for this area. Then a few coats of varnish will be applied to the cabinside as well as the removed, cleaned covering board and trim. When this area is well sealed, I will reinstall the covering board. Again, I will use a sealant with good adhesion, not a 5200 type but something that will grip both surfaces and allow alittle movement while still mantaining a seal and the ability to remove the piece years later. I am sure that this will serve for the life of the varnish(6 to 10 years here in Maine)
