Elusive Leak in the Anchor Lockers of 1995 and Later Hunters

[Ralph Johnstone]

For 24 years I have searched for a small leak which originates in the anchor locker of my 1998 H-310 and finds its way into the forward V-berth. Please see the following for a complete history:

Anchor locker leaks

Like making sausage, you probably don't want to know what your anchor locker really looks like: Mine has been leaking around a gallon of water into the boat in a heavy rain while on the hard, which collects under the V-berth between the water tank and the anchor locker. The big leak seems to be...

forums.sailboatowners.com

Since entering the above post, I find we are now three Hunter owners who have a similar if not identical problem. If there are any other Hunter owners of similar size and year boats who are experiencing the same problem, I know I would be greatly indebted to anyone who can shed any light on this problem. I don't know at what size Hunter boats, the anchor lockers deviate from the mid 30 footers, but please add any insight you may have.

We seek absolutely any and all ideas whatsoever regarding this problem. All replies ............... no matter how weird, how whacked out, how Twilight Zone sourced, how riotously insane and delirious will be held near and dear to my heart. And whoever presents the most impossible answer of all, just might* win a kewpie doll. *Legal disclaimer, "please note the word "might*".
The reason I am willing to treasure absolutely any idea is because of this famous self evident truth:

“When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” ~ Arthur Conan Doyle, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes.

Thanks for your thoughts and whatever else spills off your keyboard.

 

[Hollyberry]

Is the water gathering under your cushions? or appearing in a locker area below? A photo or two might help (from above and below)

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Is the water gathering under your cushions? or appearing in a locker area below? A photo or two might help (from above and below)

Thetis Island .................. my absolutely favourite place in the whole wide world.

If you check post #6 in the above link, you'll see the above point of ingress into the V-berth. Fortunately, the leakage is limited to the rainy winter but it can reappear in a rainy June. For the sake of safety, once I prepare for summer sailing, I tape a small sheet of poly over the pinhole and lead it down into the sail storage area beneath the mattress deck.

I have been so tempted over the two decades to just seal the hole on the inside of the V-berth and be done with it. Undoubtedly that would lead to bigger problems.

 

[senang]

We have a 2005 H38 with a similar anchor locker leak. My analysis based on water leak traces is that it is the port deck/hull joint that is leaking. In order to repair I have to remove the metal strip in the plastic joint covering the deck/hull in that area. Then drill holes in that plastic joint. Insert a sealant gun in the holes and fill till saturation. Let dry and reinsert the metal strip.
Quite a job that I have not done as of today.

 

[smokey73]

I tracked my water leak from the anchor locker to the drain near the bottom of the locker. On my boat the anchor locker is not the outer hull itself, but a part of the interior tub so to speak. There is a space (too small to get your hand up into) between the anchor locker and the outer hull. Hunter just put in a short piece of pvc pipe and "gooped" it in place. Mine leaked there. I took off the clamshell of the outside, drove out the pvc pipe and designed and put in my replacment. Have not had a leak since.

You boat may be entirely different. I'll try and find the thread and put a link

 

[smokey73]

Here is the link. My fix starts at post #13

Hunter 40.5 anchor locker drain leak fix

I think I have isolated the leak I am getting into the bilge to the lower anchor locker drain. It seems to be sealed well on the inside of the locker but when I dump water into the locker, there is leakage from between the anchor locker liner and the outer hull. Then this eventually drains into...

forums.sailboatowners.com

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

My analysis based on water leak traces is that it is the port deck/hull joint that is leaking. In order to repair I have to remove the metal strip in the plastic joint covering the deck/hull in that area.

Oh, how the memories come flooding back from my attack on the rub rail. I just knew in my heart it had to be a leak in the deck/hull flange. What else could it possibly be ?

On one hell of a hot day in the August of 2012, I slowly pulled out the rub rail from the deck/hull flange. Actually, not too bad a job.

The rub rail remained attached at the bow under the anchor mount. Next, filled the rub rail with white DC 795. Good enough for grouting around windows, good enough for filling rub rails. This is the interior of the rub rail circa1998. My model is on the left.

Pressing the rub rail back into position was another story. The sealant became compressed between the interior vinyl piece and the inner surface of the rub rail. It took the right hand of God to press it tightly back into place.

Once that was done, the very next winter ................................. it didn't affect the leak one bloody iota.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

On my boat the anchor locker is not the outer hull itself, but a part of the interior tub so to speak. There is a space (too small to get your hand up into) between the anchor locker and the outer hull. Hunter just put in a short piece of pvc pipe and "gooped" it in place. Mine leaked there.

If only my leak could be so simple. I actually remember your post from back in 2019 and checked my locker to see if it had a liner like yours. Unfortunately, it didn't.

I was in a funk for the remainder of the week.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

@Ralph Johnstone
I have advised in the past closing off the boat and taping a large piece of plastic over the companionway inserting a leaf blower taping around that. When the blower is on in essence you are pressurizing the cabin. Someone is outside brushing with a brush dipped into soapy water on everything to include rub rail looking for air bubbling out as a source fmor leaks. old yard trick

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

When the blower is on in essence you are pressurizing the cabin. Someone is outside brushing with a brush dipped into soapy water on everything to include rub rail looking for air bubbling out as a source fmor leaks. old yard trick

An excellent idea and I would have done this 24 years ago except that the inlet leak is so small and appears to work its way through a wormhole in the fiberglass, I figured the air leakage would be so microscopic as to be undetectable and hidden from view. It's a mess of pieces and parts in there going every which way and much of the surfaces are hidden from view. For the garden, I have a B&D 12A blower which will lift rotted leaves off the driveway in the spring. I wonder if that could create enough pressure to cause damage to the cabin.

As a 1 in a 1,000,000 chance, I am now considering extending the length of rub rail I had pulled out many years ago and then applied sealant under the rub rail. Maybe sealing it back to half the length of the boat. An absolutely insane thing to do except when one is desperate.

I do appreciate the thought

 

[Tim22]

HI Ralph
I inherited a leaky chain locker when I got my 310. I tracked it down to rainwater running over the aft lip of the chain locker and through a small area of sealant breakdown where the deck meets the small chain locker/fore peak bulkhead. it only became apparent when I stuck my head into the locker and looked up at the join.

Tim

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Hi Tim,

That was the first thing I looked at when I first noticed the leakage. As previously mentioned. I rammed a gunned tube of 3M 795 up into the crack and further jammed it into the crack when finishing the joint. Since then, I have also slopped epoxy over the length of the joint for a very nice finish.

Leakage ? ? ? ? Don't ask . Not a trace of difference after sealing this opening in the joint.

I am now positive the leakage originates in a parallel universe or maybe right out of the Twilight Zone itself.

 

[jviss]

HI Ralph
I inherited a leaky chain locker when I got my 310. I tracked it down to rainwater running over the aft lip of the chain locker and through a small area of sealant breakdown where the deck meets the small chain locker/fore peak bulkhead. it only became apparent when I stuck my head into the locker and looked up at the join.

Tim

That's my theory for my leak on my Tartan 3800. I haven't "rammed a gunned tube of 3M 795 up into the crack" yet, maybe that's next.

 

[jdrutten]

Here are a few shots from the aft lip/wall of my anchor locker. You can see a sizable square of wet, delaminated wood in the first shot. Oh, bother. The second pic shows a joint that’s just begging for some sealant. I’m not quite sure yet what/how I’ll fix it, but it seems to be a recurring issue.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

You can see a sizable square of wet, delaminated wood in the first shot.

Can you take another shot a little further back of that first photo ? I can't quite get my head twisted around to recognize that section of the aft drip lip. Starting to wonder if yours is different from mine.

 

[jdrutten]

Here are a few better shots, each from the bow looking aft. It seems pretty clear that there was a previous weak attempt at a patch. I’m guessing the core was already wet when they put the patch on.

 

[JamesG161]

I have been so tempted over the two decades to just seal the hole on the inside of the V-berth and be done with it. Undoubtedly that would lead to bigger problems.

May I ask what problems loom in your mind?
Jim...

PS: I read this thread and links 2 times.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

This shot of your anchor locker shows it to be quite different from mine.

And this is probably the first area that I hit with sealant and no decrease in the amount of leakage.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

May I ask what problems loom in your mind?

My philosophy has always been to try to stop the leak on the exterior of the boat as it enters. I figure that stopping it at the interior end of the leak may cause pooling of water in an unknown area resulting in further rot or possible freezing of the pooled water and mechanical damage just for starters.

Undoubtedly that would lead to bigger problems.

I make that comment without fear of contradiction for I have what's known the reverse Midas Touch.

"Everything I touch turns to "

 

[JamesG161]

Like you said after 24 years it must be either this

Or

Try another approach.

I suggest fix from inside with a FRP patch.

Then to avoid the reverse Midas Touch by...
"Trust and Verify"
________

possible freezing of the pooled water

In this case you will find the source
Jim...