Yesterday I pumped the bilge dry. Today after heavy rains it's wet again , but this time with two inches of fresh water not sea water, no oil or diesel. What's the best way to determine where the rainwater is seeping into the bilge
Fresh h20 in the bilge?
- Thread starter AADIVER
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Not sure what the best way is but the only conclusive way is to watch what happens when it rains. Scuppers, drains, mast step, toe rail seams, etc all are possibilities. Make sure everything is dry and to make it easier to see, some folks have used baby power sprinkled liberally around all suspected crannies to see what happens the next time it rains.
All boat leak, sooner or later.
All boat leak, sooner or later.
On my 30, with heavy rain, water enters the mast and follows the electrical chase down to the bilge. I've considered drilling a couple weep holes at the base of the mast....Yesterday I pumped the bilge dry. Today after heavy rains it's wet again , but this time with two inches of fresh water not sea water, no oil or diesel. What's the best way to determine where the rainwater is seeping into the bilge
Guys,
here's a few helpful hints. In earlier threads covering leaks mast area
deck compression etc., here are some facts.
Leaks are difficult to isolate. Cored decks (as with my 1980) were found
with not full plywood core sheeting as you would think, but all types of oddly fitted balsa plywood pieces all over. Quality was not a big priority back then unfortunately as boat builders worked on shoestring budgets. This presented many channels for water intrusion to flow.
Leaks only start at the following areas:
1. any penetration thru the top deck. (stantions, thru- bolts, cleats, hatch seals, especially chainplates etc.)
2. Any window or verticle penetration thru topsides.
3. Water penetration under mast step.
4. Windblown rain thru companionway slats, hatch cover and rear vents.
5. In some cases thru your rudder tube (but usually when in conditions).
6. Cracks and leaks with keel bolts and the bottom flat surface they are tightened down on. Leaking thru hull valves etc.
If tastes like fresh it's above, below, saltwater. If the taste is a diluted salty taste, both.
A leak may originate in one area, but the water will seek its own path in, around, & underneath the wood coring and run along the top side of your interior lining until it finds an exit point. Sometimes running vertically down, hence your bilge.
First look for tell tale water marks on your fiberglass. The water may mix with resin and a brown mark may appear. If none are found I’d bet it's somewhere around the cabin or foredeck. Do make sure it's not the companionway area.
Look for any sagging under the mast and check the mast step and deforming of compression block in the bilge. Check the past threads on this site, there is alot of useful help, as we are all in the same boat (sorry for the pun).
If you isolate the and find the problem is not from below areas, and you do not see evidence of leaks in the upper areas of the interior areas, The only way to be sure you stop a leak would be to redo all topside thru bolts, fittings etc.
I recently stripped my whole deck & mast. Did all the necessary repairs to glass, hardware, and fittings. Completely cut & replaced deck with solid fiberglass/structural mix under the mast area, modified wiring to eliminate any leak. I removed/replaced windows. Epoxy painted the entire topsides. But, I had water damage that needed REAL FIXING. Yours may not be that bad.
Remember, the longer the leaking persists, the more wood coring may rot, the weaker the structural integrity will be.
Hope this helps.........
CR
here's a few helpful hints. In earlier threads covering leaks mast area
deck compression etc., here are some facts.
Leaks are difficult to isolate. Cored decks (as with my 1980) were found
with not full plywood core sheeting as you would think, but all types of oddly fitted balsa plywood pieces all over. Quality was not a big priority back then unfortunately as boat builders worked on shoestring budgets. This presented many channels for water intrusion to flow.
Leaks only start at the following areas:
1. any penetration thru the top deck. (stantions, thru- bolts, cleats, hatch seals, especially chainplates etc.)
2. Any window or verticle penetration thru topsides.
3. Water penetration under mast step.
4. Windblown rain thru companionway slats, hatch cover and rear vents.
5. In some cases thru your rudder tube (but usually when in conditions).
6. Cracks and leaks with keel bolts and the bottom flat surface they are tightened down on. Leaking thru hull valves etc.
If tastes like fresh it's above, below, saltwater. If the taste is a diluted salty taste, both.
A leak may originate in one area, but the water will seek its own path in, around, & underneath the wood coring and run along the top side of your interior lining until it finds an exit point. Sometimes running vertically down, hence your bilge.
First look for tell tale water marks on your fiberglass. The water may mix with resin and a brown mark may appear. If none are found I’d bet it's somewhere around the cabin or foredeck. Do make sure it's not the companionway area.
Look for any sagging under the mast and check the mast step and deforming of compression block in the bilge. Check the past threads on this site, there is alot of useful help, as we are all in the same boat (sorry for the pun).
If you isolate the and find the problem is not from below areas, and you do not see evidence of leaks in the upper areas of the interior areas, The only way to be sure you stop a leak would be to redo all topside thru bolts, fittings etc.
I recently stripped my whole deck & mast. Did all the necessary repairs to glass, hardware, and fittings. Completely cut & replaced deck with solid fiberglass/structural mix under the mast area, modified wiring to eliminate any leak. I removed/replaced windows. Epoxy painted the entire topsides. But, I had water damage that needed REAL FIXING. Yours may not be that bad.
Remember, the longer the leaking persists, the more wood coring may rot, the weaker the structural integrity will be.
Hope this helps.........
CR
I read an interesting article by Don Casey in the Nov. 2010 Sail Magazine on this. Pressurize your cabin with the discharge air of a shopvac. Use tape to attach your vac hose to one vent and put a light plastic bag over the other vent or some other opening. The bag inflates and indicates the pressure buildup. Go around the boat and use soap bubbles at your windows, fittings, fastners, everywhere. Slowly, thoroughly, look for bubbles forming.Yesterday I pumped the bilge dry. Today after heavy rains it's wet again , but this time with two inches of fresh water not sea water, no oil or diesel. What's the best way to determine where the rainwater is seeping into the bilge
:dance:
Rob
rb,
I was going to mention this type of method, however there is no way of telling that if by sealing your vents, there will be total access to all areas for the air to travel to and what psi will occur in these areas.
I did all the work in my boat as you know, and found much to my chagrin, that I had "1" mysterious leak still.
Here's how I found it. In the area where I saw evidence of water in my case, I did in fact use a wet vac to force air into some unused existing holes in my interor liner. I put duct tape around the edge end of the hose and held it tight against the liner.
After a few seconds, I was able to see light tales of water coming from under a bolted area of the wood trim along the port side of the cabin top. Your suggestion has merit and I would try it. But, if that doesn't work, try to break it up into areas where you can remove stuff from your inner liner and use those holes do the air blow thing. Let me know if it worked for you pal........
CR
I was going to mention this type of method, however there is no way of telling that if by sealing your vents, there will be total access to all areas for the air to travel to and what psi will occur in these areas.
I did all the work in my boat as you know, and found much to my chagrin, that I had "1" mysterious leak still.
Here's how I found it. In the area where I saw evidence of water in my case, I did in fact use a wet vac to force air into some unused existing holes in my interor liner. I put duct tape around the edge end of the hose and held it tight against the liner.
After a few seconds, I was able to see light tales of water coming from under a bolted area of the wood trim along the port side of the cabin top. Your suggestion has merit and I would try it. But, if that doesn't work, try to break it up into areas where you can remove stuff from your inner liner and use those holes do the air blow thing. Let me know if it worked for you pal........
CR
No pun intended there captnron, do you not think that what you've mentioned is common sense? i've completed work on my old vessel as well before i sold her up north and dark areas, sagging under the mast and redoing the fiberglass was a given. i took the teak off as well and found that railings, especially old railings on the top deck are culprits of leaks. Top deck workings i have some experience at. i am sure that most of these well experienced boat owners are also aware.
my issues with sailing is what type of keel to have for the area/boating and fixing the damage is $$$$ and a headache. The top deck work, ehh, common sense issues.
my issues with sailing is what type of keel to have for the area/boating and fixing the damage is $$$$ and a headache. The top deck work, ehh, common sense issues.
Illusion...just do what you must to identify the leaks, new fiberglass if applicable, and what i did with my old vessel, take all bolts , nuts & screws off, were ever you can replace all, put a seal, a gasket type sealant in each hole before you screw things back together. while doing so, only screw things 1/2 way and wait till it sets...then screw in all-the-way. your making a gasket and it will help prevent unwanted leaks on top deck. you can do the same with windows, etc. Anything that's bulted or screwed in.
At Trader Joes there is a package of compressed sponges that work great for sticking up into small spaces (below suspect stanchions, etc) I used these our first rainy season and identified them all pretty easily.....then we could work on fixing them. Turned out we had very few ... Boats leak a little, it goes into the bilge, we dry it out.....
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