Hatch, Ports, and Pop Top Seals Leaking

[Don McCoy]

I have recently aquired a 25.5 that has been in storage for the past six years and all of the seals seem to be leaking. Does anyone have a suggestion for restoring their pliability or can they be replaced? The pop-top seems to be stuck and I have been reluctant to apply much pressure to raise it as I suspect the leaks may get much worse. Also there are several cracks in the pop-top at the sides of the companionway and one midway under the sliding hatch. Any ideas about whether these are due to misuse or structural defect and any sugestion on repair. It is possible that water somehow entered and froze, as this boat originally came from New England. I am wondering if the pop-top is soaked with water and if that might be the reason for the difficulty in raising it. Does anyone know if it is foam cored? Any responses will be appreciated.

 

[Dick Vance]

Waterlogged

Don,The pop top is likely full of water making it very heavy and hard to raise. I had the same problem with my 25.5. In mine, the stops for the sliding companionway hatch consisted of rubber pads attached with wood screws in the channel the hatch slides in. These came loose with the bumping of the front end of the hatch allowing water to enter the hollow pop top. It isn't foam cored. I drained the top by drilling a couple small holes in the underneath side of the top, one on either side at the lowest point at the front of the top. I then resealed the offending screw holes with caulk and glued rubber bumpers in the slide channel as stops. I have had to recaulk a couple of times.The cracks are very likely the result of the water freezing inside the top. You can probably repair this with epoxy or a fiberglas repair kit. There are numerous articles in the HOW archives.Any older boat, especially one that has not been constantly maintained, will probably need a lot of recaulking. By the way, congratulations on your 25.5! Even with some repairs and tlc, this is one of the best 25 foot boats around.Dick VanceH-25.5 "Honey Bear"