My 1984 Hunter-34 has a leak that results in rainwater slowly running down the inner hull, making the carpet wet. I cannot tell which through-deck bolts are leaking. I started off by re-sealing 10 bolts that secure the genoa traveller to the deck. It is still leaking. Now I am wondering if a leak in the toe rail bolts would result in water running down the inner hull. I am attaching a picture. What do you think?
Leak through deck into cabin
- Thread starter JohnnyP
- Start date
An old trick to find topside leaks is to pressurize the cabin and to locate air bubbling out with someone brushing every fitting with soapy water. To do this, you will need to close ports and tape down the entire companionway with a large piece of plastic. Then cut a small slit in the plastic and insert a leaf blower tube while sealing the tube with tape to. Start the blower and have a second person start brushing.
Your description of the leak inside needs to be more specific as to location and a photo or two would be helpful
Your description of the leak inside needs to be more specific as to location and a photo or two would be helpful
The design of the H-34 toe rail is such that it is unlikely (not impossible) that rainwater can come in. I would suspect the fixed portlights or the opening port over the galley that you've pictured. The hull has an outward turned flange; the deck has a "shoebox" fit over that flange and the toe rail bolts are outboard of the hull. A very loose bolt could pass rainwater; Get a good sized philips head driver and hold the heads in place while you tighten each nut with a small socket (tied to your arm so it doesn't go for a swim). Snug down each one.. Not too tightly, snug. (probably something like 60-70 inch pounds..) n start looking at the other stuff. Dave is right about the pressure leak detection.
Happy leak hunting!
Happy leak hunting!
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,772
Water is evil when it is leaking into your boat. It will most often flow with gravity from the top of the boat. Drip downwards. Hit an internal hard service (like a liner), then fall to the floor and come out, making it look like it is coming down the hull sides, but it is not. Pure Evil.
Try the pressureize trick mentioned by @Crazy Dave Condon. It works. Use a hose to spray water over small spaces on the hull, covering all areas around the suspected leak, as suggested by @Don S/V ILLusion.
Or get inside the boat during a rain storm and sprinkle some chalk in the likely spots to see if you can track the leak back to its source. You can also try to cover the suspicious areas with plastic wrap to see if you can eliminate the fixtures.
While tracks are always a possibility, I have found Winches, hatches, ports, chain plates, and deck handholds to be the usual suspects. I discovered during the last rain that one of my port frames was collecting water. Water was wicking up between the glass and the frame due to a poor seal (air bubbles in the seal material) between the glass and the frame. The solution (cover the frame until I can properly repair it) is to create a weep hole in the frame to drain water onto the deck, then reinstall the glass with a proper seal.
Try the pressureize trick mentioned by @Crazy Dave Condon. It works. Use a hose to spray water over small spaces on the hull, covering all areas around the suspected leak, as suggested by @Don S/V ILLusion.
Or get inside the boat during a rain storm and sprinkle some chalk in the likely spots to see if you can track the leak back to its source. You can also try to cover the suspicious areas with plastic wrap to see if you can eliminate the fixtures.
While tracks are always a possibility, I have found Winches, hatches, ports, chain plates, and deck handholds to be the usual suspects. I discovered during the last rain that one of my port frames was collecting water. Water was wicking up between the glass and the frame due to a poor seal (air bubbles in the seal material) between the glass and the frame. The solution (cover the frame until I can properly repair it) is to create a weep hole in the frame to drain water onto the deck, then reinstall the glass with a proper seal.