Leak

[George H260]

I have a leak that I can't locate. There is what appears to be a place where two halves of the boat are joined. That (joint) is just about even with the hatch to the cockpit. I have removed and replaced the hardware above this leak and nothing has helped. The worry that I have is that the moisture leaking from the area is colored, like it is water that has been sitting in wood (either plywood or perhaps the balsa that the boat used as the form). I did, before I bought the boat, do some slight investigation (tapping on the deck) and found that there was a hollow sound around the port/scuttle over the V-berth. I assume that to be rot.Can anyone give me an idea?

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

Try this

You're right: It's coming from the joint that holds the top of the boat to the bottom. I spent all winter on 17 areas of perceived leaks. My big success turned out to be recalking the rubrail. Of course, you have to remove the old stuff, which is tedious. But once that's done and the thing is cleaned out with acetoyne, you can recalk. After some research, I used LifeSeal clear because of its elasticity and neutral color. I recommend using that little red plastic tool to get just the right spread. This maneuver solved my ten-year-old problem and I'm a new man.

 

[Drew]

Hmmm...

I don't have a 22 and it's hard to tell from the photo - is there a liner there? Is there a hollow space in there? The colored water that's leaking could be coming from any piece of improperly bedded hardware. If there is a liner or a way for water to get to where the leek is I suggest you use a garden hose on each piece of hardware and see if you can track it down that way. Beats having to re-bed everything. Good luck.

 

[Bud22569]

My Experience

I have an H22 and have experienced the same thing that you describe. The cabin ceiling liner creates a place for any water that leaks through the deck fittings to collect and then run out where gravity may take it. The leaks, similiar to yours, that I have experienced also have a dark appearance. I think the dark color is where the old dirt between the cabin ceiling and deck have collected and then the dirt is absorbed into the leak.I have located the source of the leaks by wetting down one deck fitting at a time until the water shows up coming from the cabin ceiling liner. The water in the cabin has in the past shown up fairly rapidly after I pour the water on the leaking deck fitting. I started with the fittings close to where the water is dripping in the cabin.I have also had some one time events that I believe are due to condensation collecting in the cabin ceiling liner.Good luck

 

[kingprawn]

same problem

If the picture had an old westmarine radio with a rusted mounting bracket, I'd think it was my boat. I've assumed that the leak is from the hull/deck joint, but I haven't been adventurous enough yet to start digging around to recaulk it. Good luck if you commence the project.

 

[mike]

recaulk of H22 rubrail

Billhow did you accomplish the recaulking? did you remove all the screws and take off the rubrail or did you just scrape / remove the old caulk along the edge of the rubrail aand insert new caulk there.thanksmike