leaks in head area

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Dec 2, 2003
209
Hunter 34 Forked River, NJ
I have a persistant water leak between the inner and outer hulls, in the head and into the main cabin.

I re bed the base of the mast when it was removed, also re bed both ports.

Anyone else have this issue? Did you repair it? How?

Thanks in advance!
 
Mar 19, 2013
23
Hunter 37.5 Ece Saray, Fethiye
Hi JK,


I've got a similar issue on the starboard side as well aft of the forward salon bulkhead. A persistent leak noticeable in the storage under the outboard shelving. Not super wet but moist. I was doing some spring cleaning the other day and had the salon table post base removed and noticed some water in the undersole area directly starboard of the main bilge. Did the smell and color test and it is fresh water. Pumped out and still dry so no internal fresh water leak as would have been obvious with other indications. Like you, confirmed all chainplate bases, portholes and mast bases for leaks and none! I did read a couple previous posts and seems there were issues with a poor deck/hull joint seal. I plan to use Life Calk and seal the entire length of both toe rails inboard where there is a noticeable gap between the rail and deck. This is the only place the water can be coming from I believe. My leak is not bad but annoying and I think this quick fix will solve my issues and will keep the water out as clearly water drains to this low point and ends up under the rail. Maybe some others can chime in with similar occurrences.

Ron
 
Oct 14, 2005
2,191
1983 Hunter H34 North East, MD
JK & Ron...

I'm willing to bet that if you pull the trim rings off the outsides of the opening ports in the head and the one ahead of the fixed ports, you will find gaps in the caulking that will be sure sign that you need to either dig out the old caulk and reapply or pull the port out entirely and completely rebed it. (For Ron the one over the stove could also be at fault).

The same goes for rebedding the fixed ports--they're one of the first things to be done on this year's work list for my boat.
 
Nov 6, 2006
10,118
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Ron, the water under the table... check the hot water tank safety valve for drooling.. Any water getting down in that area will not drain until it works itself to a limber hole in the fore/aft beam under there..
The design of the hill/deck joint is such that the gap you see inboard of the toe rail casting can't get inside unless it goes through a through-bolt hole..If you really suspect that joint, I would get a big driver and a wrench and tighten a bit.. bot extremely tight, just snug 'em down.. and do all of em.. I think the bedding has a lot of elasticity and snugging will stop a through bolt leak.
 
Mar 19, 2013
23
Hunter 37.5 Ece Saray, Fethiye
Dan, Thanks for your response and well thought out suggestions. To understand the structure better, is it possible that water intrusion could occur from the outer frames and end up in the boat without obvious water trails? I assume it would enter and between the deck shell and liner? I will definitely take your advise and remove and re-bed the outer frames.
 
Mar 19, 2013
23
Hunter 37.5 Ece Saray, Fethiye
Ron, the water under the table... check the hot water tank safety valve for drooling.. Any water getting down in that area will not drain until it works itself to a limber hole in the fore/aft beam under there..
The design of the hill/deck joint is such that the gap you see inboard of the toe rail casting can't get inside unless it goes through a through-bolt hole..If you really suspect that joint, I would get a big driver and a wrench and tighten a bit.. bot extremely tight, just snug 'em down.. and do all of em.. I think the bedding has a lot of elasticity and snugging will stop a through bolt leak.
Kloudie, thanks for your reply. I will try and snug any suspect bolts. Like Dan stated, maybe the culprits are the porthole calkings. Regarding the bilge water, I will explore the safety valve although I haven't noticed any leak. I bought the boat recently and the list of fixing all the PO issues is getting shorter slowly but surely. I really appreciate your input.
 
Jun 3, 2004
890
Hunter 34 Toronto, Ontario Canada
I have the same problem and I suspect some leakage under the sea hood ( the cover over the sliding hatch. Water gets in there from the hatch tracks and because of the well known starboard list, ends up at the front right side of that area.

Another job on the list- lift the sea hood and clean and fix leaks.
 
Feb 8, 2010
78
Hunter 34 Grand Lake
Ron, regarding the water under the table. As unlikely as it seems, my boat had a hole (drilled and there since new) in the ice box drain hose. The water from the ice box drained into the forward bilge.
 

neild

.
Feb 8, 2001
27
Hunter 34 Tacoma
Another possibility. Some of the water between the hulls could be from condensation.. There is a lot of space between the hull and the liner and not much ventilation to help it dry out.. The holes in the bilge usually don't get all the water out..
 
Nov 5, 2009
62
Hunter 34 Quebec
I concur that condensation can create a fair bit of water! I have not had this problem yet (water is still freezed anyway!) but on previous boat I could get couple liters of water due to condensation...
 
Oct 14, 2005
2,191
1983 Hunter H34 North East, MD
RLM...

Rebedding the trim rings is not the cure. They are in essense decoration ("trim"). The real issue is what you may find under them. Any gap between the port's barrel and the cabin fiberglass provides a penetration point.

Water entering around an opening port can travel aft along the inner liner's lip and drip out either at the galley, in the aft cabin, or anywhere in-between. I spent a couple of years chasing these kind of leaks. Once the suspect opening ports were removed, the gap between the inner and outer fiberglass epoxied over, the ports reinstalled, and the outside gap between port and outer cabin top shell filled with caulk, the leaks stopped.

My trim rings are still off because I need to cut down two new port barrels that were installed during the above process. I also noted on my most recent boat visit that two of the older ports' caulking is showing some gapping, probably due to contraction from the heat/cold cycle this past winter.
 
Mar 19, 2013
23
Hunter 37.5 Ece Saray, Fethiye
Thanks Dan. I was considering removing and replacing the opening ports. I think I will pull the opening port in the head for starters to investigate your suspect areas.
 
Dec 2, 2003
209
Hunter 34 Forked River, NJ
Thanks for the thoughts, I did re-bed the port, pump out deck fitting, and the turning block, same leak. The mast base is new, and bedded properly. I plan to remove and re bed the hatch in the head, and remove the hand rails to see if that helps.
 
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