Leaky H31

Status
Not open for further replies.
L

Leif Rasmussen

While we are on thesubject of leaks I am still trying to find the source of my leak that is dripping out of the cut out section of fiberglass under the pedestal. You have to remove th efiberglass cover overhead in the aft berth to see it. It is not coming from the pedestal and I do not believe it would be the cockpit drains as you can see them from the inside and I do not see any water leaking. I'm wondering, as the previous article mentioned, if the leak could be originating in the cabin top?
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Can be coming from ANYWHERE!

Leif: The water can be coming from anywhere, that is the problem. 1. When do you notice water in the aft berth? (after wash down, after sailing etc) 2. If you want to test the aft cockpit drain idea, all you have to do is plug the drains with a rag or stopper and put enough water in the cockpit so the drains are covered. You could have a crack in the fiberglass or the caulking under the cockpit drains have have given up. There may be enough caulk on the under side of the drain fitting to prevent it from leaking there.
 
M

Mike

Rain

The leak on my 28.5 is rainwater. No doubt about it. You could try something I am planning to try - food coloring. Fill a bucket, put food color or some other type of non staining dye in it and dump the bucket around and then trace the leak below. I have rebedded almost all the working hardware on my boat. I know the leak is not coming from the cabin top. It must be something aft - from the traveler on back.
 
C

Craig Young

H31 Leaks

I'm wondring if the water is comming from the water tank? My tank lid, the one with 1M screws, leaked and I couldn't get the lid off so I cut out the caulking in the groove and then got some liquid caulk from West Marine and poured in the groove and Wallla it stoped. It was leaking out when I filled the water tank. The other leak I'm familliar with is the ladder on the stern. Those screws need re-caulking every once in a while. Other than that is the pedistal and or the instrament stantions. Good Luck
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Craig, that is why I asked.

Craig That is why I asked: 1. When do you notice water in the aft berth? (after wash down, after sailing etc) As I remember Lief said that he saw the water running in from the steering cowling. There are a couple of other things that I can think of. If you get water in the line locker (port seat), water can get into the liner thru the drain. The seat hinges are another potential source, cleats, winches, cheek blocks, and stern ladder. Rebedding these areas are the other places that need to be looked at. Craig, I also had a leak on my water tank. I could NOT get the lid off either. After removing the 30+ screws and cutting out the caulk I could NOT remove the lid. I recaulked it and put silicone in all of the screw holes. I had a couple of bubbles on the lid for the tank. I took a Dremel and ground out the bubbles. Then I patched the holes with Marine Tex. Well I now have one screw that still bubbles when we fill the tank. I am going to get the next larger screw and see if that takes care of the problem. I can see the tank bubbling when we refill it. I know where my leak is coming from. Lief's problem is a little more mysterious. PS: Any body know how to remove the lid on the tank without breaking it. I suppose that there is some sort of anti-caulk that will melt the bond.
 
M

Mike

water tank cover

Amazingly, I just embarked on the adventure of removing the water tank lid. I used a rotozip to gouge out the old goo, but the real seal is beneath, between the bottom of the cover and the lip on the tank on which is rests. I am using 3m's sealant solvent in a can (not the arosol version - the liquid stuff) and I am letting the solvent sit in the groove until it evaporates in an attempt to soften the goo underneath. I have one corner somewhat loose, but it still has a grip on the tank. I am committed one way or another to getting that stupid cover off, as I assume that some of the solvent has made it's way into the tank by now. I'll let you know.....
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Mike your our hero on this subject!

Mike: Rip Edmunson did a photo forum article on the subject some time ago. He did not mention ANY problem with removing the lid. As you have experienced, it is a real SOB to remove. We could not budge it. I hope you have success. I am going to try to do this again at the end of the sailing season. Having our tank OOO (out of order) during the season is too trying on the water queen. I need to do it when I can leave her at home. If you can any wisdom to this please let us know.
 
R

Rip Edmundson

Breaking the seal around edge of water tank

We just pried a little with a putty knife. When we got a slit we inserted a popcicle stick and pried next to it. We went around the whole lid this way and then lifted with 2 suction cup handles. Came away easily.
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Thanks Rip.

Rip: We tried the same thing. I guess we had a very good seal on ours or something. I unscrewed all of those screws, cut the old sealant out of the groove and could NOT budge the lid. If we could have just got it started, I think I could have lifted it. I suppose that if I evenutally need to remove it, I have to get some of that sealant dissolver.
 
M

Mike

putty knife - argh!

I too tried the putty knife first, but all I did was chip the crap out of the lid. It's as if that cover was sealed with silkaflex or something. The 3M adhesive dissolver I bought should do the trick. I hope to get to it this weekend. I will let you know how it goes.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.