Rain Water Leak in V-Berth

[Allen Schweitzer]

Hey Everybody,I've got a problem with rainwater getting in to the forward v-berth. It's been getting steadily worse over the past 18 months or so. At first I thought it was just from leaky stanchions, but there's NO WAY that this much water is coming from the stanchions. After a day of heavy rain I'll get almost 1 quart of water that seems to seep in from port side where the headliner meets the hull.Anyone have a similar problem & fixed it? Could it be coming in through the hull/deck joint? I swing on a mooring in an area with heavy currents, so sometimes I'll take rain & wind broadside. I was thinking of caulking the hull/deck seam on the outside of the hull as a first attempt to fix it. Anybody have any opinions for or against that? I don't think I've ever seen a C-30 with a bead of caulk there, so I'm not sure what to do.Thanks in advance,Allen Schweitzers/v FalstaffC-30 Hull# 632

 

[Bill]

Yep

Odds are it is leaking at the thru bolts which attach the deck and hull. I noticed the same thing on my new 350 at 3 bolts in the lazeret and one in the v berth. I left the water marks so they can trace it on the punch out.

 

[Trevor]

Pressure Test

Hi Allen -Deck leaks can be a real headache, as they often manifest themselves someplace far from the source. If you have trouble sourcing freshwater leaks, try pressure testing the inside of the boat. You'll need a roll of tape, a large shop-vac, cardboard, and a dry day. Start by makinga template of one of the hatch boards out of carboard. Then tape every exterior hatch, port, and locker - fill dorades with rags or anything to seal them. Cut a hole in the cardboard companionway hatch board you made and tape the vacuum hose (hose inserted in the exhaust side of the unit) into it once it's in place. Turn on the vacuum. Now spend some time on deck with a solution of water and soap, spreading the solution on (and in) any areas where you think water might be entering (check that hull to deck joint!). If you see bubbles, you know you need to rebed or seal that area. The entire process shouldn't take more than 2 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the boat. Best of luck!Trevor

 

[PAT]

v -berth leak

Check to make sure the anchor well is not damaged. I had a small crack in mine that allowed water to enter the v-berth through the weep hole in the forward storage area.

 

[Les Murray]

V-berth leak in a C-36

Allen,I have a C-36 with a similar problem. With the C-36, water leaks in through the anchor locker, via the space between the deck and hull where the position light wiring passes. For the 36, it is in the upper back corners of the locker. Water would wrap around the edge of the locker lid and follow the wires into the v-berth. Every time I would come back to the boat there would be a couple of inches of water in the forward bilge area and the teak trim at the front of the berth would be wet.What I did and many other C-36 owners have done is to block up the wire passages with sealant. It has appeared to work so far (one week), but I will keep monitoring it.You may want to check to see if you have the same situation.Les Murrays/v Ceilidh'86 C-36 #560