Surprise, my boat leaks!

[SFS]

TS Colin left water inside what I thought was a pretty dry boat (1983 H31). So the search begins for sources, and that of course has led me to getting to know the boat even better than before. I've cleaned up the water in the main bilge (maybe 1/2 gallon).

Issue #1: Just forward of my companionway steps, under a teak grid that serves as the sole at that location, is a sump that also allows access to three of the keel bolts. There is a "weep hole" (approximately 3/8") in the aft portion of this sump (see pictures). The weep hole enters from UNDER the engine bilge. We took approximately 1.5 cups of water out of this sump with a sponge yesterday, and today I took out approximately 1/2 a cup. Anyone know what area(s) under the liner this hole will be draining?



To learn more about water trapped between the hull and the liner, I will begin finding old threads using the search terms "bilge + liner" and "false bilge". If anyone has any suggestions on additional search terms or can lead me to information regarding removing water between the hull and the liner on an H31, I would appreciate it.

Issue #2: I had more water than I wanted to see on the items I had stowed in the port quarter berth. After removing all those items, and while drying the fiberglass in the berth, I felt a drip from above. Looking up I found a series of (dripping) old fastener holes in the false ceiling, which is about 2 inches below the cockpit floor. (See left picture below). Right picture below is taken looking aft (ish) through the steering cables and gear, to get an idea of the space between that ceiling and the cockpit floor. I was able to remove some pooling water that was sitting on that false ceiling using a rag wrapped around a flexible rod. Any thoughts on where that pooling water may be coming from?

 

[Ron20324]

My hatch boards have holes for ventilation. If the rain is wind-driven from the right direction, it'll blow into the cabin.

 

[John T1594]

Any deck or cockpit fasteners that are not adequately sealed/caulked can and will cause leaks into the cabin headliner.

 

[kloudie1]

Cockpit drains at cockpit floor? Is there an opening port in the aft cabin /cockpit sidewall? and the worst.. the pedestal mounts.

 

[SFS]

Kloudie - There is an opening port in the quarterberth sidewall (cockpit sidewall under port laz), but it does not leak. In fact, none of my opening portlights leak! Tell me more about the pedestal mounts.

Anyone have thoughts on Issue #1 - I was stunned when I saw that limber hole running from UNDER (not through to) the engine bilge. Is this just one of the holes that Hunter put in to help water eventually move to the (false) bilge?

 

[HMT2]

Ray, your area that holds leaks from the engine compartment is very clean. Nice work! That area remains a bit of a mystery to me. The first thing I always do with standing water is taste a tiny bit of it to see if it is fresh or salt. By itself that tells you something. I have small amounts of water that that accumulate in the same spot. The water is usually salty. I have poured water colored with food coloring in various places in the aft of my boat. What I have discovered that drains to that area which by design does not go to the bilge, is obviously the engine compartment. Also, when you go into the deep "pit" of your starboard cockpit setee (facing port) your left foot is in one drain area that goes to the bilge and your right foot goes in an area that drains, (this includes the area underneath your galley sink) to the area you found water. I have a little water in that same area from time to time but I am convinced it is coming from a little water that leaks from my dripless seal on my prop shaft only when using the engine in gear. I am still not sure where else may drain to that area.

I too have struggled with some water/dampness in that quarter berth area on the port side. I know first hand it can come either from the cockpit drain, the hose going to your scupper or the area where your hose meets the scupper at the waterline on the port side. I recently discovered that the new hose I had run from the drain to the scupper (because the other one broke underway Yikes!) was not adequately attached and with certain points of sail or water conditions a small amount of water was leaking around the cuff of the corrugated hose. I think I have that beat for now.

I haven't forgotten I owe you some pictures. I hope to get that done this weekend.

 

[kloudie1]

Port in cockpit wall; many times a leak is not visible.. the rain water can come in around the port frame from the outside and gets into that space with the false ceiling. From there it will find a "someplace" to drip out. The pedestal base joint is just above the turning sheaves for the steering cables,, You may be able to see by getting in there during a rain event and watching.. Leaks could be from the thru-bolts or the flange/cockpit floor joint. Much more difficult to keep rain out than it seems! Happy hunting.

 

[SFS]

Mike, thanks for the long response. I want to emphasize that that limber hole drains a blind area located UNDER the engine bilge. The engine bilge itself is entirely self contained, with no plumbing leading anywhere, no holes of any sort, no cracks, no way for any fluid to escape. Which is ironic, as I have never seen a drop of anything in that area.

As to your second thought, about that deep storage under the starboard lazerette (which we call "the basement"). Using your reference points, if I were down there now my left foot would be in about 4 gallons of water in that deepest well. My right foot would be in two inches of water in the battery tray. I haven't taken any measurements, but both of those would seem to be lower than the level of the sump under the galley sole grating, so water would have to flow uphill to get there. However, I will check, as you have obviously done your homework. One of the keys will be to see if I have another bit of water in that galley sump today, and if so, how much.

I have confirmed that the port cockpit scupper leaks into the cabin. The water appears on the underside of the cabin ceiling where the PVC comes through. If it leaks there, then the water had to have passed under the flange at the cockpit floor, and run down the outer PVC walls to get there. Can't remember if that is in the area of the false ceiling, but if so, the ceiling would certainly catch some of that water and pool. And if one is scupper leaking, the other likely is as well, which could be the source of the water in the basement. This will be my immediate priority, as I want to enlarge them and rerun the hoses.

Kloudie - Good idea about portlight, I'll look at the geometry today to see if "water running uphill" applies. I think the cockpit scupper is a more likely option. I am under the impression that none of my portlights leak, but that is only because I use a tissue to check the bottom edges of the rubber seals during rainstorms. What I am NOT checking is the caulk seal between the portlight frame and the hull, which could have failed. I'll also check the pedestal sources. The garden hose will be our friend for the next several days.

 

[PThomas]

I find that my head port light will leak if it has rained for a few days but I can put the water hose to it and it never leaks so sometimes i think that tropical storms just make boats leak

 

[GorillaToast]

Try drilling a couple of 1/8" holes below your outside port light frames on the side you suspect is leaking (don't drill all the way thru, just into the wood core.)If the wood chips come out wet you'll know water is coming in from around the frames and they need to be taken out and re caulked. Be sure and fill the holes with epoxy after you fix the wet core.

I've re-bedded all the hardware except the toe rail on the port side of my 27 and still get water running down the lip on the edge of my cabin liner.

Here's a great video on resealing port lights.

"Resealing Portlights with Capt. Wayne Canning"