Suspected Hull-to-Deck Joint Leak, H41

Sep 22, 2021
292
Hunter 41AC 0 Portland, OR
About a week ago, I spent the morning washing a winter's worth of grime off of the deck of our 2007 H41AC using a hose and regular nozzle. A lot of the deck required scrubbng with a stiff bristle brush but I got most of the grime off of the deck. I used the hose to direct a stream of water at the plastic piece that, I assume, surrounds the hull-to-deck joint and has a stainless steel rub rail strip on the outer edge. A lot of gunk washed up and out of the place where that plastic piece meets the deck molding as well as where the stainless rub rail strip meets the plastic.

The attached photo shows the rub rail that I'm referring to with a yellow line around it. My assumption is that this covers the hull-to-deck joint.

Today, we were at the boat doing some cleaning in preparation for an upcoming outing and we found a mass of black gunk on the outboard side of the aft shower as well as a smaller spot of gunky runniness down the vanity wall, also on the outboard side. Both of these surfaces are at the upper part of the hull where it meets the deck so I suspect that the joint is where the gunk came from. As far as I know, the gunk was not there before the boat washing episode but I could be wrong. Also, the bilge has been nearly bone dry all winter and today when I checked it there is a small amount - maybe a pint or so that wasn't there a week or so ago and it hasn't rained much in the intervening time.

I suspect that there may be a leak in the hull-to-deck joint and my relatively vigorous spraying of the rub rail may have caused a water incursion. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone that has had a hull-to-deck joint leak on a Hunter and how it was remedied.

RubRail.jpg
 
Mar 20, 2021
14
Hunter 41 Lake Tahoe
Hi, had the same problem on the same model boat only in the stern. I kept a towel down by the rudder post years ago and it would be wet after heavy sailing with some water in the bilge. Pulled the chrome strip and the molding off the hull joint at the stern about 8 feet in either direction. Resealed with 5200. Took care of most of the problem. Probably water coming in along the joint somewhere else. A lot of screws to remove. Have some spares and a easy out.
 
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Likes: jssailem
Jun 8, 2004
10,471
-na -NA Anywhere USA
This is Al Fooks question with the SBO. There is a help desk which you may have to pay but he can advise you on this one. He is a former Hunter employee
 
Sep 22, 2021
292
Hunter 41AC 0 Portland, OR
I've communicated with someone at the Hunter parts store and they confirmed that the hull-to-deck joint on our 2007 H41AC is like the first example in the attached image. He said that the screws whose heads are visible in the stainless strip on the outer part of the rub rail protrude into the joint between the deck and hull flanges. Now, my task is to find where the water is getting inside somewhere along the hull-to-deck joint.

Hull-Deck-Joint.jpg
 
Jun 1, 2009
1,845
Hunter 49 toronto
I've communicated with someone at the Hunter parts store and they confirmed that the hull-to-deck joint on our 2007 H41AC is like the first example in the attached image. He said that the screws whose heads are visible in the stainless strip on the outer part of the rub rail protrude into the joint between the deck and hull flanges. Now, my task is to find where the water is getting inside somewhere along the hull-to-deck joint.

View attachment 224466
I had the same issue.
I agree with the prior post
Take photos, and pay for a conduit.,Al Fooks knows all about this, and there is no point of guessing