Water leak

[Patrik]

I have tried to find a leak in my H356 during heavy rain. I have water on the floor in the toilette! I have checked the portlights and no leak found. My guess is a leak from the hull/deck area. Do anyone have an idea of how to repair this from outside by removing the rubrail. The stainless rail outside the rubrail is mounted with screws. What if I remove some of them, whats behind? Can I find the area where the water is leaking into the toilette ?

 

[Steve Dion]

I have the same problem on my 1994 Hunter Vision 36. I was planning on removing the S.S. hand rails and bedding them with butyl tape.

 

[Patrik]

Rubrail remove and replace

I contacted the reseller here in Sweden and he told me thet it is possible to remove a part of the rubrail, use sikaflex and then replace the rubrail. He als enclosed a instruction how to mount the rubrail originally. Doing this little repair schold however not need aby heating of the rail. I will give it a try this fall when the boat is on land. Anyone with experience of doing this?

 

[Bob 04 H260]

Hallå Patrik, I have not heard of leaks along the rub-rail being a problem on these boats before. Is it possible it took a hard docking in this area ? Seems like that would usually occur further forward. Unless a dock neighbour made a mistake ! I would try to confirm this is the issue before taking it apart.

Can you use a high pressure water hose to track down the leak ?

I would have thought a leak at the rub rail would run down the inside of the liner and go into the bilge. While a leak around the port would come out on the bathroom vanity and end up on the floor. You could apply some talcum powder to the top of the vanity counter top while you are off the boat and look for some "tracks" next time you come aboard.

I believe there can be an issue with leaks around the lock downs on the ports. The fix is to take the little covers off the locks. Remove the screws and replace the O-rings, exact size is not that critical, just pick some up at the hardware store or SKF dealer.

If you do not have a dodger there could be a leak on the cabin top around the winches etc. that would then could come out through the light fixtures.

Good luck, and please keep us in the loop on the problem and how you fixed it, Bob

 

[Fly4hire]

On a 356 I believe the winches and spinlock clutches are directly overhead the head. I might try hosing some water selectively over these areas to see if you can reproduce and isolate the leak before fixing what might not be broke with the grab rails

 

[Patrik]

The surch for the leak is progressing. There is water in the bilge and on the bathroom floor after todays heavy rain. I have covered the two ports to eliminate two possible sources, and there is water on the floor again. My conclusion is either the rub rail or at the attachement of the midship ropecleat or the statchion. Do anyone know if these are screwed into a plate or are there nuts underneath. I have a dodger so no water is coming from clutches and winches. Next step will be to put some sikaflex outside the rubrail on the probable leakarea. Wait for rain and then evaluate the result.
I will keep you updated.

Patrik
www.valetta.n.nu

 

[Patrik]

I did not take apart the rubrail this season due to lack of time and inspiration. However I put Sikaflex in the area between the rubrail and the hull, starting from one feet ahead the fitting of the uppe shroud and then backwards behind the last portlight. Haleluja no water in the bilge anymore! The leak is found and stopped! Final repair will perhaps (removing the rubrail) be done this winter.

Patrik

 

[sailinglegend420]

Our 420 passage has had major problems with leaks at the deck/hull fitting that has taken us a month to sort.

After 5 years of trying to cure what appeared to be either a window leak or stanchion leaks, and then having another major leak elsewhere, we bit the bullet and removed the rub-rail.

See the picture below and you can immediately see the problem. The screws holding the rub-rail have been power-driven without pilot holes, and they have missed the joint and pierced the hull and/or broken the angled joint. We had 36 holes like this on our boat!!!!!!

I would urge all Hunter owners to remove their rubrails and check the screw fixings.

It's really quite easy. Remove the s/s inset and support on the guard rails. Ours was in three sections. Then remove the rub-rail - two sections - but the anchor roller may stop you removing the front holding screws. Again just support the rail on the stantions so you don't need to remove the front screws.

We did one side whilst still in the water, but made a mess!!!! Much easier and quicker out of the water.

We had to remove and replace all the cracked epoxy and replace the Sikaflex and then drill new pilot holes and fix with shorter screws.

All the leaks have now stopped!