Wet headliner on Oday 25

[Mad Dog]

Going to give Rudy a call tomorrow and troubleshoot this, but I thought I'd check in with the Oday sages here.

I'm trying to locate source(s) of leaking around the headliner just forward of the bulkheads. After yesterday's monsoon (I live on the CT shoreline), I checked the boat this morning. Bilge is dry )), but I noticed that the bottom of the head sink cabinet was soaking wet. A little investigation revealed that the headliner above this area was very wet and was likely dripping down the fabric (which was also soaked), behind the sink, and into the bottom of the cabinet. When I checked the port side (where the wet locker is), the headliner and fabric here were also wet. So I am considering a few culprits:

1. Toe rails
2. Stanchions (there is one in this location on both sides)
3. Rub rail - doubtful, as this is below the headliner
4. Forward portlights - possible, but I'm having a hard time envisioning water coming in at the trim to fiberglass joint and then coming down the headliner
5. Chain plates - quite possible, but not sure about this. Last week I applied Life Calk around the beauty plates (not a permanent fix, I know, but just a troubleshooting step). Also, would water coming in the chainplates get the headliner wet? I would think it would go down the bulkhead instead. I know water can migrate anywhere.

Has anyone attacked a similar problem and willing to share advice? I think the lesson here is if you're unsure when the PO bedded deck hardware, assume it's all failed and rebed. More fall projects <sigh>

 

[RichBone]

Mast step, hand rail?

 

[ebsail]

It could be any or all of the things you mentioned. But I would start with the mast step. The only way to be sure you've sealed it is to take the mast down and then remove the plate, clean it, caulk it and replace. So far on my 25, we have done the mast step, chain plates (real easy, just pull off covers, clean and fill with silicone) and the hand rails (butyl rubber) and the hatch rails, (also butyl) and we are now down to one very small leak on the port side aft. I always try to start at the highest point and work your way down hill. Ernie

 

[RichBone]

Use the butyl on the chainplates too

 

[cb32863]

Don't use silicone anywhere...... I used LifeCaulk to seal my chainplates after a bulkhead rebuild and used butyl on all the deck hardware. My fore toe rails were leaking as well so I removed them and repotted the holes with thickened epoxy and when they go back on I will be using butyl on them as well. Mast step could be the problem as mine leaked very bad, I would consider the toerails being the culprit, maybe stanchions, as the fabric is wet but checking all won't hurt either.

One other note, most of the core is pretty wet under my mast step and cabin top hardware so that is going to be addressed as is some wet core under the toe rails. Something to think about for the future if you have water ingress.

 

[Mad Dog]

Mast step...never considered that as I thought it was too far away. But the same area is wet on both port and starboard, so now I'm thinking it could very well be the common source. Good thing I was planning to take the rig down anyway to replace the rigging.

 

[Ritdog]

I would really check the chain plates- and the bulkhead they are attached to..... 25s have a history of leaking there, and the bulkheads rotting out. I had to change my port side out last year because it was delaminated. Seeing that they are sealed, it's propbably from above, but I would still check those bulkheads.