My v-berth foam was saturated from a leak due to the notorious screws on the brass strip on the bow. With the bow down on the trailer water was actually dripping from one of the lower screws. After removing the 2 adjacent screws water also dripped from one of these. You might remove a couple to see if you get any dripping.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Odd thing happened this morning?
- Thread starter bschell
- Start date
I'm resuscitating this thread because we've also experienced something strange as well. We decided to keep the boat on the trailer in a boatyard this fall. I've had the camperback up but the boat definitely slants down towards the bow. When checking the boat a couple of weeks ago, I found a lot of water in the cabin. I'm trying to figure out how so much water migrated into the cabin when the camperback was up. Of course, this past October was one of the rainiest month on record. In any case, I'm going to trouble shoot how the water got through and I also put tarp over the boat to help combat the water. But I also want to seal the bulkhead to the floor. We have floorboards on our boat so there is no raised cockpit floor permanently sealed. I noticed long ago there was a gap under the bulkhead that should have been sealed by the factory but wasn't. I tried sealing this years ago but did a quick and sloppy job with 5200 the first time. I will also be sealing the "sump" area Bob describes where the bilge pump is installed midships at the cabin door.thataway":3rcsje43 said:There may be a sump inside of the aft cabin bulkhead, and should be a sump all of the way aft. Bilge pumps have been placed in both places (and a few others) by the factory. Many boat owners have bilge pumps in both locations.
Only newer boats, I believe 2007 on, have a fully glass in, or "sealed" floor of the cockpit. For example my 2006 boat has the removable two floor boards of fiberglass which can be removed.
If you describe the "bilge" as being inside the cabin, I assume that you have a pump intake there. There should be a slot or hole from the cockpit floor.
There also should be some fiberglass molding on the floor inside the cabin, with a step over it--where the pump intake is located. That may have a leak thru its tabbing to the floor in the cabin. There could be leaks under the aft bulkhead, there could be leaks thru the hull to deck joint in the cabin, or there could be some area up on the cabin which is leaking (for example I have a small leak around one window under certain circumstances, and also around a hand rail, which have been repaired.
My question: I want to use the BoatLife products. Which would work better for this job, BoatLife Life-Caulk Sealant or BoatLife Seal Sealant? I've read specs on both products but can't decide which is better.
The Seal Sealant description reads: "Polyurethane and silicone formulated for use on fiberglass. Fast-curing, low-odor, high-adhesion, non-corrosive and non-sagging."
The Life-Caulk Sealand description: "One-part, thiokol-based polysulfide sealant cures to a positive waterproof seal. Resists oil, brine, gas, water and most chemicals. Bonds to wood, fiberglass, metal and glass."
What say you?
Peter of the two, "Boat Life Life Seal" would be the better of the products. But there may be better ways, including thickened epoxy, or 5200.
I believe that my "sump" area is constructed of Starboard--which is good because it is impervious to moisture adsorption, rot etc--not so good, with adherence to any of the compounds. Flame treating, and epoxy, or dove tail grooves and 5200 or epoxy (G Flex) are probably the best..
I also noted some water in the floor of the cabin. and have tracked it from coming in around the window frames. Not sure how mine were bedded in this boat, but am pulling all aft windows and re-sealing. Also I am looking at the bolts holding the handles on both sides of the cockpit. I will pull these, and since the aft bulkhead is cored, will use thickened epoxy to seal the core, and then bed the SS fittings properly.
Look for any evidence of water along the back of the galley cabinet--this where we got out clue.
We find that even with the slant back or the camper back, water still gets in. Full boat cover prevents it.
I believe that my "sump" area is constructed of Starboard--which is good because it is impervious to moisture adsorption, rot etc--not so good, with adherence to any of the compounds. Flame treating, and epoxy, or dove tail grooves and 5200 or epoxy (G Flex) are probably the best..
I also noted some water in the floor of the cabin. and have tracked it from coming in around the window frames. Not sure how mine were bedded in this boat, but am pulling all aft windows and re-sealing. Also I am looking at the bolts holding the handles on both sides of the cockpit. I will pull these, and since the aft bulkhead is cored, will use thickened epoxy to seal the core, and then bed the SS fittings properly.
Look for any evidence of water along the back of the galley cabinet--this where we got out clue.
We find that even with the slant back or the camper back, water still gets in. Full boat cover prevents it.
My boat has the permanent flat cockpit floor. The PO noticed water inside the cabin a few times. Turned out that the floor was not sealed at the edge where it meets the cabin bulkhead. He sealed it with "a ****load of 5200". Worked fine.
Last summer we were overnight on the boat when a big rainstorm occurred. In the morning there was a couple of inches of water in the cockpit up against the bulkhead. Since both of us spent the night in the berth, the boat was bow down a bit while we were sleeping and the rain water could not get to the sump in the back. Standing on the swim step for a few minutes got the water to the bilge pump.
Last summer we were overnight on the boat when a big rainstorm occurred. In the morning there was a couple of inches of water in the cockpit up against the bulkhead. Since both of us spent the night in the berth, the boat was bow down a bit while we were sleeping and the rain water could not get to the sump in the back. Standing on the swim step for a few minutes got the water to the bilge pump.
Problem #1: Storing the boat with the bow down. Boat bilges are not designed
to drain forward from the bow.
Solution: Keep the pointy end forward and up both afloat and on the hard.
Problem #2: Once water enters a closed or semi-closed space, it is difficult to
remove. Rain or fresh water is bad and sea (salt) water is worse, more like protein
soup.
Solution: Open and dry. This might require major surgery. Consider chemical
treatment to kill living organisms then live with the residual smell (sorry but you
caused the problem, right?) which is better than the stench of rotting protein.
Problem #3: Your boat may not have a self bailing cockpit.
Solution: Don't buy a boat like this again.
There is nothing quite like messing around on boats.
Aye.
to drain forward from the bow.
Solution: Keep the pointy end forward and up both afloat and on the hard.
Problem #2: Once water enters a closed or semi-closed space, it is difficult to
remove. Rain or fresh water is bad and sea (salt) water is worse, more like protein
soup.
Solution: Open and dry. This might require major surgery. Consider chemical
treatment to kill living organisms then live with the residual smell (sorry but you
caused the problem, right?) which is better than the stench of rotting protein.
Problem #3: Your boat may not have a self bailing cockpit.
Solution: Don't buy a boat like this again.
There is nothing quite like messing around on boats.
Aye.
Jazzmaniac, you can try sitting inside the cabin during a rainstorm. When I did that, I found a number of active, dripping leaks through bolt holes and fittings that I'd assumed were watertight. Once I'd fixed them all and dried the cabin and underfloor (see earlier post on installing a 6" round deck inspection port) the water didn't come back.