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Bought my first boat!

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5904 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2006 : 16:23:55

If the cockpit sole is leaking, and if it is still solid, it shouldn't be very difficult to seal it so it won't get any worse. But first, you need to try to isolate the source of the leak.

Awhile ago, someone suggested using pickup truck paint-on bed liner, such as Mar Hyde, to seal water out of a cast iron keel. If the cockpit sole is leaking, I think this would be an ideal use for it. It comes in different colors (hopefully white or navy blue), and, if it will seal a pickup truck bed, it would certainly do the same for a boat cockpit. Both are subject to the same weather conditions (rain, snow, sun, etc.), and it would be easy to apply. If it comes in white or navy blue, you might not even have to paint it after you've applied it.

Edited by - on

RickStevens
1st Mate

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USA
62 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2006 : 17:18:23

I want to second everything Larry says about the Potomac and Washington Sailing Marina. I'm docked there and like the location, but it is pricy and the narrow channel is a pain. I deliberately wanted the pain to get practice sailing in narrow/crowded conditions, but if you are already an experienced sailor it's not worth the trouble.

Good luck with the leak.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2006 : 20:37:13

Does the '82 have the scuppers through the transom or through the cockpit sole to hoses down to thru-hulls? Both can cause leaks, but the transom scuppers generally just leak down the inside of the transom to the bottom and the water ends up in the bilge. (I know!) The sole scuppers could be more of a problem if there's seepage around the bronze frame. That could be an application for Liquid Life Caulk or Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure. Either will flow down into a small gap and form a flexible seal. (I haven't used Liquid Life Caulk.) As others said, find the leak above and fix it before you patch up down below--in fact, you might want to not fix it below so you'll know if you have another problem.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3468 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2006 : 21:05:46

Justin,

When you compare the upper Potomac to the Chesapeake or to Long Island Sound..well there is no comparison. One has to deal with a river that is not all that wide to begin with especially in the upper Potomac area and then there are the shallow areas so one has to stay fairly near the channel markers in some sections. But sailing is still fun in the area and oftentimes the wind cooperates to make it enjoyable if one just hangs around the upper area or down as far as the Wilson Bridge. More time is needed to get to wider sections of the river or make a real go of it. From my Marina, it takes at least 45 minutes to get to the Wilson Bridge. Once or twice I sailed down to the Mount Vernon/Fort Belvoir area and the river and depths enable sailing over a wider area but that takes about 2-3 hours sailing to get down there and another 2-3 to get back. I look forward to the Spring/Summer when I can do some overnighters and get down farther.

But the convenience of where I keep the boat is hard to match in that I can get from work to the slip in 10 minutes. I could go there every day after work if I wanted and in fact was down there today. I took it out for a little while but there was no wind so headed back in.

Larry

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2006 : 22:44:14

The leak is coming from uphill.
The liner in that area has a gap. The leak could be coming from the teak trim, winches, compass, gages, etc. I would not concern yourself with the crack but the water is a major issue. I would drill a 1/8 in hole and see what comes out. I would also drill a probing hole near the bottom of cockpit sole. You may be able to see where it it coming from by opening the access panels up below the winches.

Tom.

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2006 : 07:40:49

There should be a small access panel somewhere on the ceiling there. Pop that off and feel around. I agree with Tom, it is most likely coming from the hardware in that area and making its way down.

Edited by - on

Justin
Admiral

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502 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2006 : 08:30:50

Larry, yeah I looked at charts of the Potomac and saw how quickly the depth outside the channels can change. Northern VA is a nice area, I just wish we were closer to the bay. That's one reason I wanted to move to San Diego because I'd be so close to the water.

Thanks Tom and Duane, I think I know the wooden panel in the ceiling you're talking about. I'll take a look there. Is 3M 101 sealant what I should use around the deck hardware? I can't wait to take a look this weekend, but probably won't be able to until Sunday or Monday because of rain forecasted tomorrow.

Last night I cleaned several of my cushions with a vacuum and damp rag and they look great; they were in better shape than I thought. The foam inserts didn't even have any mildew.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2006 : 09:51:07

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Justin4192
 Is 3M 101 sealant what I should use around the deck hardware?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Yes and NO. Yes--3M 101 is a polysulfide, which is the thing to use for bedding hardware. Life Caulk is another one. Avoid polyurethane sealers like 3M 4200 and 5200--they're too adhesive and can damage the gelcoat when you try to remove or re-bed the hardware. And silicone does poorly when exposed to UV and can make a mess that is almost impossible to remove.

NO--not "around" the hardware--under it. Remove the piece, put enough sealant on its base so it will spread out to fill the entire area under the piece when you put it on the deck, lightly tighten the bolts so as to squeeze a little but not all sealant out, clean up around the piece to remove the excess (a damp rag will do), and then let the sealant cure for a couple of days. Then you can tighten the nuts down, which puts pressure on the "gasket" you've formed under the piece. Sorry if you already knew this

--you made me suspect you were going to wipe some sealant around the base of each piece. That'll work for a few weeks, depending on how much sun and heat you get...

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 01/13/2006 09:55:11

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2006 : 11:35:08

Don't be turned off by the rain. That is the best time to hunt down a leak. I don't know how many times I could not find a leak with a hose only to find it with a good rainstorm.

Tom.

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Justin
Admiral

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502 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2006 : 14:43:48

Hey Dave, haha I knew to not just place the sealant around the edges. I should have worded that better. In addition to it not lasting as long, I bet it would attract dirt and discolor in a short amount of time plus it just wouldn't look good with sealant showing. I'll look for those sealants this weekend when I go to West Marine to buy a lot of needed supplies.

Tom, hmmm I may go out to my boat tomorrow if it rains. You have a good point, plus I'm just excited to get back to work on her.

Edited by - on

familysailor
1st Mate

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USA
38 Posts

Response Posted - 01/14/2006 : 00:43:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Did you leave the original lights in the hull?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I left the old lenses in and sealed them with lifeseal. They used to rattle around in the mounting.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/14/2006 : 10:09:26

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by familysailor
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Did you leave the original lights in the hull?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I left the old lenses in and sealed them with lifeseal. They used to rattle around in the mounting.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The original lenses have a rubber O-ring that can and will deteriorate over time. Replacements are available at most hardware stores. I put a little silicon grease on them to extend their lives.

Edited by - on

Justin
Admiral

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502 Posts

Response Posted - 01/15/2006 : 22:15:13

An update:

I went to work on Whisper yesterday and got a few things done. It was cold, not too bad when we got there in the morning (~45F), but a cold front came in with 35mph winds, temps in the low 30s, rain, sleet, even some snow on the drive home. I removed the handrails from the cabin top for refinishing. I planned to remove all the exterior wood, but the weather was so bad, I'd rather leave the companion way door shut during the storm rather than a tarp. I checked that one spot I had mention before below the cockpit. Turns out there wasn’t a drip, puddle, or anything to resemble a leak, so it must have been water dripping from cleaning or something. Since it had rained prior to Saturday I found that I do have two leaks, one window and one of the bolts on the pop top. The rest of the boat was dry, except I still have a little water in one or two of the bilges I need to dry out.

The site was down earlier today, so I haven’t gotten around to researching the archives yet, but I think I’m going to look into a new motor mount. The PO put a 15 hp outboard on what is probably the original mount. The mount is warped, jammed, and I’m thinking this motor is too heavy for it. I cannot lift the bracket from the low position because it is jammed into the notches, but luckily I am able to tilt it just enough to get the prop a few inches out of the water. Does anyone recommend a certain outboard mount for a 15 hp motor? Do most have mounting holes in the same locations? How easy is it to replace the mount with the boat in the water? I'm thinking you must have a hoist of some sort to hold the engine.

Today I sanded the old, warn varnish off and smoothed out the hand rails. I originally was going to use Light Cetol for the exterior, but West Marine had their Wood Pro half off, for only $15. I read some people's posts on here that they had good results with it and that it's West Marine's equivalent of Cetol. I put on one coat so far and it is looking good. I plan to go back out to Whisper tomorrow and remove the rest of the exterior teak, test a few circuits, and restore the interior teak.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3468 Posts

Response Posted - 01/15/2006 : 23:20:14

Justin,

I recently replaced the original motor bracket with a Garhauer 4 spring model which is made for motors weighing 100 - 115 lbs. I ordered the bracket from Catilina Direct. The 4 spring model fits the same holes as the 2 spring model. On the old bracket, the PO had attached a small block and tackle to raise the 9.9 HP Honda 4 Stroke motor. With the new bracket, the block and tackle is no longe rneeded...but I hooked it up just as a safety in case the motor clamps ever loosen up. My website has photos of the new and old bracket.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 01/15/2006 : 23:52:55

Most 15s are the same as 9.9s, the carburetion is the only difference. Therefore the engine should not weight any more than the 9.9s most others have had forever.

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Justin
Admiral

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502 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2006 : 21:15:29

Thanks for the info. My current mount only has one spring and since it is warping and jammed, I'm thinking it may be best to replace it. I took a look at the bolts through the transom and the fiberglass does not seem to be stressed inside or out. Now I can't even get my motor to lock in the 70 degree angle or whatever the highest is. It did before when the mount as able to retract, but now I ended up using a line and winching it up, tied to a cleat to get the prop out of the water.

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