Association Forum - small leak

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

small leak

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

southern cross
Navigator

Member Avatar

USA
123 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/23/2006 : 15:43:49

I just got back from my 1982 c-25 at the marina installing the brand new cushions (i will post photos very soon) and I noticed a small amount of water in the quarter berth area. This was strange because I have been lucky to have never had any leaks. I traced the source back to what I think is the problem. If you are laying on your back in the quarter berth looking back towards the front of the cabin and you look up there are two small wooden boards (for lack of a better term) they are screwed in and mine look like they are what is allowing the water in. The pieces of wood are water stained and warped. I think I will take them out and cut some new plastic templates. I was thinking of taking them and sealing the edges and putting them back in place instead of the pieces of wood. The question that I had was what is above these hatches. I thought it was the interior sides of the rubrails but I looked and I do not think that it was it is. I believe it is just an area underneath the turnbuckles, winches, cleats etc. and behind the coaming boxces in the cockpit Should I think about re-bedding these to keep the water from being there in the first place. I believe I cab easily stop the leaking into the quarter berth but if I do where will the water go? Maybe the bilge, if so I can handle that, the bilge pump will do it's duty. One thing I didn't know is if any water in this area would go to the bilge or just continue to collect and then leak from somewhere else.
Any knowledge would be exremely appreciated

Pura Vida
Zach

southern cross 1982 C-25
TR FK #2867

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1768 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2006 : 15:52:29

Hi Zach,

I think the most likely source(s) to leak water into the area where you're seeing it would be a winch, cam or clam cleats (or whatever you have there to take care of your sheets), and any cockpit instrument(s) you have mounted on the starboard bulkhead in the cockpit.

'Hope that helps ... good luck finding/fixing the leak!

Edited by - on

southern cross
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2006 : 15:59:20

Thnks Buzz. That was what I was thinking. Short have having to re-bed anything if I fix the are in the cabin that is letting the water in do you think the water will end up in the bilge so that the pump can get rid of it?

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2006 : 18:04:22

Don't feel bad, all our boats have deck leaks and on some the fight can seem endless. Those boards are there so you can get at the underside of the winches and and deck hardware you have like the stern pulpit, stern light, etc. Pull the boards off and look up in there with a flashlight. You'll see there is plywood on the underside of the deck. The plywood will be rotted and mushy where the leak is. My stern light has a leak.

Don't seal the boards and screw them back in, that would just make it worse.

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1768 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2006 : 18:11:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by southern cross
 Thnks Buzz. That was what I was thinking. Short have having to re-bed anything if I fix the are in the cabin that is letting the water in do you think the water will end up in the bilge so that the pump can get rid of it?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Hi Zach,

Frankly, I'd fix the leak.

I dearly love these old boats, but the reality is, most of them have lots of rain leaks by now. It is no fun to track them down and fix them, but, IMHO, we should all strive to keep a dry bilge. The more moisture that stays in the boat, the more likely you'll end up with mildew that'll trash your boat and make it stink. Also, if your boat ever develops a leak that could sink it, you'll never know you've got a leak if the bilge is full of rain water.

You could remove the wooden panels and try to pinpoint the source of the water while someone sprays the outside with a garden hose. If the winch and/or clam/cam cleats are letting in water, rebedding them isn't hard to do. If the water is leaking in from around instruments mounted in the bulkhead, that might be a little more difficult to rebed, but still relatively easy.

'Hope that helps, even though it might not be what you wanted to hear. Not fixing the leak would be kinda' like wetting the bed ... 'a short term solution to a long term problem ... sooner or later you've got to get up and do something about it.

Edited by - on

southern cross
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2006 : 18:39:12

Thnks guys, I get it now. Get off my lazy a$% and fix the leak itself. That's what I thought I would. I just need a kick from time to time.

Pura Vida
Zach

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.