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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

leaking from wooden door in forward berth

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Don Brooks
Deckhand

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24 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/21/2008 : 16:28:21

We are leaving town for a long weekend so a drive by just to check the boat out seemed like the thing to do. There see was looking good. A quick inspection down below and I'm on my way.
That's when I notice a puddle in front of the port-a potty. Oh cr**! I follow the moister to the forward berth cushions,yes their all wet too.Up to the little wooded door that I've never bothered to open. I moped up the best I could and with the wife waiting in the car I decide to investigate when we get home.
Now I should be relaxing with the wife but can't stop thinking whats behind that door and what could be leaking there. Before I get home I'd like a game plan, so if someone out there as any ideas I'd appreciate them.
thanks Don

Edited by - on

RCarie
1st Mate

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USA
51 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2008 : 17:37:10

Don,
I had an older C22 that had the bi-colored lights right on the deck, between the pulpit stanchions. The rubber seal was bad, so I replaced it. Problem solved. It could be a bad seal on the stem fitting, cleats, the bow pulpit, or if you have an anchor locker, maybe it's a bad seal on an access plate. Check the rubrail also

Good luck,
Randy Carie
C25 #5947

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2008 : 18:09:45

Don,

I'm pretty sure that's an access panel to get at the backing for your bow hook. I'd be surprised if that (the bow hook) was the source of the water but, it could be. I'd be more concerned with the structures on the bow like the stanchions or headstay stem fittings or maybe the deck/hull joint or, the anchor locker as Randy suggested.

Take a piece of colored chalk to the boat and draw a line on the inside of the hull behind that panel. In fact, you might want to do that around the entire interior. The water could really be coming from anywhere. Wait for rain or get a hose and spray it down. See if you can tell where it's coming in by where the chalk washes away. You're sure it's not coming thru the forward hatch? Is she in the water? How level is the boat? Is it "bow up", "level" or "bow down"?

I'd get those cushions out of the boat and dry them ASAP or they'll become rather aromatic and not in a good way.

Welcome to the forum. Good luck.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2008 : 19:15:00

Plugged drain in anchor locker.

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Don Brooks
Deckhand

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24 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2008 : 20:44:29

Thanks for the insight. I'm liking the plugged anchor drain idea. This would by far be the easiest fix but I'm trying to imagine how water seeps into the interior from the anchor locker. Is there a seem there?
The usage of colored chalk is great. Once I check the anchor drain this will be my next plan of attack. One questions was I'm I sure it's not coming from the forward hatch. I'm confident it's from the bow. The wooden door frame around the door showed signs of water.
Don

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2008 : 20:49:15

"seeps into the interior from the anchor locker. Is there a seem there? "

On my 77 there was a seam... that had sealed with an unknown substance by a previous owner. When the undersize drain clogs and the anchor locker collects a certain amount of water it still finds it's way in... not into the V-berth anymore, but down between the outer hull and the liner. This fills the bilge space under the V-Berth.

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Don Brooks
Deckhand

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24 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2008 : 21:32:40

Funny you mentioned water in the storage under the v-berth. I also found water there but figured it ran there before finding it's way the the floor..Maybe your on to something.
Don

Edited by - on

sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2008 : 21:52:26

My 79 had the leak which was not found until removing the nav hull lights and it was a crack in the putty between the hull and anchor locker. Put in a two piece shelf with handle holes in the forward space under the bunk so moisture would stop wetting the items stored, sails and anything soft.

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3477 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2008 : 07:08:56

We named our boat "Leaky" after this or a similar leak. The name is in jest because Catalina's are famously dry boats. I'm working on 84 catalina 25 for about 3 years now and attempting a refit. blog at www.rayswords.us

Water was showing up on the floor in front of the head, and it was muddy like the mud on the anchor line. After observing it's pattern of showing up I think I have a leak some where in the fwrd anchor locker. If the locker drain clogs it happens after returning the line wet. It also shows up after it rains. Not much water, just a 1/4 cup. I'll put another coat of resin over the anchor locker, as I believe I may have a crack.

A repair I have to do on occasion is to reseat/resecure a cleat that has begun moving, to stop a leak. Sometimes I simply reseal with beading compound, add backing blocks and tighten well when reseating.

Sometimes I've redrilled the holes and added larger bolts, redrilling the cleats or adding bigger cleats. Sometimes I've moved the cleats and filled the old holes.

My frwrd cleats are moving now and I've not yet looked at the access to them. My aft and mid cleats were easy to get to inside and moving them was no problem.

regards.ray

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2008 : 07:19:47

my 89' had a leaky anchor locker drain hose that left water under the v-berth.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2008 : 07:47:35

Dave, our locker drains are completely different, they wish they had drains like ours.
Don, one fix for the undersized anchor locker drain is the 1" brass nipple upgrade. My '82 leaked there and the problem was the seal around the drain on the inside. The small drain allowed water to stand and seep around the failed seal. This is my effort to follow the advise of Leon on replacing the undersized drain with a larger one. I chose a 1" brass nipple for its availability at the local hardware store, the bit I already had from working on door frames, and it large size. I used epoxy putty to seal the drain on the inside, it worked very well. Three are a lot of maintenance photos at the site in my signature.

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2008 : 07:55:44

This sounds similar to our experience with the mud in the forward storage compartment - maybe I should take a closer look at our anchor locker...

Does anyone have a photo inside the anchor locker that would show potential sites for the leaks? I am trying to remember whether we have a cleat in there for the anchor line to tie off to, and what other potential wet-spots are in there. Incidentially, we have a 1984.

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3477 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2008 : 08:21:02

Frank,

Thanks for sharing the photos. I never would have thought the anchor drain hose/fitting was a potential problem area. I do not get much water entry in my boat but if we get a good storm, I may have a large sponge worth of water..maybe 2 sponges. I am also going to check out the inside drain fitting. I also have a slightly loose cleat - port bow cleat....could be a potential water entry point as well.

Edited by - OLarryR on 02/22/2008 08:21:41

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3477 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2008 : 09:49:27

Thank you for sharing the images. That helps a lot. I've done a similar drain line with pvc and I was planning on doing the same on this anchor locker drain. The PVC was easy to cut flush and sand.

regards.ray

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Don Brooks
Deckhand

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24 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2008 : 16:51:45

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. Frank, great photos. If the problem isn't a blocked drain I think I'll add this to my todo list anyways.
I'll post what I discover this coming week. This site is just awesome.

Don Brooks
"Leilla Dee" #1807

Edited by - on

Don Brooks
Deckhand

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24 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2008 : 18:38:44

Mystery solved! The water was coming from the anchor locker due to a plugged drain. Soon as we got home I make my graceful exit and 5 minutes later I'm at the boat. I opened the wooded door went to the bow and poured a bucket into the anchor locker. Ummm no water coming out the drain hole. Went to the forward berth and there on the STBD side about 9" from the bow a nice water flow just about where the nav light is sealed (or not) up in the locker.
Cleaned the drain and all was good. Looks like enlarging the drain as Frank suggested and resealing the nav light cover inside the anchor locker is the hot ticket. Thanks for all the help

Don Brooks
'80 Catalina 25 Leilla Dee#1807
Columbia City OR.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2008 : 19:15:54

It really is a common affliction, I am glad the forum added value. As I said, I was following advise from Leon.

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