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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Rain leak

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Richard
Deckhand

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13 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/17/2004 : 21:15:44

Sometimes when it rains it dripples into the cabin. Has anyone out there had this problem?
Thanks for your help!
Frank

Edited by - Richard on 10/01/2004 21:28:27

Bay Tripper
1st Mate

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USA
56 Posts

Response Posted - 08/17/2004 : 21:47:41

I had a similar problem and I got inside the boat and had my wife spray water on the boat a individual point to see if the water was coming in at that area.

Edited by - on

frankr
Captain

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256 Posts

Response Posted - 08/17/2004 : 22:21:17

1.Get a canvas cover for the hatch and companion way.
2 Check the cockpit combing cubby holes (the oval ones on both sides of the cockpit above the storage lids) - they are prone to leak.
3. look for dribble lines inside along the cabin sides and inside of the battery compartment - use a mirror and flashlight.

Edited by - on

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 08/18/2004 : 07:35:03

Richard, Is the mattress on the "V" berth getting wet? If you suspect the hatch also make sure the drain area around the hatch is clean and water can drain into the anchor locker. You should be able to find the source with a hose or just stay on the boat with a heavy rain falling. It has also been noted on this forum that the balance of the boat in the water needs to be pretty much level to allow all the drains on the top-side to work. "Just my two cents worth" Bear
C 250 WB

Edited by - on

sdaly66
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 08/18/2004 : 09:08:26

Richard, my '96 WB has the same problem (companionway leak is the culprit). Pitching a tarp over the boom and securing it to various pieces of deck hardware, rails and lifelines has completely solved the problem.

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 08/18/2004 : 10:50:04

The canvas cover over the hatch is critical. Water curles around the aft edge and then dribbles forward, and then down. Are you in the water or on the hard? On the hard the problem is tilt. Too much aft and the gutter around the forward hatch fills up and overflows into the cabin, too much forward and the forward gutter around the main hatch does the same.

Finally, locking yourself in during a good downpour can be very educational.

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay"
C250 # 618 Currently FOR SALE
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/C250WB

Edited by - on

Richard
Deckhand

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13 Posts

Response Posted - 08/18/2004 : 14:18:12

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Oscar
 The canvas cover over the hatch is critical. Water curles around the aft edge and then dribbles forward, and then down. Are you in the water or on the hard? On the hard the problem is tilt. Too much aft and the gutter around the forward hatch fills up and overflows into the cabin, too much forward and the forward gutter around the main hatch does the same.

Finally, locking yourself in during a good downpour can be very educational.

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay"
C250 # 618 Currently FOR SALE
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/C250WB

Edited by - on

Bubba
Admiral

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USA
542 Posts

Response Posted - 08/18/2004 : 19:38:06

Richard,
The blue tarp idea will work just fine, like Shawn says (sdaly66). Just drape it over your boom and bungee it to the rail. Make a nice cheap little tent over the hatch. But, level the boat first if it's on a trailer.

Edited by - on

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2004 : 10:05:55

Richard, I don't know that this is a design flaw. In the three years I have had my C250 it has never leaked at the rear removable hatch. I suppose it has seen as much rain and wind as any one else. I have had some dribbles from the bathroom window though. Also Catalina sells a canvas kit which adapts to the snaps around the hatch opening and up over the the sliding window. It does not go all the way forward over the flip up cabin roof. I know there are sailors who have this setup on there C 250. The last price I had was $99.50 from Kent at Catalina parts. I think the ultimate cover would be a canvas cover that extended from in front of the front hatch back over the front windows around the mast over the cockpit window, and back down over the removable hatch. Might make that a winter project

Edited by - on

frankr
Captain

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256 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2004 : 11:31:47

The canvas companionway hatch cover should do the job - I have no leaks since I fixed the cockpit cubby hole areas. Using a tarp can be done but it catches a lot of wind and unless tied down properly can blow off. My boat still sets stern low even with 160 pounds of sand in the bow storage area.

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Richard
Deckhand

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13 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2004 : 18:13:06

Thank you Frank and Bear!
I will use this method. My boat is at the mouth of a river that leads straight out into the open Atlantic in Rhode Island. Wind and rain is a way of life here, but it is drop dead beautiful! Thanks loads for your help!
Richard

Edited by - on

At Ease
Admiral

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672 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2004 : 20:31:22

If you are going to make a 'tent' over the boom, either take the main off, or be sure your cover is secured to the boom. Any vibration from the wind (no matter how tightly the cover is secured to the boom) will rub holes in what ever is directly under the cover... either the sail cover or the sail.

Edited by - on

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2004 : 20:51:38

Richard, Took a bus trip to Newport in July to see the tall ships. I've never seen so many sailboats in that one harbor on that Saturday. I agree you do have beautiful scenery in that area.

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Richard
Deckhand

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13 Posts

Response Posted - 08/20/2004 : 08:43:13

Thanks Bear.
By the way, You mentioned that you got a price quote on the canvas hatch cover from Catalina parts. How do I find that number? The Catalina main web sight doesn't seem to have any links.
Thanks Again
Richard

Edited by - on

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 08/20/2004 : 08:54:18

Richard, I never had the phone number for Catalina parts. I do have Kent's "E" mail address though KentG@CatalinaYachts.com. The price of the hatch cover was $91.78 last December. T'm sure there are forum members who have the 800 number out there.

Edited by - on

bill bosworth
Navigator

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USA
172 Posts

Response Posted - 08/20/2004 : 09:13:43

Richard;
I have had a few minor leaks on our 96 wb. One was a crack in the through hull fitting that drains the anchor locker. It got water under the cabin seats. We also had to rebed the life line stansions. We solved the drip problem from the main hatch in the following way;
I removed the plexi hatch, using a table saw (you could also use a router), I cut a 1/8" wide, 1/8" deep groove all the way around the underside of the hatch about 1/2" in from the edge. This groove causes the water that crawls around the edge of the hatch board to drip into the drain channel and not into the boat. After doing this simple modification we have never had any water in the cabin even during heavy rain storms, and here in North Carolina we get some real humm dingers!!
Best of luck;
Bill c250wb #134 Serendipity

Edited by - bill bosworth on 08/20/2004 09:21:48

Richard
Deckhand

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13 Posts

Response Posted - 08/20/2004 : 10:40:54

Great idea Bill!
I will do that as well.
Still a little uncertain where you are cutting the groove. Is it on the underside of the hatch or the fiberglass part of the boat that the hatch sets on top of? You don't have a picture of what you did by chance?
Richard

Edited by - on

bill bosworth
Navigator

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USA
172 Posts

Response Posted - 08/21/2004 : 23:01:26

Richard;
The groove is cut into the underside of the plexiglass pannel that is my main hatch covering. After I removed the pannel, I had to unscrew the white plastic pieces mounted above and below the hatch slide. I was then able to machine the grooves into the underside of the hatch. I looked at what I had done again today and the 1/2" measurement from the edge works well. The groove is machined in all four edges of the pannel, the front and two sides cause the water to fall into the channel around the companion way and drain away into the cockpit, the aft edge causes the water to drip down against the hatch board. While I had the White plastic pieces removed I examined them and found that they had warped or bent in a way to allow the plexiglass slide to become somewhat concave. As a result of its concave shape the slide retained a shallow pool of water. I machined the warped plastic edge straight and reinstalled it onto the plexiglass slide. If you wish I will try to take a couple of pictures.
Bill c250wb Serendipity

Edited by - on

Richard
Deckhand

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13 Posts

Response Posted - 08/22/2004 : 21:11:52

Bill,
Thanks for your reply. If you are able I think the photos would help a lot of us with the same problem.
Thanks!
Richard

Edited by - on

cathluk
Admiral

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USA
513 Posts

Response Posted - 08/23/2004 : 19:58:46

Richard -

We had the same problem with the companionway hatch on our '97 the couple times we didn't put the canvas cover on in heavy rain. We always put the cover on when we're away now & also use a bungee to hold the hatch closed because even with the hasp locked we can push the hatch back just enough create a very small gap. A tarp would probably work well too.

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Richard
Deckhand

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13 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2004 : 08:02:57

Thanks everone,
It looks like the compannionway hatch cover is the way to go. I have ordered one.
Thanks!
Richard

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Bubba
Admiral

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USA
542 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2004 : 19:38:39

Bill, your idea for cutting the groove around the underside of the plexiglas hatch must have caught on at Catalina. Mine's already cut like you described (1997 wing #270).

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Richard
Deckhand

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13 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2004 : 19:56:17

My groove is there too!
As it turns out the water was dribbling through the top of companionway hatch.
Big winds and rain = bigger leak.
Hence I am having a custom companionway cover made that includes the entire hatch just for safe keeping. It will snap on the same snaps already installed on the boat for the camper top. The maker will keep the template in case anybody out there wants to buy one too. I will post a picture of it and where to buy it soon.
Richard

Edited by - on

At Ease
Admiral

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672 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2004 : 20:16:51

The bottom line is, when checking for leaks, look everywhere there is a hole drilled through your any part of you boat into the cabin. Could be around the windows, or I just found two leaks where water was dripping off the end of bolts coming through the hull that were securing the hand rail.

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gvincent
Deckhand

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USA
1 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2004 : 17:29:33

The stern area of my 1999 C250 leaks when it rains (water into battery area). I've caulked every fitting to no avail. I read that the cockpit cubbyholes sometimes leak. What should I look for, and how can I fix?

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frankr
Captain

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256 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2004 : 20:18:19

Welcome to the forum George see this thread
http://www.catalina25-250.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7481

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