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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Leaking port coaming/cubby box...Help???

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sailgal
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USA
400 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/28/2004 : 18:36:32

Well, found the rear berth flooded and traced the leak to the port coaming box. If I recall Oscar had to remove his once to correct this problem. It can't be fixed from inside, and I can honestly say this problem is one I wonder if I can fix....

(Anyone know if warranties fix this type of problem.....Under 3 years young?)

Anyone experience this type of leak, and how did you fix it? In the mean time the back berth is bare as well as the port storage where I store spare life jackets(when dry), the water is running down the port wall. UGH! In the mean time my port head window sprung another leak around the seam, and now the V berth hatch has two screws dripping when heavy rain (the summer showers of Fla. are exposing all types of problems! I'll rebed screws and attempt to seal around port in head....But that coaming is a stressor indeed! Help?!!

Suzie, Tropical Sleigh

WB #619 Sarasota FL.

Edited by - sailgal on 08/29/2004 11:30:34

frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2004 : 21:00:26

Suzie, my coaming boxes leaked from the getgo. Everyone warned me about this problem so it was one of the first things I checked when the boat arrived. I put on my rubber gloves, got some actone and cleaned the joint area, then put a glob of 5200 on my finger and started at one end working my way across until all sealed. After it dried I used a drill in a hand crank to clean out the weep holes in the boxes. Haven't had a drop of water in the aft berth since. You could probabley get some expoy add some filler and then pour it in and smooth out with your finger also. I just figured 5200 was easier, no mixing. I am amazed that the leak just started to show itself on your boat.

Edited by - on

frankr
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256 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2004 : 10:06:49

I fixed mine with thickened epoxy - as I think it is easier to work with than 5200. I used Cab-O-Sil (fumed silicate)to thicken the epoxy into a runny yogurt consistancy. Pour it in along the inside seam between the combing and the cubby hole box. You need to thicken the epoxy so that it just doesn't run straight through. I taped my drain holes shut until the epoxy had set up some. Work some thickened epoxy up around the inside corners of the cubby hole/combing joint. Any epoxy that drips into the cavity below should cause any problem. Then remove the tape from the drain holes and use a soda straw to reopen them up. Use vinegar to clean up any runs. Let the epoxy cure and test it - this cured mine. This is what Catalina sent me when I contacted them about the problem http://members.gcnet.net/swampman/images/repair.jpg

Edited by - frankr on 08/30/2004 10:12:27

sailgal
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USA
400 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2004 : 17:42:33

Thanks for the info Jerry and Frank,
I got a hold of some thin epoxy but not to sure about it. That picture is invaluable Frank as I could not figure out how the cubby was even installed.
What has me scratching my head is "step one" .It says tape off seam around compartment. This looks like it is down underneath....now how can that be possible? I see the fix is for many models of Catalina, perhaps others have access to that area. See what happens. Thanks for the help.
Jerry guess I've been lucky it has taken so long to leak....at least the repair sounds doable, I was thinking I'd have to remove the box some how. Whew!

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2004 : 19:44:21

The fact that you report a wet aft berth still makes me think you need to drill a drainhole next to your battery box. Here's something that will give you a lot more insight in how your boat is put together. (It's also the marine equivalent of a yoga workout.)

Empty the MRI chamber, everything. Find a carpet scrap or a clean soft doormat and put it soft side down. This is your body slider. Remove the vertical piece of plywood that forms the storage bin behind the closet on port side. (I think you might have to remove the corner trim on the closet first....forgot.) Then remove the aft bulkead. All this is just phillips head screws, a cordless driver makes it a lot easier.

Now, laying on your back stick your head up into the aft cavity. Identify the four snap together pieces that the boat is made of....hull-deck-hull liner-deck liner. You will see that the aft berth is in fact the hull liner, and that the ceiling there is the deck liner.

Now, contort in there some more and identify the cubby holes from behind. They are in fact flanged fiberglass boxes glued up against the back of the coaming. This is where the screwup originates, not enough glue. Since your and my hull # are 1 apart I'm willing to bet money the same yoyo did both of them. I saw day light through the seam. This is where you are going to pour the goop...(from the cockpit side of course.) It will follow the leak and gel and clog it......leak fixed.

Now, before you do that, have a volunteer from the audience stick a hose in the cubby hole and observe from the contorted position, SEE the leak, follow the water as it lands on the ceiling, runs back and onto you.....remove yourself and see it puddling next to the battery, untill the puddle overflows over the "sill" into the aft berth.

So, after you fix the leak, drill a 1/4 or 3/8 inch hole in the hull liner (NOT THE HULL) so that the puddle drains along the inside of the hull into the bilge.

This way when something else leaks it goes to the bilge and not again to the aft berth.

Now put everything back together.

There's three tips here, one to fix the leak, two to create a path for leaks to the bilge and three the fact that when you have a problem like this, you strip away as much as you can to observe what its doing from behind the scene....

If you still have problems and I am in the area I'll give you a demo.

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay"
C250 # 618 Good Survey, awaiting closing.
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/C250WB

Edited by - Oscar on 08/30/2004 19:47:53

coldducks
Captain

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USA
342 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2004 : 23:43:59

we bought our boat at the 98 newport rhode island boat show. we bought a 99 C250, sail #409. We had a brand new 19 foot WEST WIGHT POTTER, which i am sure most of you have NEVER heard of, great boat, but not sutible for overnights. we traded it in for this boat. we were new to sailing, and we are kind of OLD! (50 ish) so we took a chance on this C250. we have NEVER experienced any of the problems associated with this boat that we see on this site, ACCEPT FOR THE MAIN HATCH LEAK THAT EVERYONE HAS, WHICH IS CORRECTED BY THE CANVAS COVER THAT IS INCUDED WITH THE BOAT!!! there is NEVER one drop of water in our bilge or anywhere else. apparently, we are very lucky. we are so sorry for all the problems all of you seem to be having with your boats. from what we have read, 99 must have been a very good year!! we wish you all fair winds and calm seas. (AND ALL YOUR PROBLEMS ARE FIXED..)

lanie and fran
c250 wk #409

Edited by - on

sailgal
Captain

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USA
400 Posts

Response Posted - 08/30/2004 : 23:58:52

Lanie, you are lucky, but the leaks I have I feel come from sitting in the sun day after day in a wet slip. Sealant drys out, nothing to really want to sell a boat over nor would they warrant any bad conversation with anyone outside this forum...BUT small leaks have occured and as long as they can be corrected so be it. The wonderful thing about this boat is this forum. When minor or major issues arise I know I can always find an answer and for that I am grateful.
Oscar thanks again for the input about the drain hole, but when a hose is placed in the port cubby you can watch a stream of water run down the port hull inside wall midway between the rear berth wall and the back of the head dry locker. Tomorrow I will break out the thin epoxy and 5200 and hope to conquer the leak.

Edited by - on

sailgal
Captain

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USA
400 Posts

Response Posted - 08/31/2004 : 17:58:11

Well lucky me...not

, I only wish after I took out the whole plywood side storage, then the rear bulkhead that I saw daylight when I contorted up into the tiny space where the bilge pump is placed (ouch)...Nope, not so lucky..no sign of daylight or water. I did learn that if the front of the box was leaking it would then travel on top of the inside hull liner and more than likey empty into the battery compartment. That leak would have made sense. The one I have is a mystery. When water is sprayed into the port cubby it runs down the hull between the inner and outer liners into the berth....like I had said in an earlier post in the center of the port wall. No water is present when you look down the top of the inner liner. Dry as a bone. I tried to stick a mirror down the tiny space between the back of the cubby and the rear wall. To tight. I used two tubes of 5200 in the top and sides of coaming box. I didn't do the thin epoxy yet as there seems no point along the bottom front between drain holes. Will let it all cure and try the hose test again. If it still leaks Mexico will hear a female voice coming across the Gulf.....UGH Coldduck you are soooo lucky....

Edited by - on

Jeff McK
Captain

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USA
389 Posts

Response Posted - 09/04/2004 : 10:44:15

Thanks to all for the timely discussion. My new boat arived at the yard yesterday. Rather than hope the factory has cured this issue I'll print out all the good info you have shared about the leak & check it out before launching. Better to head it off early rather than find out the hard way.

Best wishes to all those in the way of Frances. It sure has been a tough year down there.

Edited by - Jeff McK on 09/04/2004 11:24:04

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