water leak by galley

[melp64]

I Google a lot of the interior pictures to see different ideas and what my boat should look like. One thing I notice is in most of the pictures that show the wood divider between the galley and the salon is most have a leak by the 110 outlet. You can tell because the paneling is gray were it meets the divider. Mine has leaked so much or rather neglected the divider needs to be replaced. I opened the two covers that are in the salon and there is some kind of hose that runs thru there is this the problem or is it leaking from the deck. It must be a common problem as you can see it in some degree in almost every picture

[Noah]

That is most likey the starboard stanchion leaking. The hoses a the water tank fill and the water tank vent the vent which vents through a hole at the base of the stanchion. Very common leak point in our boats due to people pushing off on the stanchion while docking. Unfortunately, this leak can cause rot in both that bulkhead and the galley countertop. I know from firsthand experience. Fortunately, my countertop was "semi-easily"  fixed. But it was a project. Unless you knew it was repaired you wouldn't know it. I got lucky as it didn't extend past the dish rack so I could piece in new plywood and formica and cover the seam under the teak dish storage rack. I also had to replace GFI and piece in some teak on the bulkhead at the GFI.  AND, I just remembered, i had to replace the ash battens too. It was a project. Folks get the same leak on the port stanchion over the nav station. Check both frequently.

[melp64]

Beautiful job, did you only replace a small piece of the plywood just around the plug or did you replace that whole piece? You are correct as I have the same leak over by the nav station. If I take the stantion loose and rebed with butyl tape this would be a start? thanks for the help again really nice job.

[Noah]

I got lucky. The damage to the bulkhead was limited to the section around the plug. As a matter if fact I only noticed it after GFI tripped. I cut back bad wood and used 3/8 in solid teak "doubler plates" on both sides area if plug. A little cheating, but it is solid and looks clean. The ash slats were (and the thin plywood backer against the hull were beyond saving. I also got "lucky" on the countertop. The bad wood did not extend further inboard than about 1-1/2 from the edge of the ice box lid and extended about 2-1/2  ft. aft, So I removed the plywood substrate all way down to the fiberglass/gelcoat liner, treat the entire area with borate fungus preventative, and  epoxied in new wood and matching formica. Then I remounted the teak rail about a half inch closer to icebox to cover the formica seam.

[Noah]

Don't forget to use a backing plate under the stanchions. You can get these from Catalina Direct or make them.

[melp64]

I know I am not as lucky as you I think that whole divider will have to be remove. Did you use 1/4 inch plywood behind the ash slates and what did you attach that with. Does the original stantions have a backer plate?

[Ron Hill]

Dan : Yup! you need to rebed BOTH vented stanchions with butyl rubber and add a backing plate to each one.  I contacted Gaurhauer for the backing plates!!

A few thoughts

[Noah]

I epoxied three 2-1/2 in. wide x3/8 in. thick wood faring strips to the hull (pictured) and then fastened 1/8 in. luan mahogany door skin to them for the backer for the ash strips. All were coated with epoxy on all sides.  The OEM stanchions were installed WITHOUT backing plates. I recommend they be installed. Good luck with your project!

[scgunner]

Noah,

Excellent picture essay with a nice outcome on the repair.

Guys,

That stanchion (on both sides) is going to leak at some point. I think partly due to getting worked back and forth and partly being at the lowest part of the deck. I noticed my leak in the cabinet above the electrical outlet area before it got that far. I've had leaks on both sides and have rebeded both stanchions a couple of times over the years. It's something I keep an eye on during normal boat checks.

[ewengstrom]

Just weighing in with some pics that actually show why these stanchions leak. Whether from using them for leverage or perhaps getting caught on something and bent out (or in...), this can be the result and the cause of the leaking.
I was able to easily straighten all of them out and bedded them in butyl and we do not use them for leverage...ever.
Noah's photos look just like ones I took of the resulting water damage to the galley area and that's just to depressing to think about....

[Ron Hill]

Guys : The vented stanchion leakage is caused by two problems.  First they did not have a backing plate!!  Then it just so happens that the vented stanchions are located at the beamiest (widest) part of the boat and people helping to dock - grab ahold of the stanchion!!!

What I've done is to paste just under the gunnel a tape in bold letters that says "NO HAND HOLD" and on the stanchion itself in red tape notice that says "NO PUSH/PULL"

The labeling helps a bit, but the best item is the backing plate!!

In repairing you need to first check that the plywood core of that stanchion hole is not dry rotted.  If so you need to repair the hole sides with epoxy.   

A few thoughts