Water under cushions in aft cabin

[Vic Suben]

Every so often I notice that there is a slight amount of water under the cushions in the aft cabin.  There is no indication that water is running down any of the bulkheads in this area.Has anyone seen this sort of problem before, and if so, how was it fixed?

Thanks,

Vic & Judy Suben

[kntclark]

The "water" under my aft cabin cushions turned out to be diesel fuel.  I had a pinhole size leak in the fuel tank and it was running down behind the wood bulkhead at the foot of the aft berth.  

Terry Clark
Yet To Be #1095

[Stu Jackson]

Aft Cabin Water Leaks

Vic

Some folks have had leaks from the deck fill fittings port diesel, starboard aft water.

You may also want to check the cockpit coamings.

Also the emergency rudder fitting is a candidate, as well as the base of the binnacle.

If you don't have weatherstripping on your lazzarrette and lockers, they could also be a cause.

Stu

[Ted Pounds]

Vic

I had a leak from a crack in the toerail drain hole.  The water came in there, ran aft along the wire chase and then down the hull to underneath the matress.  The area underneath those drain holes has no glass re-enforcement   and so is easily cracked.  I glassed the spot from the inside (behind the wire chase) and that fixed the problem.  I discovered where the leak was duing a heavy rain storm.  Often the best way to find leaks is create your own rain storm with a hose.

Ted

[karista]

Vic
I also had a small leak at the aft cabin by the hanging locker, it took me a long time to find the source. The fix was rebedding the winch.
Bernd Mueller

[Jeff Tancock]

I had lots of leaks. The ones that gave me water in the aft cabin were from
1)the combing lockers (I found a thick bead of plumbers putty along the inside crack was the easiest fix for this one)
2)water flowing into the portside locker with washdowns would work it's way down under the cushions and was stopped by using weather stripping around the outside of the lip of the locker and
3)the worst was a leak through the Beckson ports. Cleaning carefully after popping off the covers, silicone into the voids before replacing the covers eliminated these.
I worked on many leaks over several years, almost quitting and selling the boat at one point. All dry now - except down the mast in rainy season.

[Ray & Sandy Erps]

My leak was from the steering pedestal base.  Leaked into that access trim piece, diverted to the rearside of that back wall where it wasn't obvious, then diverted again under the cushions when it got to the bottom of that wall.  I HATE LEAKS!

[rirvine]

Where is the water under the cushion?   I had water under the cushion is the area under the pedestal - along the very after end of the cushion.  After a good deal of investigation, I found that the water was coming through the base of the pedestal guard by running down the outside of stainless steel guard tubes.  Removing the pedestal guard tubes from the two bases, applying some sealant (a liberal amount) in each and reseating the guards fixed the problem.

[JIM BRENER 1987 #504 "WI]

I have been looking for a leak that filled the floor of the head after any good rain.  Finally flooded the port deck area and found water coming in around the scupper at the hull line as seen from inside the head cabnet.   Found a void and filled it and will now check the drain hole under the toe rail as suggested in an eariler post. I suspected that area but had not checked it out.  Also fixed water in the aft cabin by rebedding the bases of the pedestal guard rails.

Jim Brener

[Mike and Theresa Vaccaro]

Pedestal guard rail mounts are a common source of leaks--especially if someone has to repair/replace any instrumentation in pedestal mounted pods.  The rail has to be lifted out of it's mounts slight to run wire. If it's not rebedded properly, its a source of water.  If you pull the fiberglass cover on the aft bulkhead, you can determine whether or not this is the problem by having someone spray the base of the pedestal area with a hose while monitor for leaks.  

Good Luck!

Mike