Leaking from head overhead vent / dorade

[Tom Glennon]

During my inspection on Saturday, I also noticed a brownish tinted trail of moisture from the underside of the passive vent in the head roof... I had covered the exterior of this passive vent with a plastic sheet and duct taped it, thinking that this would make it "weather tight", as I noticed this problem last winter.  Obviously, water is getting in around the plastic ring that goes thru the cabin top. Anyone else having this problem?

Has anyone swapped this passive vent with a small opening hatch, similar to the ones on the newer boats? I have a 1987 Mark I.

This is not an issue during the season, as the dodger protects this area from moisture.

[Ted Pounds]

Tom,

My 1987 came with a Nicro solar vent in the head, which I replaced with a day/night solar vent (plug in replacement).  Never had a problem with leaking.  You might try pulling the vent and re-caulking.  Also if your dodger has a lot of "glass", like mine, you might consider switching to a solar vent while you're at it.  Mine does great job of pulling fresh air into the head and helps keep the boat dry during winter storage.

[Stu Jackson]

Tom, you mentioned: "a brownish tinted trail of moisture from the underside of the passive vent in the head roof..."

I've got that from the port dorade.  We are in the process of replacing the dorades with new Plastimo units.  I removed the port dorade, and the metal Vetus cap, screen and frozen adjusting screw are still in place.  When I removed the interior trim ring, I noticed two things:  first, weeping through the screw holes of the brownish water (yuck!);, second, some "delamination" of the smooth liner fiberglass going up the "tube" to the dorade.

I "chiseled" into the core of the deck up the tube, and will most likely have to grind it out, find out how deep the rot is and after drying it out, refill it with epoxy.

Since I haven't removed the old Vetus "metal-works" yet, I do not know where the water could be coming from, since the deck above is essentially the entire dorade box and traveler assembly.

It is only leaking on the port side.  There is the "delamination," more like a pulling apart, on the starboard side above the galley, but no water leaks.  

I have thought about this at some length.  The only thing I can attribute it to would be lots of very violent tacks and gybes that actually started pulling up the traveler/dorade assembly.

I'll let you know.

[Andrew Harvey]

Tom,
I am having a similar problem. My leak is coming in from the last screw in the handrail but i know that is not the source, just the outlet. After much trial and error last summer with silicone and duct tape, I think I may have isolated the problem The PO had replaced the traveller with a new Garhauer unit but neglected to fill the old screw holes.
Might be something you want to check.
Andrew

[Stu Jackson]

Andrew

Thanks for the idea.  I've had an offline chat with Al Landry #13, and he has some, too.  The idea of heaving up the traveler track is not something I look forward to, but it seems one of the only explanations.  Thanks, I know I don't think I have any old holes, since the track is original and I upgraded with both the "enhanced" traveler bolt from the factory, and new cars without removing the track.  Maybe the old sealant's just getting too old.

[Jim Brener]

After a hard rain, we found water on the counter top.  The source was not apparent but a crack was finally discovered in the floor of the scupper opposite the head port.  I filled it in and have had no leaks since.

[Stu Jackson]

Here's some correspondence from Al Landry #13 over the course of the last week:

Stu,
I am having the same problem with water dripping down from the traveler hold-down nuts' access hole in the roof over the galley. I have removed the traveler & resealed; I have removed wood along hatch & resealed; it still leaks although no cracks are visible. It only leaks after it rains.  I am now thinking that I need to replace the Dorade assembly; I covered it with plastic for several weeks and it is beginning to dry out.
Al Landry, Lucky 13, #13

Al,
Have you tried a hose when it's not raining, any way to trace it? I haven't removed the wood. In my case it's the dorade area that's weeping, and everything else, from that point, is uphill except for the added traveler bolts. I still have to do that, which will require lifting the whole track, as you well know. I'm still working on it and if I find a culprit, Ill let everyone know on the board. If you do, please let us know. Heck, what else is UP there?????
We got our new dorades from Plastimo through Mari Safe. Best prices we've seen, almost 2/3 of WMP or BoatUS. I think it's www.marisafe.com. Give it a try. These models fit our holes, but require the removal of the OEM metal Vetus contraptions under the dorades, and the screen. If where you sail is buggy, you'll have to work out a new screen arrangement. I saw one recently where the skipper took a big screen and inserted into the mouth of the dorade itself, rather than in the hole.
Stu

Stu
My leak is a hair-line stress crack at the base of the traveler mount. I didn't realize a small crack would let water in that much; may have been too many gybes. Hopes this helps you find yours.
Thanks
Al Lucky
#13

[Stu Jackson]

This is a followup to this thread as promised.

Traveler Car Rebedding

Sailed hard on Saturday, much moisture still weeping through the port dorade.

Sunday, during intermittent rain showers and downpours, I took off the traveler track.

Either: I actually HAD remembered to re-bed the track when I installed the long bolts, or I never did.  In any event, the small amount of sealant on the port side was just about gone, thinned out to paper thin depth that it was doing nothing.  There seemed to be more left on the starboard side, hence, no drips (yet).  I am inclined to believe that because the amount of sealant was both different on both sides AND not as much as I would have glopped on had I done it myself, it was original factory sealant.  I also think this is the case since back then I wasn't smart enough to know that when you put a new hole in the boat, especially on the cabintop - almost as good as the hull - it's gonna leak if you don't seal it.  Dumbo strikes again!  Not a factory issue.

Holes:  There were three screw heads holding the traveler down on each side.  Two were the original factory screws into what are supposed to be the metal plates below.  One is the new long bolt I installed through the cabintop in 1998 or so.  Each came out reasonably easily, partly because I had used Lanacote on the screws.  Stainless on aluminum.  'Nuf said.  One of the screws on the port side hasn't got much of a grip left on it.  All holes glopped significantly.

Re-installation:  Cleaned and faired the top of the fiberglass.  Glopped sealant like it was going out of style.  Tube was new, wouldn't come out of the top, so cut the end off and this worked really well because the width of the end of the tube was just right for the width of the flat surface.  Used the long through bolts to guide the track back on.  Had to release the cars to get to all the hold down screws.  Remember to Lanacote the track lock screw so you can move the car out of the way to get the track off by gaining access to the screws.

Dorade Replacement

Completed both dorades, one finished at South Beach Harbor before a very nice Mardi Gras party at the South Beach Yacht Club, and the other performed at the slip.  Guess what, the second one took less than half the time!  Now that I'm an expert, I won't ever have to do that again.

Conclusions & Recommendations

It rained hard all day yesterday and today, Tuesday.  No evidence of any more seepage under the port dorade.  Starboard was still dry.

1.  The traveler sealant, or lack thereof, WAS the culprit.  Check your traveler sealant.  

2.  Lanacote your traveler screws.  All of them.

3.  Last screw in the handrail leak, as Andrew mentioned, has moved to our boat, too.  That's the next re-bedding effort.  Then the stanchions.  Again.

Thanks for all of your input and ideas.  They really helped.

PS  I am preparing a picture essay of the dorade replacement for Mainsheet and Projects.