Leak?

[Paulus]

We are getting water in the first storage area behind the cushion in the main cabin, starboard side next to the bulkhead.  The forward stay  and is not leaking.  The window and stay were completely resealed.  Water is collecting in this storage only and seems to come in when water is coming over the starboard bow.  We are not getting water on the shelf of behind the sliding panels.  Ideas would be appreciated.
Cool Change
Paul
C34  1989

[Stu Jackson]

Stanchion

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

I would first completely clean out and dry the compartment, then have a helper flood the outside area, and move the water hose around to different areas while you watch the compartment to try to locate the source of water entry.

[Paulus]

I have checked the stanchion but not the ones in the V berth.  Also have poured water[Lake Michigan] for a day coming back from the North Channel, we had continuous seas washing over the boat but no sign of a leak until it appears in the storage area.
Thanks,
Paul

[Jim Hardesty]

Stanchion.  A very good bet.  When one of mine leaked I just rebeded them all.  My 2 cents... Catalina should upgrade the bedding compound.
Jim

[Ken Juul]

The point the previous posters are tying to make is that water can run a long way between the deck and the liner before it shows up in the cabin.  But it does follow gravity.  Take a close look at all the attachment points/fittings (hand holds, stanchions, etc) anything "up slope" from where you are finding the leak.

[Roger Blake]

I agree with Ken. I've had LC for several, or more years, and always had a wet bilge. Assumed it was the dripping packing gland and then finally installed a dripless PSS. Helped, but still had a wet bilge. Ran water all over the deck and couldn't find any leaks...but still wet bilge...then started finding small pools of water in the settees, port and starboard. Then water started to appear below one of my opening ports. I greased all seals, replaced the o rings in the locking dogs and that seemed to help...but still had water in the bilge. Then I removed all opening ports resealed with an acrylic latex based sealent...no more water in the bilge. Dry. Settees-dry. Now what do I do with a dry bilge and settees?? Water will find anyway it can from anywhere it can get in...

[Stephen Butler]

We went through a long process this summer to locate and fix leaks.  Two sources of leasks we found, amoung many, were a cracked drain fitting for the anchor locker and a similarly cracked fitting on the aft water tank.  Nothing big, but definitely a source of water.  Hope this helps.

[Paulus]

I have checked the stanchions, windows.  After 3 months on Lake Huron and the North Channel we had the boat hauled and put on the hard yesterday.  It only leaked when I was on a starboard tack.  I had them hold the boat on a similar angle and had water within 2 minutes. 
Yesterday morning before the boat was hauled, I ran water on the deck and did discover two deck bolts under the roller furling were dripping water.  Explain water under the V-berth.  The other is still an unknown.  Appreciate all the info.
Thanks,
Paul

[RV61]

Paul,
Per your last post when you hauled and had the yard hold in similar fashion has a starboard tack you found water. If I assume you were out  of the water when the yard did this I would say you have water trapped some where in the deck or cabin top. Is the water brownish? A moisture meter would help detect where the water is. If you were in the water when simulation happened did you have them heel to the rub rail?? Could be leaking at the joint where cabin top is fastened to the hull which is behind the rub rail. Just a few more thoughts to ponder.
Rick

[tommyt]

Paul,

Was it you that I docked next to in Charlevoix last week? If so, you got out of there early and very quietly Wednesday AM. Hope you had a good trip home.

[Jim Hardesty]

Paul,
Hope that the leaking bolts were your problem.  However on my MKll a leak there would go into the anchor locker and out the drains.
Jim

[tonywright]

We are getting water in the first storage area behind the cushion in the main cabin, starboard side next to the bulkhead. 

It only leaked when I was on a starboard tack. 

I am looking at these two facts and having trouble figuring out how this is happening... isn't the starboard side high when you are heeling on starboard tack?  Water generally moves to the low side.

[Stu Jackson]

Only other thing I recall being reported was a leak below the hull to deck joint where someone at the factory forgot to install a screw or two in the aluminum that held on the rubrail.

[Paulus]

Thanks for all the input.  It just started leaking around the 1st of July.  I cleaned out the chainplates on the starboard side today.  It looks as if the lower aft stay chainplate is leaking.  The water is not brownish, pure cold lake water.  I am redoing the chain plates tomorrow.
Thanks,
Paul