Washdown/rain leaks... grrr, don’t feel alone.

[Noah]

Joys of a 1990 boat...wet cushions in the aft cabin (centerline). Chased it down (I thought!) to leaking pedestal angle guard feet. Thought I  "fixed" it a few weeks ago, by rebedded feet with butyl tape, but...this weekend washed boat again and dang, wet aft cushions AGAIN. On the search for source AGAIN! Hard to do solo. Time to callout my hose volunteers, AGAIN, while surveying down below for drips. Did I say... I love my boat?!

[Stu Jackson]

Jeff Tancock showed me an almost identical issue on his boat.  We traced it down to the aft Beckson portlight in his cockpit.  IIRC, he chose to just rebed the outside because his trim ring was able to be removed, rather than removing the entire port as I have had to do in the past.  My trim rings were put on with something altogether too tenacious. 

[Ron Hill]

Noah : Chasing down a leak is almost impossible by a single person.

Get your "hose volunteer" and you go below.

Good luck, Ron

[KWKloeber]

Joys of a 1990 boat...wet cushions in the aft cabin (centerline). Chased it down (I thought!) to leaking pedestal angle guard feet. Thought I  "fixed" it a few weeks ago, by rebedded feet with butyl tape, but...this weekend washed boat again and dang, wet aft cushions AGAIN. On the search for source AGAIN! Hard to do solo. Time to callout my hose volunteers, AGAIN, while surveying down below for drips. Did I say... I love my boat?!

Noah

Have you tried baby powder! Or sidewalk chalk?  To identify (not FIX  !! )

k

[Noah]

Not yet, but on my list of things to try if I can't isolate leak with judicious spot hosing of each deck fitting, cockpit ports, seat hatches and steering pedestal (again). 

[KWKloeber]

Not yet, but on my list of things to try if I can't isolate leak with judicious spot hosing of each deck fitting, cockpit ports, seat hatches and steering pedestal (again). 

Dust before you spot hose!  Could same some time.  And of course, water never seems to enter where it looks like it does (I think that's some kind of law of fluid dynamics.)

k

[patrice]

Hi,

The cushion being wet, is it on top, water droping or the underside of the cushion.

It happened to me, top only, and found out that the opening ports screen had been put back upside down after removing them for cleaning week before.
There is a gasket around the screen that is not continuous.  The joint had been placed at the bottom, so it left a little gap for water to make it's way.

Always fun to track leaks.
Good luck

[scgunner]

     Noah,

       If you think it's coming from your pedestal or guard why don't you plug the cockpit drains, fill the sole with an inch or two of water, climb into your aft cabin with a flashlight and see what happens, worst case you eliminate one possibility.

[Dark n Stormy]

Set up a sprinkler and let it "rain" on the whole cabin.

[Noah]

Thx guys, but I prefer a more methodical plan. I had tracked down and thought I had fixed "the" leak that I saw dripping down below from the pedestal guard feet bolts (after removing steering gear dog house and hosing area). I rebbed them with butyl tape. Maybe a failed repair? I will check it first with hose then move to other suspects. I may have multiple leaks—even in my "PERFECT" 1990 boat.

[mark_53]

Noah:
Maybe time to think about a winter cover. However, that may be a faux pas for SoCal sailors.

[Noah]

No cover in my future.  It rarely rains here (but who knows with climate change these days). My "provkem" is more of a wash down leak issue, as I scrub entire boat at least once a month. I am confident I will track these leak(s) down with some persistence when I get time. Currently, I have just moved aft bunk cushions until I sort out leak.

BTW-  I do have a nice sunbrella roll-up cockpit sun shade from backstay to dodger, that I occassionally erect on very hot days.