Brown water dripping from head hatch

[rjabara]

The source of my leak was indeed at the stanchion above the nav table. 

[Noah]

Backing plate and butyl tape and a good hose clamp on holding tank vent should fix you up. Hopefully, no water damage to deck, electrical panel or cabinetry.

[Baysider]

Hey rjabara,  I'm happy to see that you've found your leak!

[Ron Hill]

rjabara : After you get the port side fixed (rebedded with butyl rubber and a backing plate) I strongly recommend that you do the same for the starboard side vented stanchion!! because it can have the SAME problem!!

A thought

[Baysider]

I couldn't get the bolts out!  There are two bolts with large washers and nuts inside the cabin but they don't turn easily.  The others must be screws or are bolted to something internal between the deck and inside ceiling and they don't turn at all.  I'm thinking of using an impact screwdriver.  Any thoughts out there?

Also I'm still wondering about the gap between the traveler and the tower. I'm wondering if anyone has seen this before.  I assume one of the bolts that secures the traveler is exposed there.  I'll know better once I can get the bolts to turn.

[Noah]

It is a bit confusing to understand which bolts are you talking about. The stanchions (OEM install) should have four bolts with fender washers. The traveler should have bolts through deck into cabin as well as bolts threaded into an aluminum plate embedded in the deck. Other bolts along the far outboard edge secure the hull deck joint. I believe there should be no screws anywhere on the parts you are working on/concerned about.
When you reinstall the stanchions use backing plates and Bed-it Butyl tape.

[Baysider]

Thanks Noah.  I'm still on the traveler topic.  Some other folks added a discussion of stanchions.  The traveler has a through bolt on each side.  Thanks for confirmation that there are other bolts secured to an internal plate.  I haven't been able to expose the heads as all of the bolts on the traveler are currently stuck.  That's why I'm asking about the impact screwdriver.  It may be overkill but it may be the only way to get the bolts to move. Has anyone had corrosion issues related to the interface of aluminum and stainless?

Last question for the community: I had asked earlier in this thread about the gap under the far port side of the traveler and attached pictures. I think this seems like a likely path for my water intrusion, hence the questions regarding my problems removing it. The traveler does not appear to be deformed. Has anyone experienced this? Any ideas as to what to do to eliminate the gap?

[Noah]

Here is the factory diagram showing deck make-up and where the backing plates are.
https://c34.org/wiki/images/3/31/Deck_Laminate%26Reinforcements.pdf

[Baysider]

Thank you Noah!

[oldcatsailor]

I kept finding water on head floor ,was coming in from vent stachion for holding tank above the chart table ,it traveled along the top shelf to the head and down the bow facing wall .It rotted top half of wall and counter top this was just after I bought boat.replaced half the wall and counter re beded all stachions with butel and backing plates from garhuer
Haven't seen water in head for 12 years.

[Ron Hill]

Bay : What it look like to me is that the factory layup for the traveler support is not a straight horizontal line.  It appears that the factory put some kind of washer to act as a spacer for those ends because the traveler bars will NOT bend down to meet the under side support.

If you are up to it?, I'd remove the traveler from the boat and reinstall with a thick rubber washer with brutal rubber between the washer and the underside support.

A few thoughts   

[crieders]

i had that until i removed the hatch and re-bed the hatch. now, no problem with brown water

[Ron Hill]

Guys : You will always have corrosion problems between dissimilar metals - especially in a salt water environment. That's why We recommend some lube between stainless screws/bolts and aluminum.

Most of us carry a chap stick onboard so just rub a little on the threads to protect them. There are other more expensive materials, but Chap Stick will do the job!!   

A few thoughts