Association Forum - Help with pesky deck leak.

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Help with pesky deck leak.

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

1009 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/28/2003 : 21:33:27

Hello, I have a 88 wing and am on the hunt for my last deck leak. The leak appears on the port side of v-berth just fwd of the bow pulpit bolts (aft ones) Tried sealing the wires for the bow light but have not had any luck. There is no gasket on the anchor locker cover but I figure that the hull should be sealed regardless.

Edited by - on

Dave B
Admiral

Members Avatar

Mali
863 Posts

Response Posted - 07/28/2003 : 22:35:13

I can't speak precisely for an '88, but the most common source of leaks into the v-berth is the anchor locker drain tube, which is flared on both sides. A fingertip dab of silicone seal wiped around the inside flange takes care of that. (Note to silicone haters: IMHO, when protected from UV and used where you can't compress the sealant, it's hard to beat--polysulfide doesn't come close.)

Dave Bristle, 1985 C-25 #5032 "Passage" SR/FK/Dinette/Honda in SW CT

Edited by - on

Bill Holcomb
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2003 : 09:32:16

You might also take a close look at the bolts securing the bow pulpit. There might be a leak with one or more of them. Especially as Catalina ships the boats from the factory with the pulpits typically in the cabin - to be installed by the dealer upon delivery. If the dealer was in a hurry or had hired someone who was less than detail oriented, the base & bolts for the bow pulpit might not have been bedded properly. A leak in this part can easily "migrate" some distance - a most maddening condition.

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

Edited by - on

n/a
deleted

Members Avatar

163 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2003 : 12:08:06

in my case it was where the stemhead strap went between the rubrail and the bow. I sealed this area, and no more leak. Good luck!

Edited by - on

tzk53s
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
33 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2003 : 14:37:50

Just got done removing and rebedding ALL of the hardware that goes through the deck...ALL. Seemed like the right thing to do on my 78 SK/TD. I am a big believer in 3M 101 polysulfide. The anchor locker, pulpit, area are good bets for leaks. I would suggest removing the pulpit, make sure the stanchion bases are making good contact with the deck and not warped. Take about a 1/2 inch drill bit and by hand use it to create a small chamfer at each through deck hole for the pulpit. Liberally apply sealant (I used 3M 101) to the deck and then to each screw as it is re-installed. Have someone help you with this from below. Now just hand tighten the screws to each stanchion to where the sealant just starts to squirt out then leave it alone for about 5 days. Come back then and torque each screw down proper. The anchor locker has a shelf at the rear that can lead to the V-berth but I think something must really be plugging up the drain for this to fill (about 4 inches to top) to where it can spill into the V-berth. Unless of course the liner has separated from the hull in which case clean it out completely, scuff and sand the locker. Install a couple of layers of pre-measured fiberglass cloth with resin and follow up with bilgecoat. The cloth needs to rise abouve the sides about three inches to adhere well to the hull and provide strength. Jim

Edited by - on

Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2003 : 15:26:00

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
The anchor locker has a shelf at the rear that can lead to the V-berth but I think something must really be plugging up the drain for this to fill (about 4 inches to top) to where it can spill into the V-berth.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

I must clean my anchor locker drain at least once a month, because spiders continously make it their home. Between the spider and it's webbing the drain gets plugged completely, and one really good downpour can fill the anchor locker. I noticed this problem, and lots of flooded v-berth lockers, when I was looking for a boat to buy. Thankfully, my PO was as religious about keeping the drain cleared.

J.B. Manley, Antares '86 FK/SR #4849
Grand Lake O' The Cherokees, NE Oklahoma

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2003 : 15:42:22

atgep,

Re: "... deck leak. The leak appears on the port side of v-berth just fwd of the bow pulpit bolts (aft ones) Tried sealing the wires for the bow light but have not had any luck. There is no gasket on the anchor locker cover but I figure that the hull should be sealed regardless."

When I got my 1979 C-25, there was evidence of several attempts to seal the anchor locker from below. It was still leaking. My fix worked, but you may not like it.

Like tzk53s, I started by fiberglassing the anchor locker pan to the hull topsides and deck using epoxy resin and 14oz fiberglass cloth. I also added a layer or two of 24oz roving to the the anchor locker floor to stiffen it. I then replaced the factory soda straw drain tube with 1/2"SCH40 PVC. Next, I built plywood & epoxy housings around the whale eye bow lights, and installed 4" Beckson-style access plates to get at the light bulbs from inside the anchor locker. (On your later year boat, you may not have the whale eye bow lights in the anchor locker to contend with.) Rather than trying to keep rain and spray out of the anchor locker, I worked on getting it to drain quickly, and keeping it out of the rest of the boat.

I also had to replace rotted plywood core under the foredeck ahead of the anchor locker hatch. You really want to avoid having to do this. Really.

As for thru-bolted deck hardware, I removed it all, drilled the holes 2x oversize, filled them all with epoxy reinforced with milled fiberglass, and redrilled them to the correct size. Like tzk53s suggests, I used a large countersink bit in a variable speed drill to create a conical recess around each hole in the deck. I then reinstalled all the deck hardware bedded with polysulfide sealant, new SS fasteners, and Nylock nuts. I added fender washers for additional backing where ever they would fit.

-- Leon Sisson (still chasing leaks, but gaining on them)

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1009 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2003 : 22:08:24

Thanks, for all the good advice. I have already done a lot of the troubleshooting mentioned above. I suspect a de-bond has occured between the well and the deck. I have tried caulking but a damned fiberglass spur opened up one of my fingers as I pushed it up into the corner!!!!! . I will use compressed air next to (TRY) to locate hole. It is most certainly in the port rear corner of the anchor locker. If I find it needs fiberglassing I will do the whole thing. The other dozen leaks are under control. Thanks to all on the other posts. But hey .....I have a 88 wing! As soon as I fix everything else that is broken I will get to sail.

Edited by - on

rwdutton
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
52 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2003 : 21:27:00

We found deck leaks where the shrouds entered the deck. So far, knock on fiberglass, the anchor locker is not giving us trouble. Having said that, I guess I will check it next time I venture forward.
... btw, I can't say enough good things about a product called "Cap'n Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure". It finds places you and I couldn't. At the end of the day, I believe that is what stopped our leaks at the shroud entry-points and around the windows.
Cheers,

Bob Dutton
Puff #4336 84 SR/FK
Westport, CT

Edited by - on

Dave B
Admiral

Members Avatar

Mali
863 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2003 : 22:07:36

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
... btw, I can't say enough good things about a product called "Cap'n Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure". It finds places you and I couldn't.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
Good to hear--I bought some of the stuff, planning to try it on the window frames and a couple of other mystery leaks. If they had it in gallons, I'd try it under the rubrails. (I guess it'd be 4-5 boat units per gallon.)

Dave Bristle, 1985 C-25 #5032 "Passage" SR/FK/Dinette/Honda in SW CT

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1009 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2003 : 22:23:38

No hurry to get this one fixed. If it was fixed I would have a new one after the sail this weekend. It seems that when you do not boat for 12 years you kind of loose touch. I hit the dock with the bow pulpit pretty hard . I am sure I have another leak or 3. Oh well, my crew and I are gaining valuable experiance!!!!!!!

Edited by - on

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

Members Avatar

844 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2003 : 23:55:17

Captn Tolley's seemed silly to me at first, but then I bought and used it on a chainplate I had rebedded three times, with no success. It works, and is worth it for small hairline cracks you can't see.

Edited by - on

Dave B
Admiral

Members Avatar

Mali
863 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2003 : 11:16:37

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
...I hit the dock with the bow pulpit pretty hard. I am sure I have another leak or 3. Oh well, my crew and I are gaining valuable experiance!!!!!!!
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
I know the feeling--gave a dock boy quite a thrill on our initial delivery cruise. I think I've got it now... Until you get a really good feel for what your outboard can do to slow and swing the boat, take it VERY SLOWLY around the fixed objects. You have 6000 lbs or so being horsed around by a tiny little prop. BTW, that's where the new high-thrust motors (lower-pitched, larger diameter props) really make a difference.

Dave Bristle, 1985 C-25 #5032 "Passage" SR/FK/Dinette/Honda in SW CT

Edited by - on

jncarlin
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
45 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2003 : 16:54:07

Where does one find Cap'n Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure? I searched for it on the Internet, and came up empty - Thanks!

Joe Carlin

Edited by - on

John Mason
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2003 : 17:28:37

Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure. West Marine has it. Boater's World probably does also.

John Mason
<img src="http://www.users.qwest.net/~jamason/ali.jpg" border=0>
pronounced "Ali Paroosa"
1982 - FK/SR #3290

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.