Water getting in

[Water Rat.]

I have had a bit of a problem with water leaking into my boat. It is dripping down from the inside under the gunwales. The water seems to be running down behind the panelling. It is close to the fire flue, which, for the winter I have covered up. A few years ago I used some captain Tolly's crack stuff, not sure what it did really. Could it be possible for it to be getting in underneath the vent or under the mushroom vent and leaking down? Has anyone else had this problem? It is not loads of water, but enough that I do have to put a pot under it and it is ruining the panelling. Also, could this have been the cause of the water, rather a lot of water, that I had to get out from under the floor? Any thoughts?

[Biggles]

I have water getting in too but only in the engine room. I just can't work out where its getting in. Its coming in from above not below.

 

Frustrating isn't it?

 

Mine is about a litre a week.

[trackman]

We've had leaks around our stove flue a couple of times over the past. In each case the inflow was small and ran down the outside of the flue onto the stove.

One turned out to be a failure of the sealant between flue pipe and roof collar. The other was between the collar and the roof.

Captain Tolley's cured both very successfully.

[Odana]

Could very well be a leaky mushroom. Or condensation? If worse in rain have a good look at the seal on the roof when it is dry for any cracks.

[David Schweizer]

I have had that probem in the past. One instance was the seal between the window frame and the cabin side, which was cured by removing the frame, cleaning up the panel and applying new sealing tapeto tye frame. The other (more difficult to trace) one was the seal round the cowl of the gas water heater on the roof, the water was gettiing in thrugh a poor seal and runing backwards until it met an obstruction and then falling. Again the solutionn was to remove the cowl clean up and re-seal.

[Alan de Enfield]

Its of no practical help, but when you are looking for the source of the leak look a fair distance away from where the leak can be seen.

 

The 'problem' with water is that it will/can run a fair distance behind boards or in roofs before emerging

[alan_fincher]

Any of the above, ( stove collar, mushrooms, windows - particularly as David describes between aluminum frame and cabin sides).

 

As has been said watercan appear a long way back from where it's getting in. But it will not generally rum forward on a boat with front higherthan back, so you are probably looking for a problem forward of where you are finding the drips.

 

My usual vote would be windows, but were Jade's taken out as part of the full repaint? If they were reinstalled then, it seems soon to be getting problems there.

[MtB]

I have had a bit of a problem with water leaking into my boat. It is dripping down from the inside under the gunwales. The water seems to be running down behind the panelling. It is close to the fire flue, which, for the winter I have covered up. A few years ago I used some captain Tolly's crack stuff, not sure what it did really. Could it be possible for it to be getting in underneath the vent or under the mushroom vent and leaking down? Has anyone else had this problem? It is not loads of water, but enough that I do have to put a pot under it and it is ruining the panelling. Also, could this have been the cause of the water, rather a lot of water, that I had to get out from under the floor? Any thoughts?

 

I'd put my money on it being a window leaking. Hopper windows have LOADS of scope for letting in water. Most likely route in is an incomplete seal between the window frame and the cabin steel.

 

Does it only leak when it's raining? You don't mention this. If the water still collects in dry periods then this is a Big Clue that Odana might be right!

 

 

MtB

[Stilllearning]

If it's near the chimney, then my first place to look would be the roof plate seal with the roof. Then a window just in front of the chimney.

Edited February 11, 2014 by Stilllearning

[hilaryb]

Same problem here when the rains coming that way...... Enough to put a cloth down to catch it. Will also investigate if and when this weather let up.

[b0atman]

not the best weather for fixing leaks take internal vent covers off and feel round roof hole and mushroom for water if all dry then do same with fire roof plate but don't get burnt after that are there any screws going through roof .then its window frames . good luck.

[Mike Todd]

not the best weather for fixing leaks take internal vent covers off and feel round roof hole and mushroom for water if all dry then do same with fire roof plate but don't get burnt after that are there any screws going through roof .then its window frames . good luck.

Last year we had water coming in around a mushroom. When I got around to investigating it turned out that one of the four bolts holding it to the roof had fractured, allowing the thinnest of gaps around just a small part of the circumference to leak. It was enough! Replaced and re-sealed - problem solved!

[Water Rat.]

Thanks guys. I think the windows are well sealed, the windows were taken out when she was painted and put in beautifully and at least look to be well sealed, although, the double glazing in one hopper has blown! Very cross about that.

 

It is only when it rains, so must be creeping in from the roof - I will have to wait until the rain stops and sort it out then.

 

When ever that might be!!

[SamKingfisher]

Biggles - I reckon I get a litre a week of condensation in the engine room in winter. But you probably would have spotted that happening.

 

It's frustrating. Still getting a fair bit through the deck too as I can't yet bring myself to put gaffa on the new paint.

[Stilllearning]

Last year we had water coming in around a mushroom. When I got around to investigating it turned out that one of the four bolts holding it to the roof had fractured, allowing the thinnest of gaps around just a small part of the circumference to leak. It was enough! Replaced and re-sealed - problem solved!

We had exactly the same, a brass countersunk screw had broken, it caused a mess right over the bed, ruined a duvet and pillows.

[Water Rat.]

We had exactly the same, a brass countersunk screw had broken, it caused a mess right over the bed, ruined a duvet and pillows.

Ah ha. the rack holding my deck gear is not far away - could be a screw letting it

[Tom Richmond]

I guess the 150 ltrs I pumped out of my bilges could also be any of the above...

 

Bring on the search (and some sunshine...)

[Kwacker]

Before I put clear silicone sealant on the threads, the countersunk window retailing screws on my boat would regularly slacken 1/2 a turn or so and leak. Caused by a combination of expansion/contraction and vibration I suppose.

I was amazed how much water could get in this way

Edited February 11, 2014 by Kwacker

[Water Rat.]

I guess the 150 ltrs I pumped out of my bilges could also be any of the above...

 

Bring on the search (and some sunshine...)

I also had to pump out a lot of water from my bilges, about 100 litres as well. I think it has been accumulating. I catch it in a pot now and I am not getting any more water under the floor boards. Now for that sunshine

[Higgs]

I have had a bit of a problem with water leaking into my boat. It is dripping down from the inside under the gunwales. The water seems to be running down behind the panelling. It is close to the fire flue, which, for the winter I have covered up. A few years ago I used some captain Tolly's crack stuff, not sure what it did really. Could it be possible for it to be getting in underneath the vent or under the mushroom vent and leaking down? Has anyone else had this problem? It is not loads of water, but enough that I do have to put a pot under it and it is ruining the panelling. Also, could this have been the cause of the water, rather a lot of water, that I had to get out from under the floor? Any thoughts?

 

There's a seal, on the outside, right at the base of the flue. It has been there many years and may have perished. The best thing would be to remove and renew. It may certainly need attention. If you can't find a suitable seal, the old one is probably not helping matters and should be replaced with something. Depending on how hot the flue gets, your only choice may be heat resistant silicon.

 

Although, I hate silicon near paint and would use an alternative where possible.

Edited February 11, 2014 by Higgs

[Water Rat.]

 

There's a seal, on the outside, right at the base of the flue. It has been there many years and may have perished. The best thing would be to remove and renew. It may certainly need attention. If you can't find a suitable seal, the old one is probably not helping matters and should be replaced with something. Depending on how hot the flue gets, your only choice may be heat resistant silicon.

 

Although, I hate silicon near paint and would use an alternative where possible.

Hi Barrie

 

Thanks for your reply. It is looking a little bit rusty around there now. I will give it a poke when the weather dries up.

[Higgs]

Hi Higgs

 

Thanks for your reply. It is looking a little bit rusty around there now. I will give it a poke when the weather dries up.

 

[Theo]

I know that the right thing to do when a window leaks is to take it off the steel work then reseal. That must be the best way but seems a bit wholesale.

 

If I were to seal it by adding a tiny fillet of seal around the edge of the aluminium where it joins the steel what are the chances of a cure? What sort of sealer would be best. ISTM that silicone would not do the job. Me experience is that it does not stick very well.

 

Nick

[Higgs]

I know that the right thing to do when a window leaks is to take it off the steel work then reseal. That must be the best way but seems a bit wholesale.

 

If I were to seal it by adding a tiny fillet of seal around the edge of the aluminium where it joins the steel what are the chances of a cure? What sort of sealer would be best. ISTM that silicone would not do the job. Me experience is that it does not stick very well.

 

Nick

 

 

For an edge seal. Tape around the edge of the window frame, on the window frame, to about an eighth of an inch from the edge. Tape around the window on the cabin side, again, to about an eighth. Run a bead of rubberised sealant all the way around and smooth to a bevel. Pull the tape off immediately to leave a smart track around the window.

 

The will do quite well, but a fuller fix would require the removal of the window, which should be sealed with butyl.

Edited February 11, 2014 by Higgs

[TheCrowsNest]

We just lifted the hatch at the rear of our cabin and found about an inch of water, I suspect its from the constant rain we have been having. I did check the hatch about 3 weeks ago and it was bone dry.

 

I'm really hoping the cause is not from the new bathroom I have been fitting. I checked all the pipes and they seem dry but there are two pipes running under a newly tiled floor which I can't get at. I haven't heard the pump cycle though unless I open a tap so I assume that it is rain getting in through the window fittings.

 

Anyway, I lifted the bilge pump from the engine room and pumped out the majority of it and I have ordered http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200684824119 to put a seal around a suspect leaky window.

I guess monitoring it is the only way?