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Help - can’t identify cause root cause of leaks!


Rockhopper

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Hello

 

We have a couple of leaks on the boat that we are struggling to identify the root cause. The first one is immediately underneath our bedroom window. We thought it was the window seal and have sealed the outside temporarily so nothing can in. There are no wet patches around the window anywhere since we have done this, however, it seems to be getting in underneath still, driving us mad. Please see first two pictures, one of the lower part of the window frame (we have removed the lower part of the wood) and the other close up.

 

We have the same problem going on in the air lock at the stern end. Again, I’ve attached two pics to give you a better idea. It looks like it’s the steel but can’t see anything outside that shows where water could be getting in.

 

Is there something obvious that we’re missing here and is it easily fixable? 

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Sarah

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Its nearly always window frames that you think you have sealed. Or mushroon vent seals that run along and exit wherever the water feels it wants to. If you have ANY bare metal or scantily insulated metal at this time of year you WILL get condensation that will drip.

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Air lock? ? So you live in a submarine

....

Most likely condensation and blocked window vents/drip channels. Most windows have a channel at the bottom which fills full of muck and moss if not cleaned out annually, use a cotton wool bud. There will also be a hole from this channel to the outside. ...poking from outside might help. 

As others have said.....any bare metal will drip for fun at this time of year. 

 

Edited by matty40s
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1 minute ago, Rockhopper said:

Hello

 

Thanks already for your speedy replies :)

 

Drainage channels all clear.

 

We can confirm that it’s definitely not condensation. It’s been dry all day, downpour has just started and leaking immediately.

Yep, so its window frame or mushroom/vent you can bet yer bottom dollar. We have all sealed window frames from the outside and sworn blind that we have stopped the leak only for the leak/s still to occur. The only way to seal a window is to remove it entirely, clean everything up and replace correctly with new seals.

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☺️ Not sure why we call it air lock, said it once and stuck, me and the hubby know what we mean but understand might not translate to other folks ☺️

 

The one thing to note is that exactly the same thing is happening where there is no window. The windows channels are completely clean, do the cotton bud cleaning every month or so. 

 

Also, beneath the window, there is a piece of wood that gets wet too. I’ll post another pic...

 

Thanks again all...

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It could be more serious then, failing welds .....however, still more likely to be the window seals or mushrooms.

As an emergency measure this winter use some Captain Tolls Creeping Cracking Cure on the affected windows when not raining.....then take them.all out next summer, get rid of the rust properly, repaint and reseal properly. 

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2 minutes ago, Rockhopper said:

Hello

 

Thanks already for your speedy replies :)

 

Drainage channels all clear.

 

We can confirm that it’s definitely not condensation. It’s been dry all day, downpour has just started and leaking immediately.

Are you able to temporarily cover the window from outside to prove the point when it is raining? If it stops, then the seal between window frame and boat needs renewing. Remove window frame and rebed it.

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3 minutes ago, Rockhopper said:

Hello

 

Thanks already for your speedy replies :)

 

Drainage channels all clear.

 

We can confirm that it’s definitely not condensation. It’s been dry all day, downpour has just started and leaking immediately.

 

Best way to fix this is a big blue tarp over the whole of the boat...

 

 

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3 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Are the gunwhales fully insulated on the underside?

 

And how would poor insulation explain the leak only happening when its raining? 

 

I'd be looking for skin fittings through the side deck just above this location that might not be sealed to the deck properly. 

 

As the leak starts promptly with the rain it is bound to be a cabin top leak not condensation. 

 

 

 

And do what Cheshire Cat suggests in post 14. 

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2 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

And how would poor insulation explain the leak only happening when its raining? 

 

I'd be looking for skin fittings through the side deck just above this location that might not be sealed to the deck properly. 

 

As the leak starts promptly with the rain it is bound to be a cabin top leak not condensation. 

 

 

 

And do what Cheshire Cat suggests in post 14. 

Yes I still reckon its a window or vent but from the not so clear picture I quoted I can see no insulation under the gunwhale and that also needs addressing if thats the case innitt.

Just now, Rockhopper said:

Yes they are, everything has a layer of foam, including the underside of the gunwhales inside.

I reckon the bookie would give very good odds on this being a window frame or mushroom leak. One of my boats had a leak from a mushroom vent that ran about eighteen inches and exited the deck head lining by running down my stove chimney. I resealed the poxy chimney no end of times wondering how the hell it was still leaking till I sussed it was that particular mushroom vent.

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Thanks so much everyone, feeling slightly less insane than 20 minutes ago ☺️

 

We’re going to ogle the windows and vents tomorrow, we also suspect that the windows are the culprits. With the leak that’s happening not by a window, we think still think it’s the nearest window, but the waters draining backwards.

 

?

Edited by Rockhopper
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We had a difficult to diagnose rain leak from the back cabin roof surrounding the slide area.

Turned out to be most likely due to the slide rails being made of wood, with a different expansion rate to the steel cabin top.

Over the years, this and deterioration of the sealant allowed rain to seep under the timber rails, probably via the two small drainage  channels that prevented rain from pooling between the rails.

Water then found its way down the rail fixing holes into the back cabin.

Sarah at Glascote advised replacing the wooden rails with steel ones - this has been done recently, but has not yet been tested - but I’m quietly confident ?

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