We discovered something new on Gargle Blaster today. The carpet, forward of the starboard chainplate, is wet, not damp, WET. The only places we can determine it's coming from is either the deck/hull seam or the screws securing the toe rail. My guess is the screws.
First of all has anyone encountered this? If so, what was the fix?
Second, how about this for a fix? We remove all of the toe rail screws, watching for any wet wood. Fill the holes with epoxy, re-drill, re-screw and cross our fingures.
Comments, suggestions????
Also there was a post about the starboard chainplate/bulk head "repair kit". I can't find it anymore. Does anyone have that info?
THANKS
Deck Hull Seam Leak
Moderators: Tim Bosma, Tom Elsen
Deck Hull Seam Leak
Smitty
Gargle Blaster #352
Gargle Blaster #352
-
Steve Smith
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2003 2:17 pm
-
Tom Elsen
- Site Admin
- Posts: 419
- Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 5:42 pm
- Location: Minneapolis, MN & Chicago, IL
Smitty
You have some work to do....pronto. The leak causing your wet carpet could be coming from just about anywhere on the starboard-side deck, from the aft edge of the doghouse up to the bow. And if it's coming from the starboard chainplate thru-deck, at minimum you'll need to install a backing plate for that chainplate. In any case inspect the plywood bulkhead into which that chainplate is secured. Unbolt that chainplate and check the holes through the bulkhead asap. There's plenty of info on page 2 of this thread. It's all there.
Even if the source of the leak is elsewhere and the thru-deck isn't leaking, I'd recommend at least installing a 'backing plate' on your bulkhead. Call Call Jim Johnson at Seven Seas in Minneapolis if you don't want to make your own. He'll make one for you from the template I created.
Check the deck around both of the thru decks for any signs of water damage. You'll be able to 'sound out' any core rot by tapping around the area with a small hard rubber mallet. If you've got rot, it can be cut out and replaced from below. However, be sure to reseal these every year.
The next most likely source are stantions. Any of them loose? Leaky? Next is the seal on the deck side (likely not the sheerside) of the toerail. Remember actual source of the leak could be far from the wet carpet. If you see any gaps there, I'd use 3m 4200 or 5200 as sealant. The latter is very tough and a very aggressive adhesive.
You obviously know about the genoa track bolts as suspects.
It's also possible that the mast base plate is leaky. If so, be sure to check for any substantial rot up there. You'll likely need to borrow / rent a moisture meter. Again, even if it is intact, I'd remove it and seal it with marine silicone.
Good luck. Please do NOT neglect that bulkhead inspection. Don't just look at it. Unbolt the chainplate. If you find a moisture meter, use it to check that plywood as well. And install a backing plate. It's cheap insurance.
You have some work to do....pronto. The leak causing your wet carpet could be coming from just about anywhere on the starboard-side deck, from the aft edge of the doghouse up to the bow. And if it's coming from the starboard chainplate thru-deck, at minimum you'll need to install a backing plate for that chainplate. In any case inspect the plywood bulkhead into which that chainplate is secured. Unbolt that chainplate and check the holes through the bulkhead asap. There's plenty of info on page 2 of this thread. It's all there.
Even if the source of the leak is elsewhere and the thru-deck isn't leaking, I'd recommend at least installing a 'backing plate' on your bulkhead. Call Call Jim Johnson at Seven Seas in Minneapolis if you don't want to make your own. He'll make one for you from the template I created.
Check the deck around both of the thru decks for any signs of water damage. You'll be able to 'sound out' any core rot by tapping around the area with a small hard rubber mallet. If you've got rot, it can be cut out and replaced from below. However, be sure to reseal these every year.
The next most likely source are stantions. Any of them loose? Leaky? Next is the seal on the deck side (likely not the sheerside) of the toerail. Remember actual source of the leak could be far from the wet carpet. If you see any gaps there, I'd use 3m 4200 or 5200 as sealant. The latter is very tough and a very aggressive adhesive.
You obviously know about the genoa track bolts as suspects.
It's also possible that the mast base plate is leaky. If so, be sure to check for any substantial rot up there. You'll likely need to borrow / rent a moisture meter. Again, even if it is intact, I'd remove it and seal it with marine silicone.
Good luck. Please do NOT neglect that bulkhead inspection. Don't just look at it. Unbolt the chainplate. If you find a moisture meter, use it to check that plywood as well. And install a backing plate. It's cheap insurance.
Best wishes,
Tom
Tom
-
Guest
Smitty;
You will find the old post on this subject forum.It is on the second page.It is titled Bulkhead/Chainplate Problems.The date of the post is April 15th 2004.
Tom is absolutely correct.You must remove the chainplates to do a proper inspection of the bulkhead.This should be done regardless of what the surrounding wood looks like.
The new mast works just fine ,but I would have rather avoided the mental stress and the $$$$$$ that it cost Bob and I.
Chimo;
Guts.
You will find the old post on this subject forum.It is on the second page.It is titled Bulkhead/Chainplate Problems.The date of the post is April 15th 2004.
Tom is absolutely correct.You must remove the chainplates to do a proper inspection of the bulkhead.This should be done regardless of what the surrounding wood looks like.
The new mast works just fine ,but I would have rather avoided the mental stress and the $$$$$$ that it cost Bob and I.
Chimo;
Guts.
-
Guest
-
Guest
Tom,
We didn't remove the toe rail. We drilled a tiny hole up through the toe rail from inside the boat where the original, leaking, hole was located, (hope that makes sense). Then we took a very small piece of fiberglass cloth soaked in epoxy and closed off the hole inside the boat. When that dried we used a syringe to squirt epoxy through the tiny new hole in the toe rail, filling the original.
That may sound confusing but it's really easy. I should add that before we did anything we poked around to leaker to make sure everything was solid then saturated the entire area with thinned epoxy.
We didn't remove the toe rail. We drilled a tiny hole up through the toe rail from inside the boat where the original, leaking, hole was located, (hope that makes sense). Then we took a very small piece of fiberglass cloth soaked in epoxy and closed off the hole inside the boat. When that dried we used a syringe to squirt epoxy through the tiny new hole in the toe rail, filling the original.
That may sound confusing but it's really easy. I should add that before we did anything we poked around to leaker to make sure everything was solid then saturated the entire area with thinned epoxy.