Water in Cabin Yet Again

[rogerbum]

I'm following this thread now mostly for the mystery value. I like the theory that you have the only C-Dory made with an onboard well but I must admit, that seems like a low probability outcome. So, as I'm sure must be obvious to you at this point, here's a brief summary of what I think we know:
1) The water is fresh water.
2) The water appeared only after launch.
3) It hasn't rained for awhile

The above imply that the water must either be condensation (which you appear to have ruled out already), some trapped freshwater from someplace getting into the cabin or a 3rd possibility of freshwater getting on your boat from an adjacent person on the dock. When I rinse my boat at the dock with freshwater, I'll often spray the seagull crap off the adjacent boat while I have the hose out. Or I'll use an occasional spray of water to chase the gulls away. So maybe something like that is happening.

The water appearing after launch can be explained by a change in attitude of the boat on the water relative to the trailer and/or jostling of the boat on the trailer and in the water causing water from some location to be released. If it were me, I'd empty every cabinet out and look in all the nooks and crannies of the boat to see if there isn't water collecting someplace that can't be seen. I'd also hose the crap out of the outside of the boat to see if I could make the water appear. Finally, if I still couldn't find it, I'd spend a night or two on the boat in a heavy rain. That's what I had to do before I finally located my leak near the freshwater fill. The big issue for me was that since the water had to take a somewhat circuitous and hidden path prior to appearing in the cabin, there was some time between water entry and water appearance in the cabin.

[homerjack]

Appreciate your thoughts Roger. Boat was completely dry in slip before heading out for fishing. Motion of boat started the water seepage when underway (from aft cabin area). Return trip was in 3ft seas which caused greater motion and much greater seepage. No substantial rain here in over a week.
Seems clear now that takes boat rocking motion to create seepage. Quart of water is a LOT of water!

[Sunbeam]

If you have tasted the water, and it isn't at least a little bit "gross," then I doubt it's coming from saturated foam under the berth.

If you keep the boat on a trailer, how about if you play with the "attitude" of the boat via the tongue jack. If the boat is bow high, does the water appear and where? How about if you put it bow down? Since the after cabin bulkhead is the low point when the boat is afloat (well, theoretically anyway), then it makes sense that water will end up there when afloat, no matter which end it's coming from. But on the trailer you can control for that (and since it's not saltwater it should (or at least may) happen when on the trailer (?).

I'm hooked on the mystery now, same as Roger. (He also has some good ideas fro tracking it down.)

[SEA3PO]

There are 36,500 drops of water in a quart (Scientific measured drop)

Joel

[hardee]

Collectively, we know pretty much all the probable leak points:
1. Hull and deck penetrations; hawse pipe, windlass or deck hardware
2. Wallas vent
3. The Anchor locker drain
4. Fresh water storage on board
5. and though not a leak, the condensation.

All except condensation and fresh water storage could produce either fresh or salt water.

A quart of water is probably not going to be produced via condensation, and for sure not in the time frames you are giving. I don't remember if you said anything about having any refrigeration system on board, fish bag with ice in it or any coolers that could either leak or condense.

We also know that water doesn't just appear, but it can disappear (evaporate), so there has to be either intrusion from a freshwater source, or considerable temperature differential to cause the amounts of condensation you are reporting.

I'm with Roger and Sunbeam, Can't just leave a mystery. (FYI on of my favorite spots to take the boat ----> Mystery Bay, on Marrowstone Island)

Harvey
SleepyC

[Kushtaka]

If Homer has been having the weather we have been having then there is certainly the chance of very very very great temperature differences inside and outside of the cabin on a sunny day. And Homer is a pretty humid place, just west of the rainforest that kind of peters out into boreal forest near Seward, but right across the bay the ocean dumps its moisture onto the mountains and there is plenty left in the air at the Homer harbor, especially in the summer.

I am thinking that you are having condensation issues. You have a greenhouse effect going on in your cabin heating up the enclosed interior in the bright sunshine, and you have cool, 55* air outside, sitting in 45* water.

Granted, it's a little wetter in Cordova, but I could get well over a cup of condensation in my cabin on a cool, sunny day if the humidity is up.

Damp Rid hanging bags are great if this is the cause, but you may need a couple. in there:

http://www.amazon.com/DampRid-FG83K-Hanging-Moisture-Absorber/dp/B011R1ODAS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464978171&sr=8-1&keywords=damp+rid+hanging+unscented

[homerjack]

I am making lemons into lemonade:
12 oz bottles of Mystery C-Water; Only $5 plus S&H. Limited quantities (I hope!), FCFS.

Convinced not condensation. Not to create a quart in less than an hour. And when I do have condensation, it's all over the cabin ceiling. It was dry. Windows as well.

[homerjack]

RE: boat attitude. While driving boat yesterday, I could tell that water was not streaming from fore to aft in cabin. Entire potty cubby was dry as well.
My best guess is that somehow fresh water penetrated boat and remained only to slowly appear with boat motion. Time will tell if this source is finite. Where and how remain a mystery.

No refrigeration, ice, coolers (just empty one for fish hold), or swimming pool on board.

[capt. meares]

I love a good mystery as well. I cant stop trying to figure this out! Have you looked to see if any of the hoses that run below your door are leaking?

[Hunkydory]

Of the two times, I have had water collecting on the cabin floor, it turned out to be first a leak in the sink out flow & the 2nd, a small crack in the rubber of the foot pump for the water to the sink.

Jay

[homerjack]

All good guesses but no cigars. I took the whole galley out and put a bench seat in its place with transfer pump in stowage under seat connected to a remote pickup to cockpit instead of bilge pump. No sink, no water tank. 1988s did not have hoses under door (except maybe water tank line but that's been out before I bought the boat).
Can I interest you in some Mystery C-Water?

[capt. meares]

The bulkhead has water intrusion and is leaking when the boat vibrates? At this point, I would be so overcome I think I would take a very small drill bit and start testing little places here and there.

[homerjack]

Drilling? Heck I may strike oil next.

[Sunbeam]

[hardee]

Well, (pun intended), if you drill in the right places, you could let the water out.

If the weather is as suggested, it seems to me, the condensation would be on the inside walls, and at the waterline or below. There would be morning dew, and it might run down as the ambient temp elevates, but the areas not in the sun and below the waterline would stay wet the longest.

Grasping at straws here. Lemonade. A good idea, better, find and patent the process and you won't have to buy bottled water any more.

Harvey
SleepyC