Leak on Mid-ship cleat

[Two Bears]

For several years we’ve chased a leak in the V berth just in front of the helm. We had been having trouble with the helm side window and the seals there were bad, so we thought that was our problem. We finally fixed the window and thought our leaks were history. Our trip to the Florida Huntoon Island Gathering this spring proved us wrong. After a overnight rainstorm Penny woke up in the morning with a wet pillow, but not the main bed. So we knew it had to be mid-ships, not around the anchor locker. I crawled in and found a drop of water hanging from one nut on the starboard side mid-ship cleats.

Today I pulled the mid-ship cleats/ nuts/ bolts and found that the cleat had probably never been bedded properly. A bent wire pushed sideways into the ¼ inch bolt holes found little remaining substance of the wood core as far as it could reach - about one-half inch. It appears to be pretty wet in there.

What are my alternatives? I don’t think squeezing “Get Rot” into the 1/4 inch bolt holes will do an adequate job. Dr Bob has shown us the proper way to replace rotten core in several discussions. I did that on the rear battery hatch opening. There I had exposed core and could easily scrape out the damaged edge of the core. Here, the only way I can see to do a proper repair is to go in from the bottom and cut off the fiberglass bottom layer (ceiling of V berth), scape out the damaged core material, dry it out with a hair dryer or similar, fill the evacuated hole with thickened epoxy using a vacuum bag system working upside down, and then re-drill the bolt holes and re-bed the cleats.

Any other suggestions?

Chuck

[thataway]

You don't really have to replace the entire core--although that might be easier. You only need a good bearing surface--and the epoxy plus provides that. I probably would over drill the holes in the top, get an allen key or bent coat hanger in and suck out the bad core for about 1/2 inch --maybe 1/4 more than a 1/2" hole. Tape the bottom and then fill from above. I would not make the hole any bigger than the bottom of the cleat foot--and that could be closer to 3/8"

If this is the case, might be a good idea to check all of the other fittings. When we bought our Cal 46 it was almost 20 years old. I pulled every single bolt which went thru the deck (hundreds) and made the epoxy plugs. The boat is now 45 years old, and the couple who bought it from me 20 years ago is still full time cruising and they say not a leak in the boat!

[hardee]

Hi Chuck, Just wondering if you are backing the cleat along with the repair? Seems like that would be a good time since you are there already.

Harvey
SleepyC