Cabin leak in 1999 22-foot C-Dory

T

thomasrtruxell@cox.net

New member
I am having water intrusion into the cabin from each aft side of the base of the entrance to the forward bunk area - where the bulkhead/passageway meets the cabin deck. A break where the bulkhead/deck meet has developed there on each side. Seems like water mainly comes through these areas when underway when bow slaps in seas. Not sure if fresh, salt and/or trapped water. Sometimes this water has a brownish tinge - trapped? Not talking about a lot of water, but on occasion, I've had to remove about a gallon of water. Anybody who has had this problem and/or could assist in identifying the source of the water and the fix would be most appreciated.
 
If you are talking about the bulkhead between the cockpit and the cabin check the seam along the bottom. There have been instances where that has been compromised. While looking for a small leak (from another source it turns out) I discovered some sloppy work, cleaned it out and resealed that with 4200. The other place water intrusion is occasionally reported is from the small drain in the bottom of the anchor rode area.
 
That's the one.....mine used to leak there a bit until I resealed it like you.

colobear":bke5hgpi said:
If you are talking about the bulkhead between the cockpit and the cabin check the seam along the bottom. There have been instances where that has been compromised. While looking for a small leak (from another source it turns out) I discovered some sloppy work, cleaned it out and resealed that with 4200. The other place water intrusion is occasionally reported is from the small drain in the bottom of the anchor rode area.
Click to expand...
 
I'm reading it as the joint between the forward cabin (v-berth) and the saloon (main cabin). If so, there is a lot of info here about the usual causes, and you'll be able to find gory details, photos, and many discussions of treating it by searching. Likely terms would be "anchor locker leak" or "bow strip leak."

Determining whether this is fresh or salt water would be a good clue.

For a re-cap:

1) Bow strip
If you have a brass bow strip (on the outside of the stem), it is attached by screws, and these screws sometimes go "too far" and penetrate the boat. So you get water under the bunk flats.

2) Anchor locker
The bottom of the anchor locker is a separate piece, tabbed into the boat (tabbing is tape-like strips of fiberglass, added later). This tabbing joint is not always perfect, and can allow leaks in a couple of ways:

a) Where the hole for the anchor locker drain is drilled it goes through the tabbing, so if there is any gap in the tabbing layers that can essentially be a gap between the anchor locker bottom and the space below it, and now a hole has been drilled through the hole (the anchor locker drain). So water can get through.

b) Around any of the perimeter of the bottom, if the tabbing has a gap, or has been compromised. But "a" is the most often seen issue.

There are extensive discussions of fixes in past threads.

One reason the water could be brownish is that there is often foam under the v-berth. I would think that water sitting in such foam could take on a brownish tint. Rotting core also makes brown water, but that's less likely as the hull is not cored very far ahead of that bulkhead (but slightly, so it is possible). The bunk flats (part you lie on) are also cored, but it would be pretty unusual for those to be compromised. The anchor locker bottom is wood, I believe, so that could possibly supply some brown if it were compromised. The helm bulkhead is also cored in places. But most likely seems to be water sitting in foam and then seeping out.

The stress cracks at the lower corners of the V-berth doors are not unusual from what I have read here. There was a thread about them, with photos, that would probably turn up in a search. They are caused by movement, but unless it "goes further" or is more serious than the ones I've seen photos of, it's probably just a "thing," and not really serious.

Sunbeam
 
Don't know if this transition point from cockpit to v berth area in a 22 is the same as the 19 but recently while prepping to repaint the deck I also extended the paint up into the the depression for the portapotty in the v berth to cover some scratches. I pulled the plastic plug under the potty & noticed moisture so I cut through the foam & found a space below the foam that had about a gallon or so of water. It also was a brownish color but not about to see if it's salt or fresh & since it's under the portapotty I'm not gonna taste it!! I very much think it must have leaked in around the press fit plastic plug over the years. When I wash out the inside of the boat there is always water trapped in the depression that doesn't drain. Sometimes I sop it up with a rag & sometimes I just leave it. I got the water out & set a heater for about a week, every day found a little more water. Probably water trapped in the foam. After a week of dabbing up a little water with a rag taped to a stick every day I think I got the majority. Haven't checked in the last week or so but I did drill a small weep hole to drain that space into the cockpit while underway. Vern
 
What sounds like a similar problem happened on my 2002 22' Cruiser . . .
the anchor locker drain simply let water in from the outside into the area between the two layers.
The reason for this reply, however, is that the "fix" was not as simple as first attempted. The first repair of the fiberglass at the junction of the v-berth and cabin was not successful! The whole area had to be thoroughly dried before the repair would work (it's lasted ten years now....so the repair and the modification of the anchor locker drain {I inserted and affixed a tube from the outside to the inside} has worked.
Again, I post this reply because (as far as what I was told), the drying out of the area between the two layers was essential.
Good luck,
therevdr on Driftwood Drei
 
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