Did a forum search on leaks, no luck

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potter water

New member
Still Crazy, my new....to me....22 cruiser, 2007 model so far is perfect with all systems with one exception. We've been having a lot of rain in northern Utah...I mean, a lot...Seattle....kind of rain.

As I've been out playing with the CD systems on the trailer in the driveway, I've had to sponge up a quart or more of water on the inside floor each day that its rained. I cannot find any of the fittings such as the radar arch or hand rails and so on that penetrate the cabin roof and sides that have any wet on them.

I am a little suspicious of the anchor windlass penetration through the front deck. On my boat, there is supposed to be a drain from the chain locker down to a nifty little opening towards the forward port side of the bow. It has a nice little stainless covering on it that points directly aft as a drain opening.

I have verified that the water appears to be coming from forward along the port side. I can open the little hatch below the "shotgun" seat, stick my fingers in there and feel water pooled there before is slowly seeps its way onto the floor at the base of the aft seat of the dinette.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

Can anyone tell me how the chain locker is plumbed to that exterior drain? I've not been able to take a close look as the boat is now 80 miles away having the camper back installed. Is there any access to look at the fittings between the locker and the outer drain?

What other areas on the boat topsides should I be looking for hidden leaks?
 
A common area for hidden leaks of the type you are describing is through the rub rail. This rail is typically riveted onto the hull and the rivets are sometimes not sealed that well. That would be my prime suspect. Typically the anchor locker drain is just a hole in the low spot on the locker drilled through to the drain. Also, I had a leak at one point around the fitting for the water fill. On the 22's the water fill is just in front of the step up on the side walkway on the boat. The step up is designed to redirect water that comes down the walk way over the side rather than into the cockpit. As a result, water tends to pool in front of it and if the water fill is not sealed well, water comes in through that and runs down behind the aft port side seat and then creeps out below onto the floor.
 
Another common source with the CD22 is the actual anchor locker drain hole. It's hard to see but there is a gap between the hull and the Anchor locker so the water draining from the locker actually runs down inside the hull.

The solution has been documented here in a number of posts but it comprises inserting a tube into the drain hole and sealing both ends of it to the locker and to the hull respectively. It's a PITA to do it and be sure it is sealed but well worth it.

Quick way to check is to pour some colored water into your anchor locker and see where it goes.

Hope this helps

M
 
Some years ago I had a Seaswirl with the same problem. There was a recall by the manufacturer and the boat was repaired exactly as Grumpy describes.
 
The bow S/S rails sometimes leak at the bottom .Look inside cabin and see if there are water stains coming from S/S rails skrews and nuts .If there is water coming from rails. Undue skrews one side at a time and use 4200 or similar product to fix
 
I'm pretty sure the water is coming from forward of the v-birth/cabin bulkhead. Most likely the chain locker. I like the colored water idea. I think food coloring wont stain...I hope.

As I posted previously, there is a drain from the locker to outside the hull on this boat. I'll have to remove the anchor chain and rode and see where the drain is in the locker. I'm assuming there is a tube going from the locker to the drain hole on the forward port side of the boat.

Right now, "Still Crazy" is getting the camper back installed, 90 miles away. I'll consider the rub rail issue too.

Thanks all for comments thus far. Still Crazy will have a maiden voyage for me on a small impoundment called Willard Bay in northern Utah. Then, in early June, to celebrate my wife's retirement, it will be two glorious weeks cruising lake powell.
 
Still Crazy'
I had a similar problem that I traced to my anchor locker and hopefully fixed this winter. I have a 25 cruiser but it sounds like the same anchor set up as you have. First I removed my anchor line and was able to stick my head into the locker from the vee berth hatch. I found that my locker drain hole entered the anchor locker about 1/2" above the locker floor. This allowed water to pool before it hit the level of the drain hole and started running out. The seam between the locker floor and the back locker wall was cracked and allowed this pooling water to run down into the hull under the vee berth.

To correct matters I first brought the drain hole down to the floor level by enlarging it some, mostly using a dremel tool to elongate the bottom of the hole towards the floor. I then coated the inside of my enlarged hole with a small brush and epoxy to seal it. Next I used some 2 part polyester putty to seal and filet the seam along the locker floor and wall. Not a lot of room to work and dificult doing it one handed. After things had dried I poured some water in there and it appears this eliminated the leak into the boats interior.

I also had a sunbrella windlass cover made when my camper canvas was made, I think this might help by keeping rain water from running into the locker through the hawse pipe.

Good luck with the fix!
Rich
 
"Thanks all for comments thus far. Still Crazy will have a maiden voyage for me on a small impoundment called Willard Bay in northern Utah. Then, in early June, to celebrate my wife's retirement, it will be two glorious weeks cruising lake powell."
Click to expand...

Don't forget Bear Lake, and you can get a really good milk shake on the way. :lol:

That Anchor locker drain is the louseyest feature of the C-Dorys. Who ever heard of a drain that wasn't at the bottom :monty There ought to be a law.

Wonder if the current factory is doing the same (st%3p*d) maneuver :twisted:

Seems like it wouldn't take a genius to fix that design flaw. :roll:

Sure comes on a good boat though.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
You said you found nothing on "leaks" with a forum search. I got ten pages or more when putting that word into the Google Custom Search at the top of most pages with the box "Search the C-Brats" next to it. Try it.

Charlie
 
I should have been clearer. I did the search, but no one seemed to be addressing my particular leak. Now that some folks have responded, I'm gonna go after the chain locker as the culprit.

I should have a nifty pix to post next week with the newly named "Still Crazy" and the camper back. At least, for the money I'm paying, it'd better be nifty.

Thanks all.
 
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