lazarette on port side

T

terraplane

New member
The port side lazarette on my 22 leaks..not a rush of water, but more steady dripping and condensation. The starboard is dry as a bone..I checked the screws for tightness...fine...doesn't seem to have a seam open around the hatch frame..Any suggestions?
 
Terraplane,
I can think of two reasons: You may have a warped hatch lid. Sight down the outer edge of it and check if the corners are out of alignment. This causes the inside lip to not make good contact with the sealing gasket. The other problem may be the row of fastners which bond the deck to the hull. On the outside of the hull they are covered by the rub rail. Water will get in the channel of the rub rail and run along the seam and may leak inside if you have a fastner that wasn't perfectly sealed during manufacture. Look inside the lazarette and you can see the row of bumps on the inside. By running a hose along the rub rail for a few minutes you should be able to see if one of the fastners is leaking. If so a quick dab of caulk should fix it. By the way this problem can occur anywhere along the line of fastners behind the rub rail. It then slowly runs down the wall and ends up on the floor and has accounted for some hard to find leaks. If your lid is warped I have no idea how to fix that other than replace the hatch. Good Luck.
 
By the way, I learned an excellent technique for finding leaks in sealed compartments when I owned my F-31, maybe others already know it. Put the 'output' side of a vacuum (or air compressor nozzle) into an inspection port or other inlet or outlet, seal the opening around the vacuum hose, then watch the bubbles as you wet suspect areas/seams. Works great, hope it can work for your lazarette -- remember, finding the leak is 90% of the solution!

Steve
 
I will check the alignment of the lid. Jess M. from the factory has also chimed in and i will look at his ideas. The leak is not heavy, but prevents using the lazarette for anythiing which has to stay dry.

Mainly just annoying.

tom/terraplane
 
Tom --
Please post your findings about the leak -- we have the same problem on the port side.

Hey, and you and your music fill our condo with the wonderful sounds of the Chesapeake many evenings -- thanks for brightening up our (and many other) lives --
 
The same for me. Port side leaked from day one. Starboard is dry. I incorrectly thought I solved the problem at the end of last year's boating season. I will be picking up the boat tomorrow from winter storage and will be trying the compressed air technique to find the leak. Great idea.

Thanks,
Rollie/C-Batical
 
I think I detect a pattern here.....port side leaks and starboard is dry.......

I don't really know how the new boats are made as opposed to my '87 Cruiser, but in my boat the starboard side is only a partial bottom shelf and the sides of the engine well and exterior of the boat, so has no chance in the world of ever holding water.

The port side is set up as a live well. However, it doesn't leak into the rest of the boat, but does accumulate water, and can't be kept dry. The lids will leak if water, such as rain or wash water, is sprayed on them. Keeping it dry would involve leaving the lid open all the time to aid evaporation.

I think it actually "sweats" condensation on a daily cycle. At night, when it cools down, water condenses on the walls and runs to the bottom. The next day brings rising temperatures and the air inside expands, but very little evaporation takes place unless you leave the lid open. Night time repeats the sweating, condensing addition of water to the bottom of the lazarette/live well.

This is my theory at least, much like partially full gas tanks take on water from out of the air.

Does anybody know if the early Cruisers like mine had the live well installed as standard equipment or a factory option?

Joe.
 
I have to agree with Joe.
I thought that the port lazerette was leaking. couldn't find where the water was entering. I have two batteries and keep the rod holders in it.
I removed the plug on the bottom so it could "breath"--- no more problem.
 
Joe --
Our setup is the same as yours -- starboard side lazarette is open to sides and bottom -- so no water there. We have our batteries mounted on the starboard. Our port side, like yours, is enclosed internally (except for a small drain hole). We keep the drain hole open, like Fishtales does, but it still accumulates moisture making storage of anything that might absorb (or be damaged by) water impossible without zip lock protection.
So we store spare oil, etc. on that side. Anyone come up with a total solution to the moisture problem on the port side? Perhaps sawing open more 'vent' space?
 
I am like Bill and El... I keep the plug open...but it always leaks.... so I don't put anything that needs to stay dry in there... I think it has to do with the groove filling with water...when you open the hatch it all goes in.... I kinda liked the earlier hatch covers better...they had a lip so water would run off...

Joel
SEA3PO
 
I am convinced there is more going on here than condensation. While the starboard lazarette is, as we all observe, wide open, there is never a hint of moisture in it. And my battery switch would be directly in the line of fire of a drip. The portside gets more than a little wet. I'll be interested to learn what the compressed air tests reveal. I have wondered whether a bead of silicone sealant spread with a finger around the bottom of the channel in the frame would allow the gasket to seat better and prevent the infiltration.
Al
 
My port lazerette has leaked since day one. Consequently I only use it for things that don't need to stay dry. I keep brushes, sponges, cleaning agents and sometimes stow bagged garbage in it.
 
I agree that it collects more moisture than could be explained by condensation. I checked the outer edge of my lid with a straightedge, and found that the corners are warped up slightly. I had earlier replaced the gasket which did no good. I have been checking for replacement access hatches. Bomar make one, Part #781222, which is a different design. It looks like the lid curves down over the sealing area which should solve the problem. Has anyone changed out their hatch? I would be interested in their experience before attempting this project.
 
Well that makes it unamimous....my port lazerette leaks also. However, I think it has more to do with the amount of water that settles in the space around the lid. When you open it, it spills all that water into the locker. Why that is not the case on the starboard side is a mystery. Am also interested in what the factory has to say about it, and what fixes come up.
 
Ken... I think that hatch will do the trick....it's $52 (I just looked it up on-line)
but I think covering the channel is the answer.... I kinda hate to buy two just to make them look alike....but I know it would solve the water problem.

Joel
SEA3PO
 
Earlier I said that Jeff (not Jess) at the factory did respond and wondered about the fit of the hatch, gaps, etc..and i checked it out and all seems fine as far as i can tell.
I leave my plug out, and it does seem that no matter what, the small rim around the plug has a puddle of water. The inside of the hatch cover is beaded with water. All things inside are damp. I would conside putting in a few vents if that seemed structurally a good idea. I don't fish...and the space could be helpful for storage, but only dry storage.

tom/terraplane
 
Strangely enough, my port lazarette collects water even when in my covered berth! I do know the lid leaks, but covered over in the berth and in the shade, you'd think that the lack of rain and spray would shut off the water supply if the lid leak were the primary source. Makes water all the time!

Have any of you who have this problem around salt water tested the water to see if it the condensate is fresh or full of salt?

To get it dry and to stay dry, I'd do two things.

First I'd fix the drain or add another. The water can't drain out the inlet and back down past the supply pump because the inlet pipe sticks up about 1/4 to 3/8 inch above the locker floor with the threaded collar around it and a rubber gasket underneath. This leaves 1/4 inch or so of water in the locker at all times. Best idea would be to drill a hole in the bottom of the locker at the lowest point and glass in a drain tube with no rim around it. Would have to add another through hull or T it into the existing supply/drain tube (easier). If adding another through hull, a shut off valve would have to be added to use the live well.

A second item would be to add some ventilation. A pair of those fog-horn like looking tubes with baffels in them and faced different directions mounted on the lid might do the trick, low tech style. One could use one of those solar powered electric fan vents around fresh water, but I wouldn't even think of trying it around salt water and air.

Maybe we've accidentally discovered a way of efficiently condensing the water out of the air? Lets patent it and license it to places like Las Vegas.

Joe.
 
Sea Wolf":23uz4v1i said:
Have any of you who have this problem around salt water tested the water to see if it the condensate is fresh or full of salt?
Click to expand...

'Snot salt, Joe. AFAIC it's condensation and I just live with it.

Don
 
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