Water inside bow railing...again

J

Jack in Alaska

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Joined
Aug 17, 2004
Messages
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C Dory Year
2005
C Dory Model
26 Pro Angler
Hull Identification Number
CD026021I405
Vessel Name
HIGH TIDE II
Several years ago I reported that the bow railing on my 22' CD was full of water and it split open during the winter freeze.
Well.........yesterday I drilled a hole in the bow railing of my 26' ProAngler and water shot out of it also. How does it get inside????
My solution is to drill a very small hole, maybe a 1/16", near the bottom of each vertical segment to keep the water drained.
Just something to be aware of in cold climates.
 
Jack-

Good Solution!

My guess is that as the temperature drops off at night, the air inside the railing shrinks in volume, or contracts, and air with water vapor enters pin holes left from the welding process. Further cooling causes this vapor to condense out on the inside walls of the tube, and it runs down to where it's contained at the bottom where the attachment plate is welded on.

Heating the next day must not be enough to evaporate and remove the condensed water, probably because of the plate's surface contact with the fiberglass deck, which acts as a heat sink to keep the plate, and therefore the condensed water, cool.

Thus a volume of water is propagated in the bottom of the bow/side/or stern rails.

One might be able to partially test the theory by determining if the water inside the rails is salt or fresh, but that would only go so far, depending on where the boat was used, stored, etc.

Somewhat the same cycle goes on in gas/fuel tanks where daily heating and cooling of a partially full tank leads to water condensation and fuel contamination.

Enjoy the new boat!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
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