Water intrusion on 2005 22' cruiser

D

Dan McNally

New member
Fellow dory owners I need some insight if possible. I have a small but irritating problem on my 2005 22' cruiser, water on the floor in the cabin. I sent it to a recommended dealer to see if a dunk in a tank and spray of the exterior could locate the source this was of no help. Has anyone had a similar experience? I had the screws checked at the brass bow cover, this was not the problem either. I take on about half a gallon a day, it shows up under the porti-pot then travels to the cabin area with motion when traveling. When I clean the boat after use then water reappears from the hull at the grommet under the porti-pot and slowly bleeds for days. Any help with this mater would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Dan McNally
 
Is the water salty or not? If the boat is used in salt water and the water is salty, it's most likely coming through the hull someplace. If you get water while stored on the trailer. then you should look at the rub rails and perhaps the hatch over the v-berth.
 
I presume you've eliminated a leak of the fresh water in the potty as a possiblity.
 
Is your boat stored bow down and does it rain where you are? If my boat is stored bow down, as it often is in my yard, and it rains then water will get into the cabin if the forward bulge pump does not kick on or the battery goes dead from running. The water will flow into the sump, fill it 3/4 of the way and then leak out the hole for the pump hose. Then it drains out from under the cabinet and flows down hill to the base of the v-berth were it enters into the void under the porta-pote and bunk. then when I launch the boat and it gets on plane the water drains back out from under the void and into the cabin were it has no place to go. If I just cover the back of the boat with the canvas then the water can not collect in the back deck and run forward. So back to the first questions. 1. is your boat stored down hill and when did it rain last???
 
Some of the 22's got water under the V berth area from the anchor locker-and it showed up under the portipotty-check to be sure that the floor of the anchor line locker is completely sealed.
 
There is also a drain tube that exits the anchor locker and passses through the hull, with a clamshell type cover over the outer end of the tube. This tube must be sealed at both ends well, or water from outside - or from the locker inside - can drain down between the outer hull and the anchor locker, and then down into the space under the v-berth.

Joe.
 
I drilled a hole for the anchor locker drain thru the hull on the port side at the bottom of the anchor locker and it appeared to be solid fiberglass, i.e. no balsa wood core in that location.

Is this something that is different than the older boats?
 
ripple":8tp68eye said:
I drilled a hole for the anchor locker drain thru the hull on the port side at the bottom of the anchor locker and it appeared to be solid fiberglass, i.e. no balsa wood core in that location.

Is this something that is different than the older boats?
Click to expand...

Ripple-

No, to my knowledge, neither the hull or the anchor locker have ever been cored up front at the bow near the stem.

The "trick" is to seal both of the ends of the tube well.

Joe.

22balsa.jpg

Hull lay-up showing balsa coring in floor.
 
Ashley Lynn":16n5q3xq said:
When did the 22' cruiser stop having a forward bilge? I was not aware that my 2007 22' had a forward bilge.

Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

Bob and Nancy-

The forward bilge was added to deal with rain and splash water when the boat is at rest because the water accumulates at the bulkhead near the door, and the rear bilge pump works only after the water gets quite deep, or the boat is tilted bow up during oeration. (The water accumulates forward instead of at the rear because the roundness or rocker in the hull from front (stem) to rear (stern).

I'm not positive, but they probably eliminated the forward bilge pump a couple of years ago when floorboards became standard equipment. The floorboards raise the floor up to a dry level, such that any additional water is high enough to activate the rear pump.

Hope this accurate and helps!

Joe. :teeth
 
Joe-

Maybe I am missing something but why is a "tube" required if the hull is solid fiberglass where the hole for the drain is? I just drilled a hole and smoothed the fiberglass and then installed the clamshell on the outside. It seems like a tube would only be required if there was a gap between the inner and outer hull...
 
ripple":1x3slkee said:
Joe-

Maybe I am missing something but why is a "tube" required if the hull is solid fiberglass where the hole for the drain is? I just drilled a hole and smoothed the fiberglass and then installed the clamshell on the outside. It seems like a tube would only be required if there was a gap between the inner and outer hull...
Click to expand...

ripple-

You're exactly right! Most of the older boats had a gap of about 3/4" between the locker and the outer hull, necessitating a tube.

Maybe they have eliminated the gap by enlarging the locker component and glassing it to the hull directly before putting the deck on, or simply adding a back bulkhead as the rear wall of the locker and using the sides of the hull as the anchor locker walls! It would sure be a very logical and simple improvement!

Does anyone know if this has been done?

Joe.
 
I have a 2005/6 CD 22 and it definitely has a gap between the two. Not 3/4 inch but more then enough to let water through. It is very difficult to actually see it but if you put piece of bent wire in the hole you can find it.
I simply inserted an appropriately sized plastic tube (which just happened to be part of a Bic ball point pen !!) and carefully epoxied and trimmed both ends.
Since then no visible water in the forward area as seen via the small hole under the P Pottie well.

Merv
 
I agree that the newer boats still have a small gap between hull and locker and that a tube, epoxied in place, is a good idea. Also paint the locker with some epoxy paint is a good idea. The vent area is not balsa cored.

Biggest water intrusion in boats a few years ago was through the stem guard screw holes. There are several previous long threads on both these topics.

One of these two is the likely culprit in your boat. To have that much water.

If you see water coming out small circle under porta-potti location that means you have a lot of water under the v-berth. The foam takes up most of the room and the foam shouldn't rot but it will take a long time to get all of the water out. The water that is in there can't flow readily because of the foam. To get the water out, suck it out with vac and then blow air though with vac, or clean out foam below viewing port down to hull and wick it out with towels replaced daily for a while, or drill a small horizontal hole allowing water to drain into aisle, etc.

Good luck Dan,

Mark
 
Thanks for the replies and information. I have tried to eliminate all the on board water to isolate the source. The fresh water tank has been drained and the porti-pot has been removed. I can wipe the area dry and within a couple of minutes there is water showing up at the grommet in the floor under where the porti-pot would sit. I pull the grommet and poke the foam and it releases more water, the problem is coming from from the hull or anchor drain hole. I did not see a tube at this area just a small hole going to the outside.

Thanks Dan.
 
Dan,

Mark has probably given you the best guess.......the screws afixing the bronze stem to the bow were drilled too long, and breached the hollow area within the hull containing the foam flotation. This was a problem just after the change of C-Dory owners a few years ago. The foam flotation material absorbs alot of water and continues to weep for quite a while. Roger (Fishtales) had this problem which he cured by cutting an inspection port in the bulkhead just behind the porta-potti, then drying the area out with a blower, and afixing a cover over the hole. Of course, remove the stem screws and reseal the holes well before reattaching.
 
Dan- Didn't you say in your first post you had already checked the screws on the bow strip for leakage?

Joe.


Dan McNally":20ak9lrv said:
......(Stuff clipped) I had the screws checked at the brass bow cover, this was not the problem either.

Dan McNally
Click to expand...
 
Grumpy":3vkso2od said:
I have a 2005/6 CD 22 and it definitely has a gap between the two. Not 3/4 inch but more then enough to let water through. It is very difficult to actually see it but if you put piece of bent wire in the hole you can find it.
I simply inserted an appropriately sized plastic tube (which just happened to be part of a Bic ball point pen !!) and carefully epoxied and trimmed both ends.
Merv
Click to expand...

We have a 2004 CD 22. It likewise has the gap between the two. What worked very well for spanning the gap was to insert a piece of Oxygen Supply Tubing (it is the perfect size! and made of soft plastic). Cut the tubing so that the flaired portion where the tubing would connect to an oxygen cylinder is still present on your "cut piece". Then if you insert the tubing from the inside of the anchor locker, the flaired portion will rest (squeeze) perfectly in the hole. I cut the tail portion of the tubing so it is flush with the trailing edge of the outer clam shell. (That should eliminate any intrusion of water).

As to the foam area under the inspection port (beneath the porta potti), use a screw driver and "chip out" the foam down to the hull (this creates an opening the size of the exterior hole. Then you can vacuum out the water as Mark S. suggested or obtain a 50 cc syringe and suck the water out.

All a very simple and easy fix.
 
My 2006 has a small bilge well at the rear of the cabin just under the door. It is approx (guessing here, not at boat) 6"x14"x6" and is a hand laid fiberglass "bucket" that contains a Rule bilge pump. Water comes into the well through a slot at the base of the cabin bulkhead and there is normally an inch or two in that well. I think most of the water is rain/wash water. The bilge is covered by a plywood cover extending the width of the cockpit between the two storage areas (under rear seat and under stove/heater). When finished it looks like a step at the rear of the cockpit with a hinged door used to get at the bilge. I think the 2006 was the last model to have this setup. The molded in floor raises the cockpit floor as Sea Wolf said and eliminates the water access.
 
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