Boat Storage, water question

[Dan Corcoran]

First season storing Strider mast up. Was shocked to find 5 gallons of water in the bilge after one week of rain (bilge switch is off, canvas cover on). Is this normal??? Stored in Huntington, NY

[Vento Solare]

Dan,

Potential sources that I found and fixed. The hole where the steaming light cable goes through the mast was a source. Water wicked down into the mast junction box. A dab of caulk on the hole fixed it. Other potential sources:

• Rectangular access cover to steering gear behind wheel - gasket was shot. Used Lifeseal caulk in the groove and will cut with razor blade if I need to remove it.
• Engine control lever - water will get in through the rotating assy. Duct tape it if you get water by that part of the boat with cover on.
• Pushpit attachment to deck - found I needed to rebed the stbd pushpit and that stopped a lot of water. Looking underneath it was obvious that water had been entering there.

[Dan Corcoran]

A couple more gallons. The boat is covered, there is just no place for rain to come in except down the mast. Why gallons ???

The humidity is really high, at 71% maybe its sweating?

[Vento Solare]

When the cover is off in the spring have someone go around all of topsides with a hose while you crawl below. You be surprised what you find. That is how I located most of my leaks that I was able to stop.

[Dan Corcoran]

Will do. Thank you

[Mvallus]

Dan,

I had a similar problem the first year with mast up. Most, if not all of the water was coming from the mast. A few things helped greatly: ensuring a tight fit of the mast boot and adding silicone (or Lifeseal), especially within the main track just above the vang fitting (water tends to literally flow down this track). I also wrap the mast with a large towel just above the vang bracket to catch additional water. Lastly, I cover the halyard exit/entrance plates with painter's tape.

Boot: http://www.rigrite.com/Spars/Sparcraft_ ... 5_mast.php

Phoenix 251

[MK-Farthing]

1. Inside of mast - this was our last point of entry and tricky to solve. The mast has a "dam" located just below the lowest halyard exit slot. Ours was/is held in place by a single rivet. I think the dam is made of some form of plastic (possibly UHMW). Anyway water was coming down mast and leaking around edges of Dam, past the dam and into the bilge. I sealed edges with a liquid rubber product. It was not an easy process but after chasing leaks for the first year we had a VERY dry boat.

Edit: The mast manual shows the "Dam" and refers to it as "internal water proofing". https://j109.org/docs/charleston_spar_j ... manual.pdf


2. Anchor locker - also a mystery leak - I found a small hole in our anchor locker that communicated to the center line bilge . Found it while washing out anchor locker. I would test this area as well when you do the hose test as Bill suggest.

[FerdinandMac]

Dan,

I had a similar problem the first year with mast up. Most, if not all of the water was coming from the mast. A few things helped greatly: ensuring you get one of these quality sausage stuffers and a tight fit of the mast boot and adding silicone (or Lifeseal), especially within the main track just above the vang fitting (water tends to literally flow down this track). I also wrap the mast with a large towel just above the vang bracket to catch additional water. Lastly, I cover the halyard exit/entrance plates with painter's tape.

Boot: http://www.rigrite.com/Spars/Sparcraft_ ... 5_mast.php

Phoenix 251

The anchor locker leak seems odd as heck. Did you get to the bottom of that one, Mike?

[Dan Corcoran]

Thank you for all this good information. I am going to go looking for that Dam next, if I can get to it with cover on.

With heavy rains, I had to pump water out again last weekend. In just two weeks the water filled about 80% of the two compartments aft of the bilge, total 14 gallons removed.

Dan

[jng7000]

The anchor locker leak seems odd as heck. Did you get to the bottom of that one, Mike?

There is a ground wire from the head stay bolts/nuts which eventually is glassed into a channel running through the anchor locker then under the V-berth. The top opening of this channel is often not sealed thus any water that gets in there will go into the v-berth and eventually the bilge. It's fairly high up and tucked in the front of the anchor locker and requires some advanced yoga to get to. You wouldn't think much water would get there but somehow water always seems to defy the laws of physics on it's way into the bilge.

[MK-Farthing]

The anchor locker leak seems odd as heck. Did you get to the bottom of that one, Mike?

It was by far the biggest mystery leak for us. At the bottom of the locker there is the drain hole and on the outside of the boat there is a chrome scupper plate that directs the water aft. That plate is held in place by 2 or 3 small pan head screw. When that plate was screwed in place it penetrated a void in the tabbing that helps form the anchor locker. The screw or possible pilot hole went through into the locker. As the locker filled with water in big air and waves going to weather the locker partially fills with water. The water found its way to that screw hole at the seam and into the bilge. When we did the hose test it was crazy how much water and how quickly it went to the bilge/sump. FYI I have read in other post about the chain locker construction being a bit of a headache.

[sderiis]

A couple more gallons. The boat is covered, there is just no place for rain to come in except down the mast. Why gallons ???

The humidity is really high, at 71% maybe its sweating?