[C38] leaks (thru decking)

[Charles Finn]

Marci,
Welcome! Checks in the Mail has quite a history and I am sure you and 
your crew will add another great chapter.  Deck leaks are the baine of 
all boats and require continuing attention as the deck is an integral 
structural part of our boat.  As the boat flexes, chain plates and the 
mast boot area in particular must flex.  This challenges even the best 
caulks, which too often give in without us noticing.  Water then begins 
leaking into the substrates and eventually rots the wood.  You then 
begin to see delamination, but this is often way after damage has 
occurred.  The first thing I would do is buy a plastic mallet and start 
pounding (tapping) the deck to familiarize yourself with what a good 
deck sounds like compared to one with voids.  A surveyor can do this for 
you, but this is a check you might want to do every year around any 
openings above deck, so why not pick up the skill?   Its a pretty good 
bet that you have some voids around the mast and this is a good place to 
start (and learn).  If the mast is out, you can use a screwdriver or a 
bent coathanger to probe the decking and clean out any wet or rotted 
material.  Drill a couple of small (1/4 inch is fine) holes in the deck 
above the high point of the voids (the deck slopes from centerline).  
Use a hair dryer to dry out the void as best you can.  I have not done 
this, but some people have used acetone to dry these areas (could be 
pretty flammable and never use it in combination with a hair dryer).  
Use clay to make a dam around the mast hole.  Then inject West's epoxy 
into the drill holes to fill the void (read the directions on the can)!  
I used the disposable caulking gun containers you can purchase 
separately to inject the epoxy and they worked well.   Use martex and 
gelcoat to fill the drill holes.  When filling any voids, remember that 
gravity rules and the epoxy will find its way through any hole that is 
not sealed in the cabin roof.  I use masking tape and then re-drill the 
hole.    This is the basic procedure and Phil's advice to read the Casey 
book is a must!

Deck leaks in other areas can be very problematic.  I thought I had a 
window leak, but there was no change after completely replacing the 
windows...  I finally traced the leak to the winch on the deck by the 
mast and had to fill the void that years of leaking had produced.  So, 
this can take a bit of sleuthing and you might want to look at the  deck 
to hull seal as well as your cabin windows.  Taking the fairlead track 
off is a major chore that requires two people and one of them will need 
to be both strong and elastic...  (Max: if you think removing it was 
bad... wait till you try reinstalling!)   Do keep track of the length of 
track bolts as they vary. 

I think the major problem with chainplate leaks is we try to fix the 
leak by applying more caulk!  The truth is you cannot fix the leak 
unless you first remove all the old caulk, dry out the area, fill any 
voids and then re-caulk.   I used 4300 last time around with good 
results so far.  I will NEVER use regular silicone ever again on my boat!


All the best,
Charles Finn
Mighty Quinn #114
Lake Champlain, VT



Marci Brown wrote:
> Phil, I think I have the Don Casey book you're referring to. I'll 
> retrieve it from my dusty library and start reading! Thanks.
>  
> Marci Brown
> Co-Owner of C38
> Checks in the Mail
> Virginia Beach, VA
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Listserve-bounces at catalina38.org 
> [mailto:Listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] *On Behalf Of 
> *eyriepg at comcast.net
> *Sent:* Tuesday, April 25, 2006 5:07 PM
> *To:* Catalina 38 Listserve
> *Subject:* Re: [C38] leaks (thru decking)
>
> Marci,
>  
> I've had some leaks but the only one you mentioned that I  have 
> experienced is around the mast where it enters the deck.  I eliminated 
> that leak by putting a little bit of polysulfide sealant around the 
> inside of the mast collar where it is hose clamped around the mast.  
> Other people have had success with the Spartite system which builds a 
> plug around the mast where it goes through the partners.
>  
> Your more serious leaks are through the deck where the plywood core 
> could separate from the fiberglass and also rot.  The repair is 
> covered well in _Don Casey's book Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair_.  The 
> chapter on preparing a cored deck for new hardware and sealing 
> chainplates is right up front on pages 14 and 15.  I have no 
> connection with the book or author but it is a good inexpensive 
> reference book.
>  
> Phil Gay
> C38 049 Que Linda
> Everett, WA
>  
>
>     -------------- Original message --------------
>     From: "Marci Brown" <mbrown at wilbio.com>
>     We've just purchased a beauty: /Checks in the/ /Mail!/ I fell in
>     love with her 3 years ago @ the marina where I used to slip my
>     Bristol 33 (sold 1 1/2 years ago). Imagine my good fortune when I
>     fell for one of the crew members and a year later, we're the new
>     owners of /Checks!/
>      
>     Now it's time to isolate some of the leaks: a few of the chain
>     plates, the deadlights, a leaky spot underneath a newer fairlead
>     track, and the boot around the mast where it goes into the cabin.
>      
>     I'm pretty concerned about the leak under the track--it oozes
>     brown water down into the quarter berth--a sure sign of balsa
>     damage, I'd imagine. I don't see any signs of delamination,
>     however. I'm anticipating a lot of work and/some expense in this
>     repair.
>      
>     Any recommendations?
>      
>     Marci Brown
>     Co-Owner of C38
>     Checks in the Mail
>     Virginia Beach, VA
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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