Mysterious moisture in R27

[stwendl]

In my 2015/16 R27, in the v-berth, there is a cushion attached along the outside of the mantras to lean on. This model has leather type covers. Going over a few things I stored behind there was a box of carton I stored down a few things in. It was totally soggy. There is nowhere evidence of any water intrusions, no water collection of any kind. Yes, we had a few days really hefty rain. The boat was out of the water.

I can only surmise this to come from condensation. Just never experienced it in such way. If it was moisture from condensation, leaving anything there might get destroyed if this happens again.

If anyone experienced this I would be interested to hear their input

 

[Cutwater28GG]

i get a condensation drip from the corner of the hatch windows in the forecabin onto both cushions. (cutwater 28) not sure if a similar situation occurs on the tug

 

[DBBRanger]

If I understand you correctly, you are talking about the vertical cushion that follows the contour of the boat above the V-birth - it has a narrow ledge behind it that can hold clothes or whatever. I found water on that ledge on both sides of the cabin in my R25. Mine turned out to be leakage from pin holes in the fiberglass between the ledge and the ceiling - it only leaked with very hard and long rain showers. I removed the entire rub rail on the outside (both the metal and the plastic backing) and resealed the screws that were behind the rub rail and the screws that held the rub rail on. Apparently, the water was getting into the fiberglass at the joint and flowed down through it until it exited at a pinhole in the surface of the fiberglass. It wasn't obvious that that was the cause, but my solution seemed to work. After a year, it has continued to stay dry.

Hope that helps.

 

[rpmerrill]

I had the same thing, but just an occasional few drops. I tracked it down to the forwardmost exterior light on the cabin side that lights the "walkway' up to the bow. The light didn't look like it was tight to the cabin. Just a little gap on one side. A small "shmear" of sealant carefully wiped clean seemed to fix it. (Not an easy location to get at from the inside by the helm.)

I also noticed that the previous owner had applied some clear silicone to one or two of the railing mounts. I'm not sure if that was an attempt to fix the same leak or a different one.

 

[stwendl]

I hope it's not a leak. Recently, we had some cold weather for in our location and my trucks windshield was soaking wet on the inside windshield. Not the usual foggy haze but real water drops on the screen. Perhaps you his was the same on the boat

 

[knotflying]

Keep an eye on it. Leaks are difficult to track. You said the boat was out of water. This leads me to believe that condensation may not be the issue. Condensation occurs when there is a temperature differential on either side of a surface and the moisture in the air (usually the warmer side) reaches due point on the hard surface and hence condensation. If you were not heating the space I would think inside and out were relatively the same temperature. If the boat was not level water from rain could have gotten in because of the way the boat was sitting. I would also check out the rail stanchions where they connect around the bow. I would also check where the screws enter the hull at the rub rails. It needs to be a slow deliberate search, spraying a hose and waiting and then going to the next area.

 

[stwendl]

I thought I should post an update on this topic. I am fairly confident the water is entering from the chai locker. After a modest rainy day I had the center v-berth cushion removed while accessing the cavity below and after the rain I found some water at the most forward part. I recently also had the trailer level changed to better allow water to run off.

Depending on the angle the boat was sitting water could either travel along the ledge behind the vertical cushions, or, now at the tip of the v-berth where the culprit could be caught.

Removed the triangular wall panel and saw water dripping from the top end of the hose. The hose was not filled but the carpet around the tip of the chain locker was wet.

So I covered the chain locker outside to prevent any further water intrusion, let it dry out and when the rain is over examine the drain in this compartment. I suspect the hose barb is not properly sealed against the chain locker floor and allows water to circumvent the drain

 

[rpmerrill]

That's a pretty good catch. Kudos.

I never had a leak problem up there but I did have a drainage problem when I first bought the boat. The previous owner had done a lot of anchoring (two trips on the ICW) and the chain was quite rusted up. The rust and mud had clogged the drain. It was very slow to empty. I did disconnect the hose and rod it out.

Regalvanized the chain also and "re-upholstered" the floor of the chain locker with that snap together rubber lattice stuff. This helps with drainage and keeps the chain and rope a little drier. Also, whenever I wash down the boat, I spray a bunch of fresh water into the locker and watch the external fitting on the bow to be sure it is flowing well.

 

[Rwnorton]

Please, a further explanation of "snap together rubber lattice stuff"?
What is this?

 

[rpmerrill]

Don't feel embarrassed. I had a feeling that my highly technical description would go over some people's heads.
Ha.
It is available at West Marine and some auto parts stores. Here is a link. "Dri-Dek"
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/dri-dek- ... ecordNum=5

It only took about 3 pieces (1 foot squares) and cuts with scissor or utility knife.

Rich

 

[stwendl]

So today I took out the chain and reopen and examined the drain in the locker. While there is not a visible leak, the drain opening is a piece of barb glued into the drain there is an area that may have had a crack where dirt accumulated. Applied some 4200 and will probably add some dry deck tiles too to keep lines drier.

Got a picture in my gallery with a close up of the drain.

 

[stwendl]

Final update on this subject. After careful examination and testing the moisture came about by traveling thru the hatch in the chain locker, followed the edges of the opening, then rolled down aft wall of the locker and found its way between the chain locker lower basin and the glue joint to the upper deck.

You might want to skip the next section if you don't like dissertation like language🙂

This basin is inserted from below into the opening of the upper deck and then the two lips which fit like a cardbox lid on a container while some glue is applied and allowed to dry (as I understand the assembly). I detected that there were several small gaps or interruptions in this joint and observed the as water is applied to the area of the hatch, water would roll around the hatch lid or along the hatch opening ledge towards the aft ledge. There, instead of either dripping into the locker, or running off the small indent where a cable or line can be fed thru, water would adhere to the inner top wall, due to lack of a drip edge, and continue then along the aft inner wall until it found its way into the gap, also depending on how the boat was situated on the trailer and subsequently the ground. If the water channeled thru a fault inside the basin Fiberglas edge or the gap between the basin and the upper deck lip is not known without disassembling the construct which would result in destruction of the assembly. Generous application of 4200 and consequent sealage of those gaps seemed to have stopped any further leakage based on the recent rains in Northern California.