WATER INTRUSION IN HEAD ON R-27

[etcwade]

Good day RANGER,

While washing my boat today, finally a sunny and warm day, I notice the starboard bulkhead (teak panel) was wet. The water appeared to be coming from behind the panel.

How do I take the panel off to inspect and hopefully find the leak?

Your help is desperately needed.

Gary Wade

2011 R-27 "CHUBASCO"

 

[Hydraulicjump]

If memory serves (not at the boat right now, others can chime in), this is no easy task. The window is installed over the panel and would need to be removed and the edges of the panel are all caulked with silicone. I think this is major surgery, but again, am not at the boat.

The number one leak spot on this vintage boat (same as mine) is the cheap plastic running lights. There is one on the starboard side behind the sink, but I suspect the water is coming in higher on the panel. The other culprits are the bedding of the eyebrow or the hand rails. Or perhaps the window itself. Can you describe where the wetness is?

But there seems to be some good news here: it only happens when you hose off the boat with pressurized water. Since you live in the rainiest spot in the lower 48 these days, my guess is that rainfall is not getting in (unless you are under cover in your marina). That should make it easier to locate.

My advice, worth all you paid for it, is to attack the problem from the outside since removing the panel may involve significant effort. It would be easier to remove the ceiling cover (screwed in) and rule out water running down into the panel from the hatch. Seems unlikely tho.

Best of luck. These leaks are a major hassle.

 

[knotflying]

Yeah, I am inclined to say I would remove the panel as a last resort. I would examine and take an educated guess as to where it is infiltrating and fix the easiest first and then progress to the most difficult. Finding a leak is all about trial and error. Just because it is seen somewhere it can be coming in from a totally different spot. The walkway running lights and the window would be my first areas to investigate. The windows come out pretty easily. I helped Roam replace all his gaskets on the hatches and windows. It took us a couple of hours. The existing gaskets were not installed properly and also shrunk. The material is EPDM gasket that can be purchased at home depot in the door weather strip section.

Let us know how things progress.

 

[etcwade]

All,

Thank you for your advice. The weekend here is looking to be good for working on CHUBASCO. I will pull the cover down first. You are right, it may have been my use of a power washer for the first time (and last time). I wonder if the culprit(s) might be the attach points for the grab rail and or the support rail for the bimini or even the snaps?

Thanks again for the advice.

Gary