Bavaria 42 Leaks

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dewent

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I have a 3 year old lightly used Bavaria Cruiser that I purchased last year. When surveyed the bilges were immaculate and she passed with flying colours.

I have just noticed on inspecting the bilges that I have lots (almost up to floor level) of water in the bottom of the boat. She is moored in a marina in old working port where the water is pretty dark and discoloured. The water in the bilges is clean and does not taste salty. I emptied the water tanks last October and have been running background heating and a dehumidifier all winter.

I emptied the bilges and completely dried her out - the next day I have 3 inches of clean water right through the boat.

The weather has been very wet and windy.

Can anyone suggest a strategy for finding the source of the problem?
 
If the water is not salty, then the water's coming in from topsides, unless you happen to have the water system on. The most likely source of water entry is the stanchion bases, if they're bolted through the deck, if the boat has had any strains placed on them, then there's a good chance that the seal has been broken and is letting in water.

You can check to see if this is the problem by looking at the stanchion bases - you'll need to remove the trim in the rear of the lockers to see the bases. If there's been water coming in through them, you be able to see water tracks down the hull. To fix the problem can be fixed by removing the bases and resealing them.

If it's not the problem then you'll need to start looking at all the places topsides where the grp has been drilled through for fittings and deckgear.

That said, the amount of water you describe as coming into the boat seems a bit excessive for this type of leak, even with the heavy rain we've been having. Did the survey show any damage to the toe rails? If they've been distorted in a collision, then that could have broken the seal and be letting water in. Can't offer you much more than that really.
 
If you have emptied the fresh water sytem completely then it can only be coming in through a fitting that is not properly sealed. There are very few on a Bavaria because most are attached by screws into bonded in plates. The chain locker is one obvious source, but that would mean the bulkhead is not sealed properly.

The source may be a long way from where it collects and the usual starting point is to dry the bilge lift all the boards and sprinkle talcum powder liberally across all the surface. This will give you a trace of where the water is entering the bilge, then you can work back from there.
 
Dear Dewent, I do not own a Bavaria - it's a Larson and I have experienced (and still do) more or less the same. Only, I am quite convinced by now that it's simply rainwater. Possible entry points: as said stanchions altough several inches seem quite unlickely to be the only source. Rubbing strip: if the rubbing strip is aluminum (without rubber strip), it's very likely that it is fixed with self tapping screws, which may simply pierce the hull (you sould see this from the inside in the engine compartment, unless it's completely lined with something). Without enough or any (!) SIKA, it will leak if raining. Futhermore, if in a windy area, check if it's possible that wind blasts rainwater through the engine air intakes. Many boats do not have a decent system behind the intake holes to keep water outside if it hits at a steep angle (eg. 75-90°). So, it lands directly either on the inside of the swimming platform, or in the bilge. Check the anchor locker: on my previous boat, there was a nearly invisible crack in the bottom of the locker. Block the usual drain and pour a bucket of water in. If it disappears, you got a crack straight to the bilge! Next: do you have a shower on the swimming platform ? If yes, is it properly sealed around ? Idem with the filler caps of water, fuel and blackwater outpump. And last, you will probably always have some condensation (against the lower hull), this may add up to a cup a day. Greetz and good luck.
 
I don't know your boat but, apart from those mentioned, my two favourites would be:
Any fittings added by the last owner, eg bimini pivots, fastenings for covers, autohelm etc.
Cockpit locker lid seals. Test for this by putting a temporary tarp over the cockpit.
It only needs a tiny gap to let in gallons, esp if it is in the way of the natural deck drainage.
 
dewent said:
I have a 3 year old lightly used Bavaria Cruiser that I purchased last year. When surveyed the bilges were immaculate and she passed with flying colours.

I emptied the bilges and completely dried her out - the next day I have 3 inches of clean water right through the boat.

The weather has been very wet and windy.

Can anyone suggest a strategy for finding the source of the problem?
Click to expand...

That much water nneds a collection mechanism - the rigging can gather that and shoot it in via the plate / electrical fittings aperture at the base of the mast, or the shroud plate.

The drainage holes on the deck that pass rainwater out through ports at the side and rear - how secure are they? One cracked conduit or loose fixing can equally deliver rainwater in in volume. This is where I (Bav owner) would look first - how did I know?

Finally, when you first emptied the bilges did you get it all out, or did some move lower from inaccessible compartments when you left the boat?

PWG
 
If you can't see where the leak is try this to get a clue.

Pump out & dry. Then sprinkle talcum powder around the edge of the bilge or anywhere you suspect the water may be comming from.

Once you get some rain, you'll be able to see the water track in the powder. You may be able to get this to work with a hose if the leak's bad enough.
 
there's a bav 42 next to my boat in the boatshed which my surveyor is also involved with. he was telling me last week that there's a problem with the bond between hull and deck on this one. something to do with the way the toe rail, hull and deck are all attached. maybe some poor finishing. let me know if you'd like me to try to find out more. laura
 
Guapa said:
Deck-stepped or keel-stepped mast?
If keel-stepped, check the gaiter.

Strategy: clean/dry the bilges.
Cover liberally with talcum powder.
When you check next, you will have a fair idea where the water comes from.
Click to expand...
One of the continuing leaks (which I am powerless to stop) on my keel-stepped mast is down the INSIDE of the mast.

The water gets in through the various halyard slots and runs, happily, into the shower tray.

Other places I'd suggest looking:-
1. the bitter-end fixing inside the chain-locker
2. cockpit/hatch runways (a blocked drain can divert an extraordinary amount of water)
3. bonding on cockpit drains
 
The quantity makes this unusual. Unless you've made a mistake about how thoroughly you'd drained the bilges it would take something major to let that amount of water in.

You can also determine whether it is rainwater by seeing how much the level increases when it rains compared to when it doesn't. That does require frequent visits to the boat though.

I had a a leak caused by water coming down the electrical conduits from the mast. Eventually traced it to the previous owner having sealed the drain hole in the mast at the deck (doh!). Even then it would take a while for that to fill the bilges with three inches of water.

Double check the freshwater system is dry. If you've a fair-sized tank that can let an awful lot of water into the bilges if there's problems. Because you haven't described anything on the boat getting wet from the leak I still think you need to be certain to rule out the freshwater system, as that would be consistent with the leak being in the bilges.

I'd be surprised if it is something like a stanchion base or leak around a hatch or similar. I would normally expect those to let in a trickle rather than a flood.

I also have my doubts about how effective the old talcum powder trick will be with such a leak. You may well end up with three inches of water with an even spread of talcum powder on the surface.

One trick I used with a leak was to make softwood bungs for the limber holes. You can then work out between which ribs the water comes from. Don't leave them in for long as they will swell when they get wet.
 
charles_reed said:
One of the continuing leaks (which I am powerless to stop) on my keel-stepped mast is down the INSIDE of the mast.
Click to expand...

One trick that might work is to try tyre repair foam. It foams up then settles down to a thin layer of black rubber. Try it a few squirts at a time in through the drain hole at deck level when it's dry and you're not expecting any rain. Unless the seal inside the mast is in a poor state it should eventually stop the leak. (If it rains the foam washes straight out of the drain hole - hence the need for a dry spell).
 
Its gonna be a deck fitting midships in the scuppers.... thats a lot of water getting sent into the boat... Midships cleat maybe... or chainplates.... or the fairlead fitting midships.... OR one of the windows is leaking and the water is going behind the panelling... and then down into the bilge... The only other place I would think is the area around the base of the mast.... as some others mentioned... I have a bit of a leak in this area under some very particular conditions.. high winds seem to get the water running down the outside of the mast and then into a fitting around the base and then behind the ceiling moldings... behind the paneling on stbd... and into the bilge...

But mine is a 12 year old Bavaria!

As a aside, make absolutley certain that all your windows are shut and closed properly... I know this sounds odvious.. but both times I had big wet problems... the windows were not shut properly!
 
Had mystery freshwater bikes on two occasions with an 2005 Bavaria. Both related to the pressure water system: Once a whole developed on the hot side near the calorifier tank (there should be an armoured section of hose on the hot out, not just plastic hose straight in). second when the transom shower started leaking in side. Although on both occasions you could hear the pressure pump running, every now and then.

Also the cockpit drains sometimes get loose and are worth checking, chain plates lift, stanchions can need rebedding if they have been knocked. Windows can leak, I put silicon grease on them to make a better seal, although this doesn't help if the frame isn't bedded properly! And also 2 of my hatches have started leaking through the "hindge" where it joins the Perspex. Although last week We had 65mm of rain in 2 hours and none of it made it to the bilges!

Staying on the boat with the floorboards up and the bikes sprinkled with talc may well be you next step!

Good luck,

Greyish Beard
 
Couple of suggestions, there is a large vent on some boats made by vetus, this has a drain plug that's designed to drain outside but it blocks easy.

If you can climb into your engine baybtake bright torch, get the wife outside with hose and soak the boat, remember water can travel a long way before it shows, I found my leak this way.
 
On Bavaria 42 Cruiser check the rudder shaft seal.

Lift the cover for the emergency tiller attachment and run a hose full open over it. Have a friend to hold the hose with water running over the attachment.

Go inside one of the aft cabins, open the hatch and look at the rudder shaft. Is water pooring down? The seal needs replacing. Unfortunately it looks like a common issue and I thought to manufacture a kind of a sealed cover to fit over it.
 
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fill the freshwater tank with a few bottles of food colouring then you can rule that out as leaking for sure (assuming the bilge water isnt red or whatever you choose.

We had a leak on an old boat and traced it using the same method, pouring blue water over the suspected leaking areas (turned out to be a hatch seal)
 
I had a similar leak on my 49. Turned-out to be a gap at the hull/deck joint and water was going in under the toerail. Apparently quite common on the bigger Bav's with teak toerails. If you have these, wack a bead of Sika down there and that should sort it.
 
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