ytd
Well-Known Member
Large amounts of salt water can mean the anti-syphon valve has gone. our 6 year old bav44 has recently started to leak through the windows - not huge amounts but all 8 are leaking. Looks like new seals will be needed.
Bavaria 42 Leaks
- Thread starter dewent
- Start date
haydude
Well-Known Member
It is an old post, but I thought to leave a record because nobody else actually pointed to the real issue. Some posts even pointed to catastrophic issues, whilst the problem is rather simple if difficult to indentify because one has to squeeze into the aft compartment (where the rudder, autopilot and utilities hoses/pipes are) from the aft cabin hatches.
I have the same boat and I found that fresh water was leaking from under the cockpit drains behind the helms. These are Plastimo plastic drains, held in place by a plastic nut with very little torque. The drains go into a hose through the aft compartment and then discharge through the transom.
Although from the cockpit they looked fine, just handling the hose below revealed that they were quite loose instead. The sealant used by the factory is clear silicon that fails easily just after a few years. The flimsy arrangement is a leak waiting to happen.
I did not get the amounts of water mentioned by the OP, rather some small quantities, but still enough to get the bilges wet after a boat wash or a rainy day.
On a sunny day I loosened the nuts located in the stern compartment accessible from the aft cabin panels, I spread sikaflex (much better than silicon) around the drain flange (from the deck end), waited 20 minutes and re-tightened the nuts (from below). No more water in the bilges.
I have the same boat and I found that fresh water was leaking from under the cockpit drains behind the helms. These are Plastimo plastic drains, held in place by a plastic nut with very little torque. The drains go into a hose through the aft compartment and then discharge through the transom.
Although from the cockpit they looked fine, just handling the hose below revealed that they were quite loose instead. The sealant used by the factory is clear silicon that fails easily just after a few years. The flimsy arrangement is a leak waiting to happen.
I did not get the amounts of water mentioned by the OP, rather some small quantities, but still enough to get the bilges wet after a boat wash or a rainy day.
On a sunny day I loosened the nuts located in the stern compartment accessible from the aft cabin panels, I spread sikaflex (much better than silicon) around the drain flange (from the deck end), waited 20 minutes and re-tightened the nuts (from below). No more water in the bilges.
Last edited:
omega2
Well-Known Member
And while your at it fit a bilge pump, if your collecting that much water!!
pcatterall
Well-Known Member
Lots of possibilities as mentioned. You can possibly locate the general area by drying it all out again and 'dividing up' the bilges in sections. I have blocked up the drainage holes on previous boats. After rain see if one section only has filled, that at least may let you focus on the source of the leak. I have also covered up sections of the boat to do the same task from the 'outside'.
Without removing headlining you can sometimes spot drips on sections of inner hull which give a rough idea of the source.
The talc is agood idea if you can get a line of it above the lowest part of the bilges and before any water gets too high look for where the talc has been washed out.
Good luck! let us know who ( if anyone) gave the 'right' answer!!
Without removing headlining you can sometimes spot drips on sections of inner hull which give a rough idea of the source.
The talc is agood idea if you can get a line of it above the lowest part of the bilges and before any water gets too high look for where the talc has been washed out.
Good luck! let us know who ( if anyone) gave the 'right' answer!!
sailorman
Well-Known Member
Has Dewent gone 
Stork_III
Well-Known Member
Last activity on forum 28/11/11Has Dewent gone
dewent
Well-Known Member
Leak found! Bodged at the moment not fixed.
I located the leak.
It seems bavaria screw their hatches to the deck - not good. The hole cut to accept the hatch was around 10mm larger than the flange on the hatch itself - not sure if this is correct or not? However the result was that a couple of the screws were not connecting with the deck but just sitting in the gap between the deck and the flange on the hatch. The problem hatch is just near the mast so is obviously subject to a lot of rainwater washing over it. Result = water coming in via the rogue screws and leaking in between the deck and the inner fibre-glass cabin roof and eventually finding its way into the bilges.
To get through the 2011 summer I removed the problem screws and silconed up the problem holes and this fixed the problem.
As a permanent fix I intend to remove the screws and use stainless bolts and washers instead. However the 10mm gap makes it hard to find a secure attaching point. I am thinking:
a) remove problem hatch
b) build up from below deck with fibregalss to both strengthen the problem area and reduce the 10mm gap
c) re-drill holes and seal then bolt.
Does this sound a good plan? How much clearance should I leave between the hatch flange and the deck to allow for movement at sea?
I located the leak.
It seems bavaria screw their hatches to the deck - not good. The hole cut to accept the hatch was around 10mm larger than the flange on the hatch itself - not sure if this is correct or not? However the result was that a couple of the screws were not connecting with the deck but just sitting in the gap between the deck and the flange on the hatch. The problem hatch is just near the mast so is obviously subject to a lot of rainwater washing over it. Result = water coming in via the rogue screws and leaking in between the deck and the inner fibre-glass cabin roof and eventually finding its way into the bilges.
To get through the 2011 summer I removed the problem screws and silconed up the problem holes and this fixed the problem.
As a permanent fix I intend to remove the screws and use stainless bolts and washers instead. However the 10mm gap makes it hard to find a secure attaching point. I am thinking:
a) remove problem hatch
b) build up from below deck with fibregalss to both strengthen the problem area and reduce the 10mm gap
c) re-drill holes and seal then bolt.
Does this sound a good plan? How much clearance should I leave between the hatch flange and the deck to allow for movement at sea?
Nidriman
Member
Bavaria Fresh water Problem
Well It looks as though this thread has covered all possibilities.
Just for the record I have had all the mentioned probelms on my 2006 Bav 42,except the toe rail.
To recap:
Reseal ALL deck skinfittings in the cocpit AND on the transom. The latter were letting a good deal of water in on my boat. Use Sikaflex.
The emegancy stearing and top bearing also let in water especially when cleaning under the trap door. I made a plastic/glass cover and lightly sikflexed it down. Problem solved and easy to remove if you need emegency stearing.
Sky lights/windows just behind the mast. Here only 50% of the screws were in glass. Removed filled all screw holes made the opening smaller with epoxy and cotton flock. Rebedded the hatches with Sikaflex and rescrewed making sure the heads had sikaflex around the hole in the frame of the hatch.
Stanchons. All leaking slightly including Pushpit. Another problem with the stanchon leak is that it can run down behind the plywood in the saloon and discolour it. Rremoved the lot and rebedded with Sikaflex. I am afraid this is a 2 man job and took me best part of a day. I also replaced the standard nuts that Bavaria use with Nylock.
All cleats were leaking. Removed and rebedded with Sikaflex.
I have also had issues with the main sheet track and clutches. All now rebedded with Sikaflex.
Out of all these the one that was most dificult to find was the skin fittings in the transom.
Oh, one more. Engine control panel also leaked.
When fixing these issues it would seem that the sealant used by Bavaria was silicone. This is not as good as Sikaflex over time. Especially in a salt water environment.
Other wise now that I have screwed the boat back together she is fine.
Well It looks as though this thread has covered all possibilities.
Just for the record I have had all the mentioned probelms on my 2006 Bav 42,except the toe rail.
To recap:
Reseal ALL deck skinfittings in the cocpit AND on the transom. The latter were letting a good deal of water in on my boat. Use Sikaflex.
The emegancy stearing and top bearing also let in water especially when cleaning under the trap door. I made a plastic/glass cover and lightly sikflexed it down. Problem solved and easy to remove if you need emegency stearing.
Sky lights/windows just behind the mast. Here only 50% of the screws were in glass. Removed filled all screw holes made the opening smaller with epoxy and cotton flock. Rebedded the hatches with Sikaflex and rescrewed making sure the heads had sikaflex around the hole in the frame of the hatch.
Stanchons. All leaking slightly including Pushpit. Another problem with the stanchon leak is that it can run down behind the plywood in the saloon and discolour it. Rremoved the lot and rebedded with Sikaflex. I am afraid this is a 2 man job and took me best part of a day. I also replaced the standard nuts that Bavaria use with Nylock.
All cleats were leaking. Removed and rebedded with Sikaflex.
I have also had issues with the main sheet track and clutches. All now rebedded with Sikaflex.
Out of all these the one that was most dificult to find was the skin fittings in the transom.
Oh, one more. Engine control panel also leaked.
When fixing these issues it would seem that the sealant used by Bavaria was silicone. This is not as good as Sikaflex over time. Especially in a salt water environment.
Other wise now that I have screwed the boat back together she is fine.
dewent
Well-Known Member
Wow, Nidriman thats quiet a long list!!
Thanks for the advice.
Thanks for the advice.
Nidriman
Member
Leaks
Yep, long and anoying. It could all have been avoided with a little more care. However the bpoat is fine now and for the money, well what more can you say.
Yep, long and anoying. It could all have been avoided with a little more care. However the bpoat is fine now and for the money, well what more can you say.
haydude
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the heads up and, yes it is a good plan, exactly as I would have done.
I recommend to check your cockpit drains too.
haydude
Well-Known Member
WOW! I hope my luck will continue because so far I had only the cockpit drains leak, but if they used silicone everywhere, there are leaks waiting to happen.
Now you got me concerned that sooner or later I will have to do the same. How did you reach the inside cleats' and stanchion's nuts?
Nidriman
Member
He, he. with fun!!
You have to go in from the lockers and remove the 2 thin ply blancking plates. That then allows you to use you fingers that have 360 deg joints and of course your eys are on stalks!!
No seriously it is not to bad but it is time consuming. And a 2 man job.
The boat is good though once you have screwed it together.
You have to go in from the lockers and remove the 2 thin ply blancking plates. That then allows you to use you fingers that have 360 deg joints and of course your eys are on stalks!!
No seriously it is not to bad but it is time consuming. And a 2 man job.
The boat is good though once you have screwed it together.
