Bavaria Rain Water Deck Leak

[Ribtecer]

Hi all, looking for some help please.

We have a deck leak up forward and I just can't track it down. It's port side just aft of the anchor locker. Please see photos, 1st one is port side showing the wet plywood between the deck and hull joint, 2nd one is starboard side, nice and dry.

 

[Ribtecer]

We initially thought the nav light cable running down thru the pullpit, sealed that up. Including the foot bracket screws on the base of the pullpit

Then we thought the aluminium toerail, whist out this winter we took that back nearly 2 meters, all bone dry. Resealed it back on and sealed up the screws etc.

The dam leak is still there, any ideas gratefully received.

Many thanks

 

[PabloPicasso]

Leaks can sometimes track quite a distance. Just because it is visible below at one place does not mean that is where it is entering above.

Sytematically work through all deck fittings starting nearest the leak and work outwards.

Look for any splits in the deck grp too.

Damned annoying!!

 

[jaminb]

Is that water tank feed pipe? Could be fresh water from that or rain water from the deck fitting. Have you tried coloured dye?

 

[Ribtecer]

Leaks can sometimes track quite a distance. Just because it is visible below at one place does not mean that is where it is entering above.

Sytematically work through all deck fittings starting nearest the leak and work outwards.

Look for any splits in the deck grp too.

Damned annoying!!

Thank you PP

We have had all the front headlining down, everything seems dry expect that bit of ply.

It's very strange, and as you say; damned annoying!!! But it's getting in from somewhere.

 

[Ribtecer]

Is that water tank feed pipe? Could be fresh water from that or rain water from the deck fitting. Have you tried coloured dye?

No, it's the breather from the fresh water tank (venting just air inside the boat), in a dry period, no leak, after lots of rain, big puddle in the bilge, so its defo a rain water leak.

I have resealed the fresh water deck fitting and the control connector for the windless both of which enter the cabin from the anchor locker.

Also, thanks jaminb

 

[ashtead]

You don’t say size and year of your Bavaria -on ours we did replace one of the vinyl covered panels in the bow cabin due to water ingress through stanchions - one of the failings of our generation Bav we thought was the fixing of stanchions was not perhaps as robust as we would have liked . That said if you have inspected stanchions,toerail and the holes from anchor locker could it be running along outside of a water pipe -the fittings on Bav pipes by whale are not brilliant and the pipe can develop small holes at joints -this tends to be around calorifier join but just another source of water if you have pipe joins in area. You don’t say if it happens just after sailing or when it’s rained or you have washed deck . Had you consider pouring dye water around the bases of fittings ? Could that breather pipe also vent water ? Can you not use the bow tank and see if stays dry?
Last suggestion is ask on Bavaria owners forum?

 

[Ribtecer]

You don’t say size and year of your Bavaria -on ours we did replace one of the vinyl covered panels in the bow cabin due to water ingress through stanchions - one of the failings of our generation Bav we thought was the fixing of stanchions was not perhaps as robust as we would have liked . That said if you have inspected stanchions,toerail and the holes from anchor locker could it be running along outside of a water pipe -the fittings on Bav pipes by whale are not brilliant and the pipe can develop small holes at joints -this tends to be around calorifier join but just another source of water if you have pipe joins in area. You don’t say if it happens just after sailing or when it’s rained or you have washed deck . Had you consider pouring dye water around the bases of fittings ? Could that breather pipe also vent water ? Can you not use the bow tank and see if stays dry?
Last suggestion is ask on Bavaria owners forum?

34 Cruiser 2016 (ish, I'll check)

Not after sailing, definitely after rain, its defo fresh water. Yes we have emptied the water tank for a long period, and still leaking.

Given the saturation of that bit of ply in photo 1, and that it only happens after rain, it is my view that it has to be something at deck level, question is what???

 

[Supertramp]

They are hard to track down. I have a leak into a locker (not Bavaria) and so far the most likely culprit is the toerail where a hole was drilled and not sealed for a now redundant light cable. But I also suspect water can track along the toerail and leak down one of the hull deck join bolts which I don't really want to disturb. For a leak of noticeable quantity (like a pint in a rainy week) I suspect its somewhere that water can gather and stand when it's wet and steadily seep. I do get a dribble of salt water into my forecabin in prolonged bow burying conditions so I know there is a passage water can find.

Are you certain the join between deck and anchor locker is watertight? And the windlass fastenings?

Try a liberal coat of boat wax on the toerail join and bolts from the very front back past the forecabin and see if it temporarily cures?

 

[starfire]

A sprinkle of talcum powder around the affected area will show where its running from.