Finding a leak in my Laser

[jimi]

I know this is'nt a dinghy forum but I also know a lot of the guys here are also keen dinghy sailors! After last nights (very flukey) race I found a lot of water inside my Laser. There no obvious entry point so whats the best way of tracking down the leak point?

 

[lw395]

Get a dinghy pump, attach it to the bunghole with blu-tack.
cover the laser in soap water, very gently pump.
Don't pump much, even 1 psi is a lot multiplied by the area of a laser, you will blow the deck off!
Look for bubbles!
Obvious candidates are scraped transom join, deck joint, mast step, centrebox, around self bailer etc if you didn't capsize, and fittings if you did.

If it holds pressure for ten minutes, the problem is you forgot to put the bung in last night, or the o ring is broke!

 

[jimi]

Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 36384]

A common area for mysterious leaks is at the mast hole base between the floor and forward edge.

 

[TangaraToo]

Toe strap fittings can also be a problem regardless of capsizing

 

[jimi]

I did'nt capsize, although there was some very heavy rain.

 

[dom]

You've almost certainly checked the mast step (just fill it to test if you haven't). Other common ones are centreboard case, hull/deck join and degraded bunghole/transom fittings. Agree with lw395's solution inc his caution re pressure.

 

[ex-Gladys]

+1 for bunghole, those RWO based fittings are rubbish, also the mast step

 

[Daydream believer]

Mine leaked at the mast base. i cleaned it as best as i could & poured in some resin to about 10mm deep & let it harden. Seemed to work but if I did it again i would cap that with some rubber cut tight to the hole so the mast pressed it in so it expands a bit

 

[MikeBz]

There should be a small breather hole just below the front toestrap fitting - put a piece of tape over it before you try to pressurise the hull. If your boat doesn't have a breather hole , or it's blocked, then when you launch the hull will cool and suck water in through places which may not leak under normal pressure.