john m
Well-Known Member
i have got a few leacks has anyone got any tips on how to find and fix them
finding and fixing deck leaks
- Thread starter john m
- Start date
Aja
Well-Known Member
Scrim
I'll bet the the source of the leaks is not where the water collects. Maybe a few more details would help others to pinpoint the source(s).
To kick things off, sprinkle talcum powder around where you suspect the source to be. Hopefully that will indicate where the water ingress is.
Regards
Donald
I'll bet the the source of the leaks is not where the water collects. Maybe a few more details would help others to pinpoint the source(s).
To kick things off, sprinkle talcum powder around where you suspect the source to be. Hopefully that will indicate where the water ingress is.
Regards
Donald
MarkGrubb
Well-Known Member
could try building little walls of blue tac or plastecine around the suspected leak/fitting and see if it still leaks. Or just rebed the suspects until the leak stops. They're can be difficult to track down.
I thought a stantion base was leaking but rebedding didn't solve the problem, I now think it may be where the toe rail screws down to the hull/deck join, there's a screw next the the stantion base. Will rebed that in the spring and see if it solves the problem.
I thought a stantion base was leaking but rebedding didn't solve the problem, I now think it may be where the toe rail screws down to the hull/deck join, there's a screw next the the stantion base. Will rebed that in the spring and see if it solves the problem.
Leighb
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
i have got a few leacks has anyone got any tips on how to find and fix them
[/ QUOTE ]
As said by others finding the source can be elusive, however re fixing there is - or used to be - a product called Captain Tolly's Creeping Crack Cure which I am told is very effective, at least on wooden boats. Other forumites may be able to comment.
i have got a few leacks has anyone got any tips on how to find and fix them
[/ QUOTE ]
As said by others finding the source can be elusive, however re fixing there is - or used to be - a product called Captain Tolly's Creeping Crack Cure which I am told is very effective, at least on wooden boats. Other forumites may be able to comment.
mikemonty
Well-Known Member
Best and cleanest leak finder I know of is light blue industrial absorbent paper.
Where it gets wet it goes dark blue.
Use it to dry off the area then blu-tack or hold a flat, dry sheet over the suspect area (depending on how quick the leak, how hard the rain or how patient the inspector).
Of course, it only shows where the water is coming out into the cabin, not where it is getting in through the topsides, THAT's the biggie!
Where it gets wet it goes dark blue.
Use it to dry off the area then blu-tack or hold a flat, dry sheet over the suspect area (depending on how quick the leak, how hard the rain or how patient the inspector).
Of course, it only shows where the water is coming out into the cabin, not where it is getting in through the topsides, THAT's the biggie!
alan006
Well-Known Member
I agree with you. I've used Captain Tolly's Creeping Crack Cure on wooden boats and for sealing windows and on GRP boats. The beauty of it is that it is soluble in water and it will find its way in with the problem water and do its job.
As others have said the source of the leak can be some distance from the damp area on the inside. Its about £5 a bottle or so and is very easy to use. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
As others have said the source of the leak can be some distance from the damp area on the inside. Its about £5 a bottle or so and is very easy to use. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
jerryat
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I agree with you. I've used Captain Tolly's Creeping Crack Cure on wooden boats and for sealing windows and on GRP boats. The beauty of it is that it is soluble in water and it will find its way in with the problem water and do its job.
As others have said the source of the leak can be some distance from the damp area on the inside. Its about £5 a bottle or so and is very easy to use. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
I tried the stuff a few years ago and IMHO it's rubbish. Clearly you found it a good product and that's fine, but no one should use it to seal perspex windows. We did, and found that over a period of less than a year, the perspex crazed badly ONLY where the Tolly's stuff had been used. We replaced the windows a couple of years later.
As always, it's up to the user, but whilst it'll temporarily 'fill a gap' it doesn't provide a long term cure in our experience.
I agree with you. I've used Captain Tolly's Creeping Crack Cure on wooden boats and for sealing windows and on GRP boats. The beauty of it is that it is soluble in water and it will find its way in with the problem water and do its job.
As others have said the source of the leak can be some distance from the damp area on the inside. Its about £5 a bottle or so and is very easy to use. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
I tried the stuff a few years ago and IMHO it's rubbish. Clearly you found it a good product and that's fine, but no one should use it to seal perspex windows. We did, and found that over a period of less than a year, the perspex crazed badly ONLY where the Tolly's stuff had been used. We replaced the windows a couple of years later.
As always, it's up to the user, but whilst it'll temporarily 'fill a gap' it doesn't provide a long term cure in our experience.
Grajan
Well-Known Member
Leaks can certainly travel, especially if the vessel has foam backed vinyl linings I had one leak in the galley area that had worked its way from the forehatch!
alan006
Well-Known Member
That's very interesting to read. The windows I sealed were glass with an Iroko frame in a steel narrow boat.
Sounds like I was lucky not to use it on perspex.
I got good results by putting a little on at a time till the leak stopped.
Sounds like I was lucky not to use it on perspex.
I got good results by putting a little on at a time till the leak stopped.
mithril
Well-Known Member
If by chance you have a teak deck it might be quicker and cheaper in the long run to sell the boat. Water beneath the teak can travel concideable disance before find ing a route through the deck.
ex-Gladys
Well-Known Member
A couple of years ago we started doing the headlining in Gladys aft cabin, and found all sorts of rot in bits of ply glassed in to screw stuff into. The fundamental issue was the hatch and the garage design (nowhere for the water to run away). We put a lot of effort into dealing with each individual issue properly, removed the pushpit, and cable glands, replaced rotted away balsa core with epoxy and ply, redrilled holes large, filled with epoxy, before drilling the right size hole and sealing the fitting back, and most importantly "designing" a drain for the hatch garage. It didn't take that long once the weather was warmer (2 days or so) and was well worth the effort
sailinglegend420
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
i have got a few leacks has anyone got any tips on how to find and fix them
[/ QUOTE ]
Got a tip on here that worked for us last summer, but probably won't work in the winter with so much condensation around. We spread talcum powder around the suspected areas on both vertical and horizontal surfaces to see where the water is tracking. What it will also show you is where the water is NOT tracking so you can eliminated areas and look at the totally unexpected. We finally discovered our stern nav light was letting in water which filled up the glass and then ran down the cable through the bulkhead and finished up dripping on our bed. It took 6 months to finally find the problem.
i have got a few leacks has anyone got any tips on how to find and fix them
[/ QUOTE ]
Got a tip on here that worked for us last summer, but probably won't work in the winter with so much condensation around. We spread talcum powder around the suspected areas on both vertical and horizontal surfaces to see where the water is tracking. What it will also show you is where the water is NOT tracking so you can eliminated areas and look at the totally unexpected. We finally discovered our stern nav light was letting in water which filled up the glass and then ran down the cable through the bulkhead and finished up dripping on our bed. It took 6 months to finally find the problem.
