Leaking when dried out! Any suggestions?

[Woodlouse]

I know I'm late jumping into this, but the caulking between the keel and the garboards would be my first target. Once the boat is fresh out the water, wait for the hull to become touch dry and then examine the seams, you'll see little damp patches and maybe drips where the caulking is soaking some water in instead of keeping it all out. If there is still water leaking out of the seams, then it can still drip in to a dry bilge.

Once you've found out where this is happening, you can either just putty the leaks up, or check underneath you check on the fibres of the caulking, or just leave it if it's not causing a problem.

 

[tillergirl]

Well she is dry this morning! So the hidden leak was behind the frame.

The idea about the garboard was my first idea except that the leak was clearly just above the garboard. But I have thought over the years that refreshing the garboards migh be a good idea. Except - and here I am not sure, the garboard is well rabbetted into the keel - on the inside half of the garboard is hidden under the keelson. So I wonder how accessible the seam is. It's got to be accessible hasn't it.

Anyway problem appears to be solved.

To Simon and Tanja I would just say that I just thought it would be nice to be dry. Generally she remains dry when not in use but this leak was an exception and so was bugging me.