Leaks

including Amas (Floats), Akas (Beams) , Swing Wing system and all other hull related issues.
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Ipe Piccardt Brouwer
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 17:17
Your Country: Netherlands, Winkel NH

Leaks

Post by Ipe Piccardt Brouwer »

My boat has water collecting right down the companionway next to the freshwater pump (port side). It seems two different leaks are responsible for this.

1. Rainwater dripping from the inside of the aluminium frame of the companionway hatch. This does not occur when the sprayhood is fitted, so I think it must originate somewhere in the sliding hatch/companionway hatch system. I seem to remember a subject on the old forum about this leak but I can't find it anymore. Please give me your thoughts. Do I need to disassemble the aluminium frame or is it something else?

2. Seawater entering the hull only when sailing at higher speeds. It originates somewhere in the space under the cockpit and flows from under the large drawer into the cabin. The water lies on top of the inner moulding! So it must originate somewhere above the waterline probably. I can't find any telltale drips or wetness anywhere. Please share your thoughts with me.
Ipe Piccardt Brouwer
DF920-28 'Ngalawa', Medemblik
gminkovsky
Posts: 210
Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 19:58
Your Country: USA, Long Island Sound

Post by gminkovsky »

leak 1: I had this leak. Took me 1 year to figure out exactly what was happening. I replaced the caulking around the aluminum frame with extra around the wooden step and the leaks went away. A also replaced hatch stoppers and added silicone plugs where the hatch track meets the vertical frame. However, after extensive testing only the caulking around the frame was necessary. BTW, really the only way to figure out is remove the storage box under cockpit, lock yourself inside the cabin with a flashlight, lie down on the floor with your head the cockpit and have a friend spray water from a hose all over the hatch and door. Telltale wet spots are not enough to figure out the leaks.

leak 2: I suggest take out the storage box under cockpit and inspect the cockpit drains. Maybe you need to tighten the SS collars (not sure of the name) where the hose connections are. At high speed I can hear water splashing in the drain. I would think these connections could leak. Also inspect the hoses for cracks.

While there (under cockpit) check your depth sounder. There may be a leak around it. Although that one should manifest itself without any speed.
Ipe Piccardt Brouwer
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 17:17
Your Country: Netherlands, Winkel NH

Post by Ipe Piccardt Brouwer »

Thanks for your reply. For leak 1 I will do some more testing and then probably start with replacing the caulking.

Concerning the second leak, I also suspected the cocpit drains, but they seem to remain bone dry during sailing. But yesterday I noticed that there is also a fair amount of seawater in the safety compartment. If you look in it from the outside there seems to be a small gap between cockpit wall and the moulding of the cockpit locker. I wonder if there is some connection between those leaks...
Ipe Piccardt Brouwer
DF920-28 'Ngalawa', Medemblik
gminkovsky
Posts: 210
Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 19:58
Your Country: USA, Long Island Sound

Post by gminkovsky »

I also had safety compartment leak. It is because the outside of the hull is curved, so the outside cover base was not firmly set. Small amount of caulking fixed this permanently.

Another thought: look at the rudder mounting post. I had some rain water enter the storage locker from above. I wonder if some sea water can enter from below. Maybe vibration caused something loose.
Ipe Piccardt Brouwer
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 17:17
Your Country: Netherlands, Winkel NH

Post by Ipe Piccardt Brouwer »

I'll check that as well.
How hard is it to replace the aluminum frame caulking?
Ipe Piccardt Brouwer
DF920-28 'Ngalawa', Medemblik
gminkovsky
Posts: 210
Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 19:58
Your Country: USA, Long Island Sound

Post by gminkovsky »

Caulking replacement around the frame was very easy. Use a sharp knife to cut out and scrape as much of the old stuff as possible. Then squeeze a thin line of caulk all around. I used a finger (in a latex glove) to push the caulk in and smooth the surface. Then methodically apply more caulk around the wood step, especially between step and frame. Try to push caulk under the wood step using a small plastic spatula. I am not handy at all, but was able to do a reasonable job. The caulk adhered to the surface without any cleaning other than scraping old stuff.

Note that all of this is done from the outside in the cockpit.
Ipe Piccardt Brouwer
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 17:17
Your Country: Netherlands, Winkel NH

Post by Ipe Piccardt Brouwer »

I understand you didn't remove the frame to recaulk it?
Ipe Piccardt Brouwer
DF920-28 'Ngalawa', Medemblik
Oscar
Posts: 148
Joined: Tue 26 Aug 08, 23:10
Your Country: USA, North East

Post by Oscar »

A trick to trace down the source of small drips and streams is to use talcum powder (talk poeder)... put a circle around the puddle, once you have a direction you can work upstream.
1990 Dragonfly 25 USA-54
gminkovsky
Posts: 210
Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 19:58
Your Country: USA, Long Island Sound

Post by gminkovsky »

No, the frame does not need to be removed. All work is done from the outside in the cockpit. You are not replacing the bedding compound, only the caulking. The whole job takes 30 minutes or less.

Oscar,
this is a great idea! Until now I used the dust and dirt to trace leaks :D, but our dust tends to be gray to black and not very contrasting to water stains! Unfortunately, you also destroyed my last defense against crawling under cockpit and cleaning. Maybe I will keep this post from my wife.
Ipe Piccardt Brouwer
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 17:17
Your Country: Netherlands, Winkel NH

Post by Ipe Piccardt Brouwer »

I recaulked the frame yesterday. Now waiting for rain...

Traced another leak to the gas vent that was retrofitted in te starboard cockpit locker. This vent scoops water at higher speeds and was probably not sealed well. Has to wait till boat is out of the water.

I wil try the talkpoeder trick to trace other possible sources.

Thanks for your help.
Ipe Piccardt Brouwer
DF920-28 'Ngalawa', Medemblik
Mal
Posts: 83
Joined: Thu 02 Nov 06, 16:48
Your Country: Wales

920 leaks

Post by Mal »

Leak 2. I had a bad leak in the locker under the cockpit floor. Eventually traced it to the bottom rudder fitting bolts. The bottom rudder fitting is a stainless steel strap on the underside of the hull, bolted through the hull in two places. The aft end of the strap is bent at the factory into the horizontal, so that it forms a bottom bearing for the rudder. Mine was not bent enough, so did not quite achieve the horizontal. This meant that every time the rudder was turned out of straight ahead, it 'worked' the strap fixing bolts in the GRP, by trying to push the aft end of the stainless steel strap downwards. The stainless strap is too thick for normal mortals with normal tools to bend, so I removed it, put West System thickened epoxy into the aft end of the GRP slot that receives it, and carefully did the bolts up until the aft end of the strap became horizontal.

Mal
DF920 Pelican, Swansea
Ipe Piccardt Brouwer
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 17:17
Your Country: Netherlands, Winkel NH

leak in under cockpit locker

Post by Ipe Piccardt Brouwer »

I had that one fixed some time ago. It results in a wet locker but the water will not pass to the cabin, it remains in the locker.
Ipe Piccardt Brouwer
DF920-28 'Ngalawa', Medemblik
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