HELP! Mystery leak is flooding my boat!

[Kiltmadoc]

I have a C&C 32 1981 vintage. On the port side, aft of the insulated locker by the sink and stove, and to the port side of the hatch, there is water pouring in below the fluorescent light.

It seems to be collecting in the up-turned lip of the cabin liner, overflowing and then dripping down into the little divider shelving on the port side, aft of the storage cabinets.

My thoughts so far: leak is from the hatch cover frame (the fiberglass surround with the screws holding it in). If anyone else has an idea, please let me know. Is anyone has an idea of how to fix this, that would be greatly appreciated as well.

Pictures:

1. Green lines drawn with my son's water soluble pens



2. Green lines missing where water drips



3. Close up of drips coming from cabin liner's upturned lip:

[Tempest]

Hatch is a possibility.

Do you have exterior cabin top handrails? If so, they could be leaking. This was a source of leaks for me. I had to remove the handrails, dig out wet balsa core, re-pot with epoxy, drill new holes and re-attach the handrails. No leaks.

Another place to look might be Jib car tracks..

[BubbleheadMd]

Yep, the cabin liner is going to make this a difficult hunt.

[chef2sail]

We had similar leak. I traced it down to the handrails by using a hose no sprayer and dowsing one section at a time on the boat..one weekend at a time. Ours were the handrails exterior also. Also check windows seals. Amazing how the water routed and traveled till it found an opening. Oours was also the light cover.

Dave

[LarryandSusanMacDonald]

Deck Leaks
By Elliot MacDonald

I hear that pitter, patter; rain splashing on the deck
Of the sailboat that I live on and I figure, “What the heck,
Not much else to do tonight, I’ll crawl into my bed.”
But then I feel that dreadful drip, drip dripping on my head.

Today I looked for deck leaks, and caulked up half the things
Held on with bolts and screws and stuff but deck leaks must have wings
‘Cause where they come in up on deck and where they come out below
Can be separated by many feet. How this is I just don’t know.

I tested with the garden hose I keep connected on the pier.
This process usually takes awhile, I pour myself a beer
And sit waiting in the summer sun for a couple hours or so.
My caulking’s been successful; not a drop drips down below.

But the weatherman’s predicting some clouds with rain tonight.
I climb into bed with confidence; I’ll stay dry ‘til morning light.
The cloudburst starts at ten o’clock and the one thing that I dread,
The rain has found my deck leak drip, drip, dripping on my head.

“It’s impossible,” I’m thinking, “I’ve caulked up every source.”
And then I think, “but maybe, well, rest assured, of course!
The way these deck leaks migrate, I’d bet the finest wine,
The drippings from the deck of the boat that’s next to mine.”

This morning, the solution – epiphany, final clue!
The cockpit’s filled with water; and not a drop gets through.
Cause a leaf has clogged the scupper. A single little leaf
Held back thirty gallons; amazing beyond belief.

So now I’ve given up on caulk ‘cause I’ve found something better.
And I stay nice and dry below even when the weather’s wetter.
I’ve placed a leaf and taped it down wherever leaks are bred
And now I’ve no more deck leaks drip, drip, dripping on my head.

[CalebD]

Originally Posted by BubbleheadMd

Yep, the cabin liner is going to make this a difficult hunt.

Which is why I am glad to have no cabin liner on my boat.

The alternative to pressurizing the cabin is to take off the cabin liner and follow the path to the entry point, so to speak.

Another alternative is as Elliot MacDonald suggests in his fine poem, which is to re-bed ALL your deck hardware and hope you've got it. Or just use leaves to stop the drips inside the cabin. You could probably use Butyl tape inside the cabin to hold the leaves in place.

[jackdale]

Try the mast boot. I have been on several C&C's where that was the issue.