Woohoo! Finally found the leak into the v-berth!

[sailak]

For the entire time we've owned Cirrus we've been searching for the source of the water we were getting into the toe of the V-birth when it would rain. It wasn't a horrible amount of water, but it was certainly a pain and was starting to stain the wooden bulkhead in the bow. Over the last 4 years I've re-bedded virtually everything on the deck of my boat. Poked and prodded and cussed and cried. No joy, still a puddle after a rain. The anchor locker is fiberglass and is about 1/2 the depth of the hull with an open area below (right at the toe of the v-berth). There is a wooden bulkhead just aft of the anchor locker and a wood "floor" under the anchor locker. The leak was along the port side where the bulkhead and floor intersect, the water would run down along the bulkhead and puddle under the v-berth cushion. The drains for the anchor locker are located in the aft corners of the locker, and that left drain was the first place I looked when we decided we had a leak.

Admittedly I was near-sighted in that I assumed the fiberglass floor and bulkhead to the anchor locker were watertight, but I decided that this weekend I would clean the anchor locker and paint a coat of West System epoxy in the bottom to seal any pinholes/invisible cracks/etc. When I started rinsing the locker with the hose the admiral started screaming about water everywhere. Hmmm, it seems we've confirmed where the leak is. I started looking and inside the 5/8 inch drain hole on the port side I was a very fine crack. I was surprised that this tiny crack could let it very much water but decided to epoxy it.

Using a Dremel with a small burr wheel I started "opening" the crack a bit so I could fill with epoxy and as I worked to the aft side of the drain hole the bit plunged through!!! It appears there was a void in the hull layup, or perhaps during construction someone gouged an area in the glass.

Started filling with epoxy using a syringe, after pushing about 1 - 1 1/2 inches of plunger I started wondering why I wasn't seeing the void fill...dropped below to find a big streak of epoxy running down the inside of the hull....kind of confirmed I was in the right spot.

Tested the next day with large amount of water from a hose and dry as a bone inside!!!!

Now I truly do have a dry boat.

[Chadfunk48]

Congratulations, Hopefully you don't notice something else that needs fixing for at least a few minutes...

[BarryL]

Hey,

Good job!

Of course, tomorrow you will find that something else has started leaking

At least that's the way it seems to go on my boat.

I finally solved some leaks around the mast boot and the bilge was nice and dry. Then I notice some water in the bilge, and trace it to a locker near the fresh water tank. It turns out that tank selector valve is now leaking and needs to be replaced.

Oh the joys of boat maintenance!

Barry

[Barquito]

I like this idea for looking for leaks: Seal all normal openings, blow air into the cabin from the exhaust of a shop-vac, put soapy water on spots on the deck (arround fittings...), and look for bubbles. I just like my boat making bubbles. Fun.

[sailak]

Originally Posted by Chadfunk48

Congratulations, Hopefully you don't notice something else that needs fixing for at least a few minutes...

LOL! Went sailing to celebrate and noticed the tachometer isn't working. I was putzing with the wiring harness so probably just pulled a wire loose.

[arf145]

Always a great day when you finally run a leak to ground! Congrats!

[LarryandSusanMacDonald]

It always amazes me that the tiniest crack, the microscopic pinhole will allow gallons upon gallons of water below, while simultaneously, a little leaf, a single little leaf on a scupper can hold back those same gallons upon gallons of water and fill the cockpit to ankle level.

Maybe we should be making our decks out of little leaves.

[arf145]

Originally Posted by LarryandSusanMacDonald

Maybe we should be making our decks out of little leaves.

Tried it--all good until a guy with leaf blower came along.

[carl762]

Still battling a small leak. When it rains hard, I get water in the bilge and it's very frustrating. Going to seal up a few things this weekend. Heading to the boat in 3 hours.

Think I'll try the bubble method of finding leaks.

[AlaskaMC]

Originally Posted by sailak

LOL! Went sailing to celebrate and noticed the tachometer isn't working. I was putzing with the wiring harness so probably just pulled a wire loose.

Congrats on finding the leak.

I know your boat and it is a great one! Saw it a few weeks back in Seward while my wife was getting her 103 at Sailinginc.