I am assuming that some of the leaks on the starboard side of the cabin come from the stainless brackets that go through the cabin top, but I cannot identify where the leaks are coming from around the lights in the quarter births. Any hints?
I have a zipper door in the cover of my boat so I go down there to do what I can do on off season projects. I would like to get these leaks taken care of before it is time to uncover the boat.
Help please!
Randy,
Could you remind us what model and hull number you sail? That might get better targeted advice back.
Also, when you say “stainless brackets through the cabin top,” is yours a boat with stainless grabrails, or are you referring to the brackets that secure the head bulkheads?
At least on my boat, a 26, there are removable panels in the overhead lining above the quarterberths. If you have those, they might give you ways to look closer.
I haven’t had leaks over my quarterberth lights, but I can imagine leaks in that area making their way down the cabin top from winches and cleats whose beddings have failed, as well as from anything screwed into the coamings. I think deck penetrations like tank fills or the holding tank pumpout would probably not the culprit, because they’d more likely come down the sides, but there may be a migration path.
– Bob
Solar Wind
Nonsuch 26C, #143
Hi Bob and the group,
The brackets I am referring to at the T shaped brackets on the head bulkheads. The worst leak is the light next to the circuit breaker panel.
Judging from what I have read in forum posts and elsewhere there is a debate between the use of Butyl tape or 3M 4200 sealant. At this point I am not sure which way to go.
Randy Gadikian
NS26C #37 Paisley Moon
Buffalo, NY
Randy,
The most likely source of the leak will be the rear T bracket holding the bulk head. I used 4200. If you are going to use butyl tape get the good stuff from Maine Sail. The cheap tape melts in high temperatures and becomes a runny mess.
Mark Powers
I’m curious how you remove that bracket? It appears to be clad entirely in wood on the interior. I started to try removing it from the deck on my NS30U to re-seal but stopped when I noticed the weld impressions on the surface, and the fact it did not pop off easily.
Bob Gehrman
NS30U #396 “Quickbeam”
Baltimore, Maryland
I also have that leak in the light at the breaker panel.
When we got the dodger/bimini the leak stopped. If the sliding hatch gets wet when the forward dodger window is out or not clipped on at the bottom then the light leaks as well as running through the breaker panel area and down. It’s no fun if you are sleeping in that bunk.
I have not been able to find where this water gets in exactly, it does get in between the deck and the liner. Last year someone said to rebed the rails the sliding hatch runs on. It’s on my todo list. However the sliding hatch slopes forward so I don’t know where this water is meant to go by design.
I have seen at least one other 26 with a tarp over the hatch. I have to tarp the hatch if there is a delay getting the winter cover on after the dodger comes off or there will be a few liters of water in that bunk. It rains a lot here in the fall.
Tom
26C #28
Penetang
Bob: There should be several older emails concerning this. Check the website. Attached is my photos of when I did mine both front and rear. The mirror came off without too much work.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
[details="(attachments)"]
[/details]https://groups.google.com/u/1/g/ina-nonsuch-discussion-group/c/W9fi8qK-f6o/m/s2FcylJ_BwAJ
Thanks Joe - Very helpful. Is there no way to remove the bracket without taking off the mirror? Did you get any pics of the bracket in place after the wood trim came off?
Those are all the photos I have.
Joe Valinoti
S/V iL Gatto NS30U #221
Sea Harbour YC
Oriental, NC USA
There are two sources of companionway hood leaks. The join between the plexi glass and the wood frame of the sliding top may need attention. As well the screws attaching the hood itself.
We have two leaks that I believe are coming from the sliding hatch and running down the headliner, one pools on top of the ice box, the other stains the interior wood above the starboard port light near the sink. WE have taken off the sliding hatch. I thought that it would be a simple fix however a P.O. squirted silicone into all the screw holes for the seahood. I have drilled them out and filled them with epoxy (fingers crossed). Now I want to seal all screw holes through the deck. I am thinking of using butyl tape. The design seems to funnel any water that gets under the seahood to drains molded into the deck under the hood, a large one on the port side and a much smaller on on the starboard side. The seahood is even molded to allow more clearance on the port side and the starboard side ends up being tighter to the deck. If the seahood is tight to the deck there is no way for that water to get out. I am thinking that maybe I should route out a “scupper” in the seahood at each of those drains. To take that one step further, how about building a little dike out of caulk at those drains to funnel the water toward the “scupper”.
Lastly what should be used to seal the acrylic to the wood slides, I am thinking butyl tape again?
Tim in STL
White O’morn NS26U
Harbor Point Yacht Club
West Alton, MO
Hi Tim
I have the same issue. Water on the hatch drains into the boat and goes to the Starboard light and the electrical panel.
Where are these drains supposed to go?
Do you have a photo of the deck area with the drains exposed?
I believe the designer meant for these to slope toward the stern but they slope forward. In any case I’m interested to see if your scupper idea works here.
Tom
26C #28
Penetang
I will take a photo before reassembling the hatch. Yesterday it was 70° and sunny, a great day for boat work. Today it is 37° and snowing, not a good day for photographs. The drains are moulded into the deck and go underneath the rails they seem to be there to drain water from the area between the rails and out toward the seahood. If the aft end of the boat was down where it should be the water would run out of the aft end of the seahood and then down the deck. I wonder how much weight would be needed in the aft lazaret to get the boat down on its intended waterline, that would stop the water from puddling at the forward end of the cockpit seats too.
Tim in STL
White O’morn NS26U
Harbor Point Yacht Club
West Alton, MO
I share your puddling pain, Tim.
I’ve come to the defeated belief that there is not enough weight in the world sufficient to keep water from puddling at the forward end of the cockpit seats. I also strongly suspect that they slope slightly down from the cockpit edge toward the coamings. That, or there is some magical water magnet embedded in the corners where cabinsides, seats and coamings come together. If I could figure out how, I’d install drains.
– Bob
Solar Wind
Nonsuch 26C #143
It seems like the design was off by a quarter of an inch at the front end of the cockpit seats. We all seem to have the puddle problem.
Joe
Ns26c# 156
And that 1/4" (6-7mm for those of the metric persuasion) is probably what is causing, Oh so many, leaks into the cabin. We will be going electric later this season and I think I could move the CG aft to correct that wrong. The problem is that when my 1st Mate and I are on board our 350# weight (25 stone +/-) shifts the CG aft, so then we would be dragging the transom when we sail. I don’t want to go through the water ballast tank scenario where we would pump 50 gallons of water onto the aft lazaret when we leave to boat. I am hoping that my modifications to the seahood will take care of the leaks into the cabin. Has anyone put drains in the cockpit seats to take care of that problem?
Tim in STL
White O’morn NS26U
Harbor Point Yacht Club
West Alton, MO
I don’t know if this is true or just a rumor but may years ago on this list we had the same discussion and someone mentioned the following reason.
The rumor was that the original 26 design was for a much lighter fiberglass mast. When the first boats were built this mast proved to be impractical for some reason and the current heavier aluminum flag pole was substituted. The extra weight is the reason our cockpit sole, seats and main hatch slope forward. (I admit the 40 feet of chain and 10kg plow on the pulpit don’t help here but I was on a 26 in Lake Simcoe that had no anchor or pulpit and he had the same hatch leak..)
Supporting evidence - my boat, 26C #28 built in the first year 1981 still has the original boot stripe waterline and it is good at the stern but half underwater (1.5 inches?) at the bow with the mast in. With the mast out the line is much higher at the bow.
I know this mast is not the original mast and was a warranty replacement sometime in the first few years. Documentation says it was likely a replacement for an original aluminum mast that had holes drilled in the wrong places. However the rumor implies the original design and the molds for the hull and deck accounted for just the lighter mast.
We have a full enclosure around the cockpit. This isn’t why we have the enclosure but a happy side effect is that it keeps water off the hatch and the cockpit seats and solves the hatch leak problem.
Tom
26C #28
I was told that George H believed that an extra 200 lbs in the stern was a good idea for the 26’s. I tend to agree so I fill my locker area to the brim with stuff. Or stuff just appears as I am not to sure why or how most of it got there.
We get the pooling as well. As for the hatch leak. Often it is the plexi to wood frame what is the issue…
T
Below is a picture of the right corner of the deck/liner joint, where the cabin top and liner are joined. You will notice in the picture that there appears to be a noticeable gap under the aluminum strip that the window frame slides on. I think this gap which I will call a quality control issue, along with possibly dried out bedding, has led to the leak that appears by my starboard side bunk light. I note that a couple of screws on the hatch cover were also not holding well. I have put some epoxy in the screw holes to tighten them up and will put some butyl tape around the screw heads when I put them back in.
Please feel free to give me additional suggestions.
Randy Gadikian
Paisley Moon
NS 26C #37
Buffalo, New York
Interesting
Would I be right if I guessed this hole is just about where the forward corner of the hatch is when it is closed?
Tom
26C #28
Penetang
