Nasty leak into the galley food storage cupboard....

[Frank Langer]

I have discovered that the food storage cupboard on my E30+ (the cupboard just aft of the refrigerator opening, beside the galley sink, next to the opening for the garbage disposal on some models) gets quite wet. This seems to happen only after I've hosed down the deck (haven't noticed it after rainfall), so I think is caused by copious amounts of water. This cupboard has a curved back that connects it to the cockpit locker (ie. I can see the back of the cupboard from inside the locker). There are no instruments/holes on the bulkhead above the locker, and the galley area/companionway is shielded by a dodger, so I'm sure it's not coming in from the top.

My guess is that water is entering the locker cover and spilling onto the curved back of the cupboard and leaking in, making all the food inside quite a mess. Although I do have some weatherstripping foam on the underside of the locker cover, I suspect that it's not sealing completely. I am wondering if anyone else has had this problem, and how you fixed it.

My initial plan is to monitor it for awhile to see if it gets wet other than when I'm washing/spraying it, and to try to pinpoint where the water is getting in so I can determine what may need sealing or caulking. I may replace the weatherstripping on the locker cover, and then also caulk seams in the curved section/back of the cupboard with Sikaflex 291 or something similar.

I would appreciate any further thoughts or advice.

Thanks,

Frank.

 

[rwthomas1]

I had one leaking fixed portlight on my E38. Reading posts on these portlights indicates they are a bit of a pain to reseal. The rubber was leaking not the flange to hull seal. I used Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure. It worked, very well. Its a very thin water based siliconized latex sealer. Being very thin, like water it flows into cracks, etc. very well. I put maybe 12-15 applications of the stuff on the offending portlight. It just kept wicking into the cracks. The leak has been sealed and not returned. No idea how long it will last but if I have to do that every season its not a big deal. It may work for you if you find the source of your leak. Got the product at WM. RT

 

[Nova]

I have recently had the same problem. From the E30 documents section I downloaded the plumbing diagram for the boat and found the port scupper and sink share the same thru hull. I assume the food locker, being on the port side also shares the same thru hull. As my problem has occurred after some really hard rains I concluded the thru hull is partially plugged with trash or barnacle growth and isn't allowing the water to drain faster than it has rained (5" in one hour last week) therefore allowing the water to backup into the food locker which is lower than the cockpit floor. I plan to dive over the side this weekend and see if the thru hull is blocked by barnacles. Will let you know what I find

 

[Frank Langer]

Nova, thanks for your reply. However, I think we are talking about two different lockers (though I would still be interested in what you find, in case I encounter that problem as well in the future). The food locker that I am referring to is the one in the galley behind the refrigerator/ice box, just to the right of the galley sink--ie. it is substantially above the level of the cockpit, almost at deck level.
Frank.