Water in the boat rant

[bigd14]

So I’m just venting my frustration about a new leak in the boat. I usually have a bone dry bilge with only a small amount of water getting in to the space around the rudder post from the rear dorade vents, and that only during windy rainstorms. Yesterday I found the normally dry bilge full of water up to the pump switch level. I discovered a leak through the wiring bundle from the mast step that is threatening to rot the compression post and damaged the floor. I guess two coats of epoxy didn’t prevent water getting into the plywood sole. The weep hole on the mast wasn’t clogged and there is a standpipe in the step that has worked for the last 4+ years so I’m mystified as to why it’s suddenly leaking. And now I’m mad that I’ll have to drop the mast to fix this problem.

Ok, now I feel better! Thanks for reading.

 

[Dave G.]

I get a tiny amount from the mast when it really pours. It's just enough to dampen the top of the compression post & adjacent bulkhead area. I have not figured out how it's getting in but guessing it has something to do with the wiring and some sort of adhesion allowing the water to follow their path. Well at least you have a removable sole, I've only dreamed of being able to actually see the whole underbelly.

 

[G Kiba]

Atmospheric river filled my bilge too!

 

[peaman]

guessing it has something to do with the wiring and some sort of adhesion allowing the water to follow their path.

Last year (my first Winter with the boat) my mast was removed for extensive work including new wiring, and the boat was enclosed with shrink wrap and kept totally dry. This year the mast stays up and I use a 3-part canvas tarp system and I end up removing a gallon or so of water from the bilge after any significant rain. Only after dealing with that did I realize that the new mast wiring which exits just below the collar probably does not have a drip leg, which would have prevented most water from leaking at the headliner, but instead would keep it within the mast to exit at the weep hole at sole-level.

 

[Nick J]

With a deck stepped mast, you have a better chance to eliminate mast water coming in. If your planning on removing the mast anytime soon, you could seal up the hole below the mast and install a wire goose neck like this:

Goose neck for mast cables

Original Spare Parts and Accessories for Hallberg-Rassy Yachts

shop.hallberg-rassy.com

 

[Loren Beach]

Our mast used to leak rainwater from the drilled access hole for all of the wiring (lighting, vhf, wind transducer), and as part of the recent refit we installed new pvc tubing inside and now have two tubes instead of the OEM single tube. The old one had mostly come unriveted from the mast wall anyway. The new tubes are long enough to create a "drip loop" inside and I also sealed around the exit point with a glob of clear sealant. I formerly had sealed that point because of rain water and now it's just s precaution. The exit point is above the headliner and under the cabin top.

 

[mjsouleman]

I get a tiny amount from the mast when it really pours. It's just enough to dampen the top of the compression post & adjacent bulkhead area. I have not figured out how it's getting in but guessing it has something to do with the wiring and some sort of adhesion allowing the water to follow their path. Well at least you have a removable sole, I've only dreamed of being able to actually see the whole underbelly.

Dave,
The E30+ is cabin top masted. When you take the mast down someday you will find a 1 inch metal tube that mast wires run down into your head. Water will follow the wires and run down the compression. Post. You will notice a wet salon floor by the head entry way.

 

[Kenneth K]

I had a mast-related water problem from water traveling down the INSIDE of the outer jacket of the tri-plex deck/steaming combo-light wire. Took forever to troubleshoot until I watched the drips coming from inside of the outer wrap, where it was cutback to expose the 3 inner wires under the headliner.

 

[Dave G.]

The E30+ is cabin top master.

Mark, not sure what that means ? I'm planning on dropping the mast this spring so hopefully I can remedy the leak. So far hasn't been enough to get past the immediate area above the liner.

 

[bigd14]

seal up the hole below the mast and install a wire goose neck like this:

I like this idea. Here is what I have now with a big drip loop in the wire bundle to prevent water from getting into the standpipe. Wonder if something shifted in there since its been dry the last three winters prior.

water traveling down the INSIDE of the outer jacket of the tri-plex deck/steaming combo-light wire.

Hmmm. I'll have to look at this.

 

[Kenneth K]

Hmmm. I'll have to look at this.

Yeah, a drip loop won't help in this situation. Once water enters the wire it gains 30-some-feet of pressure head on it's way down, and will work its way out wherever the end of the wire is. Unless you have access to the drip loop and can pierce or cut the outer jacket near the bottom of the loop.

 

[G Kiba]

I like this idea. Here is what I have now with a big drip loop in the wire bundle to prevent water from getting into the standpipe. Wonder if something shifted in there since its been dry the last three winters prior.

View attachment 45605

Hmmm. I'll have to look at this.

Maybe plug the PVC tube with some high density polyurethane foam. Not the spay insulation sticky stuff! Soft closed cell medium density stuff that does not absorb water and will be easy to remove when it needs to be. Mcmaster-Carr has it.

 

[bigd14]

After some deconstruction I have slightly more acccess to the area so I can hopefully see where water is running next time I am at the boat during a rainstorm. I do see evidence of the bulkhead buckling and it was damp and delaminating right next to the compression post. The head door is also binding again which is either due to the additional moisture from the leak and/or winter dampness or a sign that compression of the entire structure is occurring. I don’t think a fix is needed yet but I’ll have to monitor, and of course stop the leak. I can think of many ways the design of this area could have been improved. I tried to add a spigot of hose to redirect some of the water into the shower grate area instead of running down the compression post, but I doubt it will be very effective. These pictures are taken in the head looking aft towards the starboard quarter. Mast compression post to the left, bulkhead between head and main cabin to the right.


Laminate and bulkhead bulging forward


Soft area partially removed

Spigot and partial tabbing delamination

 

[Loren Beach]

Have you removed the mast step and resealed all of any fastenings??

 

[bigd14]

Have you removed the mast step and resealed all of any fastenings??

Hi Loren, yes, 5 years ago when the boat was in the yard for a year I pulled the mast step and sealed the heck out of everything before stepping the mast again. I would be surprised if its coming in through the fasteners, but I will definitely remove the step and check that. I am starting to plan for a haulout this spring to do bottom paint and will pull the mast at that time and see if I can stop the leaks.

With a deck stepped mast, you have a better chance to eliminate mast water coming in. If your planning on removing the mast anytime soon, you could seal up the hole below the mast and install a wire goose neck like this:

If I go this route, what's the best way to exit the wire bundle from the mast? Drill a new hole? Enlarge the weep hole at the bottom of the mast? I don't have a lot of space for this but I think its worth considering as an option.

 

[Nick J]

My mast just has a small hole below where it passes through the cabin top. You could probably do the same a few inches above the base, but I would run it past a rigger for size and location. As long as you place some form of chafe protection, I don't think there's much to it.

 

[bigd14]

Update. Visited the boat today in a torrential downpour and no water was coming through the mast wiring bundle or anywhere else. The mast post and bulkhead had mostly dried out since last week. I had pushed and pulled the wire bundle back and forth in the hole through the cabin top and I wonder if that was just enough to start the drip loop inside the mast functioning again. I also double checked the weep hole in the mast step and found it to be clear. Strange. Anyway I’m happy the leak is gone for now. Too bad it cost me a discolored sole and torn apart head trim. Not sure what I’ll do now for a long term solution. Maybe just hope for the best.

 

[bigd14]

Update to the Update... No the leak has not stopped. Visited again after a day of rain and it's still there. But the spigot is diverting water to the floor grate. Back to square one.

 

[Kenneth K]

Yeah, Doug, I feel your pain on this one. I removed several stanchion bases in September because I could see failed sealant. I didn't have time to do the repairs so late in the season, so I covered the holes with Gorilla tape and caulk. One of the locations is still leaking, even though I filled all the holes and covered the entire mounting area with polysufide. I still get water in the exposed wood core after rains. I'm beginning to think the water is coming from someplace further up near the bow and just migrating down along the outer edge of where the wood core meets the fiberglass in the deck. No telling how much cutting will be required to address this one.

 

[Nick J]

I'm beginning to think the water is coming from someplace further up near the bow and just migrating down along the outer edge of where the wood core meets the fiberglass in the deck. No telling how much cutting will be required to address this one.

View attachment 45939 View attachment 45940 View attachment 45942

I noticed a similar void at the edge of the cabin top balsa core on the 25+. The material wasn't beveled and the fiberglass of the bottom skin couldn't contour around the 90 degree edge. This created a triangular shaped void along the edge of the core. Any water that got in this area was free to travel the length of the void. It looks like that's what's happening on your boat in pic 3. Hopefully you can find the source further up hill. Maybe the anchor locker lid latch hole, a spinnaker down hull block, or one of the other stanchion bases.