Leaky boat, need help/advise

wileecoyote

wileecoyote

Member
TECHNICAL Contributor
Oct 18, 2008
949
Southern MD/ Potomac river
Boat Info
1989 340 EC
Engines
7.4LX2 Hurth 630A Drives
6.5Kw QS Genny
I have a water leak in the port locker on my boat. I know this question was posed before, but I'm not sure the question was ever answered. I took a pic of the rot in the upper portion. I'm under the impression that the rub rail is the culprit. Any help diagnosing it and figuring out how to repair it would be appreciated.:smt100
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wileeco...75044/sizes/l/:smt013
 
Yup.
I posted about this same problem in another thread. Remove the rotted wood strip to the extent that you can, and check the rest of the boat for the same problem if you haven't already. The wood cannot be replaced without removing the the screws that hold the rubrail in place. These screws also fasten the hull-to-deck shoebox joint. I'm not sure whether the wood adds structural strength to the joint, or if it just serves as a backing block to keep the screws from backing out, but I elected to not replace the wood strip. Remove and re-bed all the rubrail screws, there's some that hold the metal trim piece in place, and when you remove that there's others that hold the plastic receiver section in place. I then took an epoxy syringe and ran a tiny bead of sealant along the top of the rubrail/hull joint to seal it.

Mine leaked so bad I had water on the salon couch...
 
It seems to me that the screws for the rubrail screw into the wood strip. I was wondering if you think the rubrail will work loose without the wood there to support it? I'm gonna go look at how hard it is to remove the port locker, I want to replace the soiled material. I was hoping to remove the wood and possibly fiberglass a strip back in place to give the rubrail something to screw to. How hard was the rubrail to remove? I'm assuming the rubber will be hard as a rock, and all I'll be able to do is pull it back and seal it as best I can. Then I want to try and caulk the edges so water can't work it's way back in. Other ideas, experiences?? :smt100
 
Mark
To replace the wood strip could you buy pressure treated plywood (3/8" or 1/2" thick) and cut it into a strip, 5200 it in place and screw into that? It is flexible and could be conformed to the curvature of the boat. I dont know the dimensions of the rotted wood or if this is even possible but it's an idea.
 
I don't know if it will fit but I'm gonna try. I'm to the point now I just feeling like ripping the whole insides out and resealing everything. I think I'm gonna try to get the port locker out first to inspect the damages. I'll let you all know what I find and take pics so that you can see what I'm talking about.
 
A 1x2 pressure-treated furring strip is perfect to use for replacement. If there's too much curvature in the hull, make some relief cuts in the back of the strip. I chose not to replace the wood in the affected area because I didn't want to go to the trouble of removing the rubrail entirely- I was afraid it might not go back together the way it came out. Obviously, all the screws need to be removed in order to get the replacement wood strip tight against the joint, and someone will need to be inside to hold it in place while the first few screws are run back in. You may find (as I did) that it isn't quite so straightforward- on mine it looks like the strip was originally set in fiberglass bonding putty when the hull/deck was joined, rubrail set and all of it got screwed together. When I removed the rotted wood I was left with a very uneven surface of bonding putty which made it difficult to get a new strip placed properly.
 
tobnpr said:
A 1x2 pressure-treated furring strip is perfect to use for replacement. If there's too much curvature in the hull, make some relief cuts in the back of the strip. I chose not to replace the wood in the affected area because I didn't want to go to the trouble of removing the rubrail entirely- I was afraid it might not go back together the way it came out. Obviously, all the screws need to be removed in order to get the replacement wood strip tight against the joint, and someone will need to be inside to hold it in place while the first few screws are run back in. You may find (as I did) that it isn't quite so straightforward- on mine it looks like the strip was originally set in fiberglass bonding putty when the hull/deck was joined, rubrail set and all of it got screwed together. When I removed the rotted wood I was left with a very uneven surface of bonding putty which made it difficult to get a new strip placed properly.
Click to expand...

I was thinking of setting the wood in and glass against the hull, but that may be a pipe dream if it won't fit flush. I will only need to repair what is wet, which has yet to be seen. As wet as the one section is I'm imagining the water got to a good amount of the port side. I'm scare to check the starboard!
 
I'd hesitate to use furring strip. Way too prone to splitting. I could see the problem with the mess of fiberglass or epoxy or whatever the hell they goop in there at the factory. If it's a small enough piece, I suppose you could grind things flat. In any event, this is NOT an easy task.

OLD BOATS!!!:smt013
 
rondds said:
I'd hesitate to use furring strip. Way too prone to splitting. I could see the problem with the mess of fiberglass or epoxy or whatever the hell they goop in there at the factory. If it's a small enough piece, I suppose you could grind things flat. In any event, this is NOT an easy task.

OLD BOATS!!!:smt013
Click to expand...

I hear ya Ron! :smt021I'll just have to dig some more and see what I find out. If I can find what need to be repaired, I may coat it in resin and place it, then glass it into place. It's gonna be tight no matter what I do. I just want to stop it before it keeps eating more of the hull!
 
OK, I have an update. I started to pulling stuff apart. First let me say I messed up and forgot my camera. Today was a perfect day, since it's been raining for a few days steady now. Sadly it was still cold. I ended up pulling apart the inside of the port locker, then pulled the panel off the port side next to the berth, panel to anchor locker, etc. I appears to me that the leak is not coming from the side window. It ends just forward of the bulkhead and this area was dry. Some of the material forward of the bow stanchion (which is just above the locker) was wet, but as I got further forward it was dry. It appears to me that the bow stanchion is the source of my leak. Once I remove the nuts and plate I will be able to pull the material back further. If I had a blade, I may have cut around the plate and pulled it back, but it is tight in there. Hopefully I don't have to disassemble the locker because it seems that it's pieced together with teak trim and lots of staples. I hope to take pics and put them up. It appears to be slow leak, I may go back and put some baby powder around the area to see where the water migrates from.
 
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Better made boats use fastening sytems of a nut and threaded screw particularly the Deck to Hull and Rubrail. Today we have lots of man made composites to replace wood with. Boatlife makes various bedding compounds for different applications. Al W.
 
I dont think these boats are through bolted at the hull/deck shoebox joint. Bonded and self tappers - I could be wrong.
 
Like I said, I will try to go and take more pics, but I think the screw that is coming through is at the deck to hull seem, and appears to just be a standard screw. I'm not for certain, but I'm with you Ron, I think it's just screwed into the wood strip.

3073294528_ed8e0ee444.jpg
 
I have taken the whole port side of the boat apart! I removed everything on the port side and the starboard locker where the mirrored doors are. If anyone has the same issues and what to know how to tear it apart let me know. I froze myself and cursed alot while figuring out what to tear apart. There are alot of sneaky screws. Seems Sea Ray also likes to use lots of 2 1/2" screws! I'm ready to rebed the port bow stanchions if it ever gets warm enough. Anyone know what the optimal temp is to use 5200??
 
Mark:
I know separating the headliner from the vertical headliner is a bitch. I used a razor blade to carefully filet the junction of the piping from the rest of the headliner. Yeah, SR loves those XXL self-tappers. I had to take apart a section to get to the nuts of one of my stanchions when it broke at the weld - not fun. From you pix I know we have the same burlappy headliner and it's all glued together and designed to survive a category 5 hurricane!

Never worked with 5200 - I used marine silicone caulk on all 6 stanchions that I had to replace. I'd imagine the package would tell you optimum application temps, but I'll bet you it requires temps > 55*
 
I don't know about silicone, I want to be sure I do it right and hope the sealer will last for a long time, because removing everything to get to the stanchion nuts, is a real PITA! I know some people say that the 5200 will work good, but some don't like it. I was wondering if there is anything newer that will seal forever! I think I'll get all of the port side done and probably the first 3 on the SB and if need be do the rest of the SB side later.
 
I've never used 5200. It's great stuff but Im not sure if it's more of an adhesive than a waterproofer. Maybe others would know better.

To be honest (and I'll get crap for this) if you bought a tube of GE 40 year silicone (for outdoor), it's the same as the marine stuff silicone. At least it smells the same. I ran a bead under the deckplate and oversquirted it into the bolt holes in the deck. THis boat will be a recycled dinner plate before it need to be redone.
 
I feel for ya...I had a 220 Sundancer with the same issue. Sea Ray ended up replacing the entire inside of my boat with a fake leather/foam interior. I never did find the leak area.
 
I only use 5200 for things under the waterline, or something you will never want to take off again!!!! If you think you may have to remove it for any reason use marine silicone. There is also 4200 that is a little less adhesive than 5200.
 
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