Leaks

[gsbpel]

I have hull # 369 and I have sevaral leaks. First leak was discovered in the main cabin between the hull and the cabin floor. Water was deep enough to wet the cabin floor carpets that I had installed. The second leak is in the aft port air chamber under the cockpit. Third leak is in the head starboard side stoage area. The carpet laying in the bottom of the shelf was saturated while the overhead area was dry. Both amas had water; 220 oz starboard and 160 oz port side.

Any one else have leak issues ?

I also have gross gel coat CRACKING and crazing and blistering. I am embarrassed to be seen on the water due to the appearence.

[andrewm]

There is a discussion of leaks in the buoyancy tank under a thread in 'mechanical systems' and another one on blistering. From these few reports we are hearing of problems in hulls 365, 368, and 369 - I wonder if there's a trend here?
I get water in both amas and this seems to be a commonly reported finding. When I asked Will about it he indicated it was normal. I've since heard from Tony that the seals around the large inspection hatch needs to be replaced periodically, but I've not gotten to that project yet. I can also report that at least 2 Corsair owners do not get water in the amas.
Are your leaks coming from below the water line, or from rain and spray? When you say "air chamber under the cockpit" do you mean the open storage area or below the floor, in the buoyancy tank, and have you managed to fix it? I cannot find the source of mine.
Andrewm

[drsm]

Third leak is in the head starboard side stoage area. The carpet laying in the bottom of the shelf was saturated while the overhead area was dry.

We had this problem, but discovered it was water coming in from around the forward hatch. The aft hatch leaked also, pooling water on the table which spilled to the cabin sole. We removed a screw from each hatch on the inside trim to drain the accumulated water, then sealed the gaps (some rather large) in the caulking around the hatches on the cabin top. That seems to have done the trick (although rain has been light since then).

We get some water in the starboard ama, but the port one is dry.

We also get water below the floor in the head, which shows up coming through the shower drain. This only happens while sailing. I haven't figured that one out yet.

Steve

[gsbpel]

Thanks for the feed back. We discovered the source of the leak in the head. I first used a garden hose to wet down the top starboard side and couldn't find anything inside. I then sprayed the hinge bar that bolts the forward hinge to the hull with the nuts on the inside bottom of the shelf and my wife said the water was gushing in around the two outboard nuts. I removed the nuts and bolts and rotated the hinge bar forward and found the caulking / sealer was not completely coating the area. I called Will to find out what caulk / sealer to use. He said he would call back Monday with the info. It appears as though the assembly job just wasn't finished and the Quality Control check for this job was not performed or does not exist.

Just a note here: I fabed a wooden box with contours to support the ama.

I haven't looked for the bouancy tank leaks yet.

The cabin hatches are not leaking.

The carpet under the cockpit area is damp (not wet ) also. We have had a lot of rain and I cannot rule out cabin door seapage or that we brought the moisture in as we came in and out of the cabin.

I suspect the water in the amas is somewhat normal due to the heating and cooling and the moisture in the air then condensing much like water in a gas tank accumulates. I will be using o-ring lube on the threads and seals
of the amas and see if that helps.

Once again thanks for the reply

[Ron]

I've got a slight leak in the port ama. Never had enough water in there to make me want to fix it (a small towel tossed in there will soak it up - figure maybe 1 to 2 cups of water), but I will do it now. Pretty sure it's coming through the rubber gasket on the large inspection hatch. I've got to track down a supply of the gaskets. Next time I go to the boat I'll get the name, model number, and dimensions of the cover.

[Mark]

Ama hatches - different types have been used, mine have always leaked badly even after replacement by PCI. Will assures me that they have no problem with the current model they use - perhaps I'll swap them out.

I had the same problem with the nut on the hinge. I resealed and the leak has not come back. And the front hatch...

Leaks aft can come from poorly caulked joints that attach to the Ama support - caulk fixed this too (only leaked at speed with engine box causing back splash, the side carpet became wet).

The aft buoyancy tanks on mine leak slightly - damp rather than really wet

If leaks persist, check under the rubber on the outside of the main hull (especially forward)- to ensure that the hull-deck joint has no gaps.

All are easily fixable, once found. I presume that these problems are of the past and that PCI as put the correct controls in place with current boats.

Mark

[rorr1203]

If you find the carpeting under the cockpit area damp or wet I have a likely suspect for you to check that will hopefully save you time.

A couple of weeks ago I found the carpeting and headliner under the cockpit were damp to soaked. It took a couple of hours of running water on different parts of the cabin roof and cockpit and pulling the headliner and other parts off to finally find the leak.

I found the trim around the door that holds the head / wall liner was not completely sealed and was wicking water into the cabin under the cockpit. Rain water runs along the slide rails on the cabin roof for door hatch and then runs down a channel between the door frame and the trim around the door.

After taking a couple of days to get everything dried out, I removed the door frame so I could get a good working angle and resealed the door trim .

I am happy to report that after a miserable rainy weekend the cabin is dry - the leak is no more!

[seicam]

Another type of leak I just found on my boat - not sure yet what to do with it, I'd appreciate any advice.

While working on the boat last weekend, with boat on the trailer and the amas folded, I somehow moved the port-side ama deck up. By that I mean the narrow deck that drops vertically alongside the main hull when amas are folder or extends horizontally when amas are extended. While moving it, I noticed there is water inside it. I have no idea how it got there, nor how to remove it. From the sound it seems that there is some good quantity of water there. It might be a problem when it starts freezing.

Regards,
Maciek

[Ron]

Maciek -

I don't think these link shelves are supposed to lift up by themselves - the linkage controls their movement. That could be part of the problem - if one of the link brackets broke away and left an exposed hole - water could get in there maybe. I suppose you could use some sort of small self closing scubber type drain to empty the box(es) - installed at the lowest point. Give Tony a call first. Note the new phone number posted on one of the other threads.

Also - check to see if both link shelves have this linkage. They could have forgetten to put one of them on. You can see it while on the trailer.

[Mark]

I have had minor leaks in the rear main hull buoyancy tanks in the past (a few teaspoonfuls in each) and generally ignored them. However, late in the season, with the boat in the water for a couple of weeks, both tanks became full and started leaking out of the inspection hatches and into the main cabin. Quite a dangerous situation. I haven't had time to find the cause yet but I would urge anyone who has even slightly wet tanks to fix the leaks before leaving the boat unattended in the water.

Mark

[gsbpel]

Seems to be a lot of leakage on and in this design. The area between the sole and the hull fills with water every time I fill the fresh water holding tank. I am not sure how to seal the leak. Any suggestions ?

[gsbpel]

The fresh water tank was leaking and the cabin floor was always wet. The top of the tank was not sealed at the factory during the build process and obviously Quality Control never did exist. I have cut another inspection port in the forward half of the tank to install 5200 to the top of the tank to completely seal the top to the side walls of the tank.
I will be testing soon and see if it helps.
gsbpel

S/V Shadow Princess 369

[Dan]

I wouldn't use 5200 on a potable water tank. It isn't approved for potable water systems. Use an NSF-approved silicone sealant instead. Or you could fiberglass over the area with an NSF-approved epoxy.

[gsbpel]

Thanks for the reply Dan. I am afraid you are to late. The E-Mail I received from Tony said to seal the top of the tank with 5200. We use this water for washing and we also use a Britta filtration system for making coffee and brushing teeth. What are your thoughts with the Britta Filter System?
Thank You
Kevin

S/V Shadow Princess

[Dan]

I like the Brita filter system. A couple things I would change if you are planning on using the potable water system water for coffee and such. First, add a filter to the vent line. The majority of contaminants to a fresh water system are probably due to entry via the vent line as you're drawing the tank level down. Second, I wouldn't add a Brita filter in-line unless it is just before the faucet.

However, an in-line Brita or similar filter only makes sense if you've upgraded the system to a pressure water system or have a foot pump installed for the galley faucet. The in-line Brita filters require a fair bit of pressure and will generally cause problems for the normal Whale Flipper fixture that came stock on the boat.

[gsbpel]

Hi Dan and thanks for the feedback. I have installed a pressure sensing supply pump for the galley (40 psi and noisy). We use a pitcher style Britta filter in the head. When I complete the shower in the head I will use the pump with a foot type control valve. I haven't decided which type of water maker to use but Tony indicated he will be trying the Water Log.
Once again, thank you for the reply and all the other postings.
Kevin
S/V Shadow Princess 369

[Dan]

I'd point out that the Waterlog, which is supposed to be a towed watermaker, has been the source of a lot of complaints and I've yet to find one positive review or article about it. The company that makes them has been accused of poor service and support at best. I would highly recommend going with a different watermaker, if you're really serious about getting one. A Spectra or Katadyn/Pur would be a good start.

One of the Telstar 28's had a watermaker installed, and it was last in Rio Dulce, Guatemala. I don't know the specifics of their installation, but could e-mail them if you'd like me to.

[gsbpel]

Hello again and thanks for the information. I have not researched any water makers yet. I would appreciate any information from any source. Tony mentioned the water log so that would have been the first research project. I'll look into the units that you mentioned. Once again Thank You for the reply and the information.
Kevin
S/V Shadow Princess 369