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Cockpit Combing Locker

mkollerjr

Member III
Blogs Author
Our cockpit combing locker has always had a bit of a trickle leak. We took it apart to see if we could fix it.

IMG_0327.jpg

The whole factory set up seems hodge podge. Two different peices of plastic screwed and silconed together, silicone globs everywhere, combination of flat head and phillips screws on the same pieces (what's up with that anyways?). The opening/trim is so close to the cockpit locker, that there's no real edge to form a seal. We are at a loss as to what to do other than put it back together in its original hodge pogde configuration and slap silcone goop where needed, and wait for it to start to leak again.

We've also considered just covering it up, or glassing in a new custom locker.

Has anybody had had any similar experience with their combing lockers?

Mark
 

kapnkd

kapnkd
Our cockpit combing locker has always had a bit of a trickle leak. We took it apart to see if we could fix it.

View attachment 15468

The whole factory set up seems hodge podge. Two different peices of plastic screwed and silconed together, silicone globs everywhere, combination of flat head and phillips screws on the same pieces (what's up with that anyways?). The opening/trim is so close to the cockpit locker, that there's no real edge to form a seal. We are at a loss as to what to do other than put it back together in its original hodge pogde configuration and slap silcone goop where needed, and wait for it to start to leak again.

We've also considered just covering it up, or glassing in a new custom locker.

Has anybody had had any similar experience with their combing lockers?

Mark

I know of two fellow Ericson (38) owners at the club I belong to. Not sure if they are members of ericsonyachts.org or not. I went ahead and emailed them the link for your problem and asked if they had similar problems or would know of a solution. Both (actually 3 of them - 1 bought his boat from his also member brother) are engineers so may have some good solutions if nothing else.

GOOD LUCK & Merry Christmas!
-kerry
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
That locker turned out to be the source of a mystery leak on my boat. Water would end up in the engine compartment after hosing down. I thought it was the cockpit seat lid, rebedded the hinges, and so on.

In fact, wash-down hose water entering the recessed locker was running into the boat. Yet the locker scuppers were clear.

Close examination showed that the translucent base of the plastic pocket insert--which was glassed in place at the factory--had split. The split was virtually invisible unless peering into sunlight from beneath.

The whole plastic insert was crazed and weakened. I believe UV did it--sun shines into the locker at high noon, and the plastic probably had no spec UV protection at all.

Working from inside the engine compartment, I swathed the back and bottom of the insert with resin and cloth, which produced a strong result.

Cramped down there to lay cloth over your head. Put a permanent wave in my hair for about a week.
 

kapnkd

kapnkd
That locker turned out to be the source of a mystery leak on my boat. Water would end up in the engine compartment after hosing down. I thought it was the cockpit seat lid, rebedded the hinges, and so on.

In fact, wash-down hose water entering the recessed locker was running into the boat. Yet the locker scuppers were clear.

Close examination showed that the translucent base of the plastic pocket insert--which was glassed in place at the factory--had split. The split was virtually invisible unless peering into sunlight from beneath.

The whole plastic insert was crazed and weakened. I believe UV did it--sun shines into the locker at high noon, and the plastic probably had no spec UV protection at all.

Working from inside the engine compartment, I swathed the back and bottom of the insert with resin and cloth, which produced a strong result.

Cramped down there to lay cloth over your head. Put a permanent wave in my hair for about a week.


Working on ones own boat DOES give a person great respect and empathy for the pain Michael Angelo felt in painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel! Worst parts are when you get stuck and can't get back out of the space it took you a half hour or better to get into!
-kerry
 

Rick R.

Contributing Partner
That combing locker is a water collector on our boat. We get a lot of rain here in the Florida and I have to make sure it's empy before heel on a starboard tack so water doesn't get someones shorts wet.

We we have a snap on sunbrella cover but it doesn't keep it dry.
 

kapnkd

kapnkd
That combing locker is a water collector on our boat. We get a lot of rain here in the Florida and I have to make sure it's empy before heel on a starboard tack so water doesn't get someones shorts wet.

We we have a snap on sunbrella cover but it doesn't keep it dry.

For sure, same on our old 73 E-32 MkII. Cockpit cushions help but the best thing when it's raining is to be in a pair of fowl weather gear pants and the cushions down below. We've had to totally epoxy the inside bottoms of our combing compartments to properly seal them off but drainage still is via the combing openings just in back of the teak side boards.
Nothing like a warm/hot "toddy" at the end of the sail to warm one's soul (and wet bottom) at the end of the day!
 
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u079721

Contributing Partner
We had much the same problem on Rag Doll. My solution was to first disassemble the unit, and thoroughly sand the surfaces to provide more tooth. I then remounted it using 5200 as sealant. After the 5200 cured I added several layers of cloth and epoxy around the joint on the bottom and sides to seal under the joint and provide more support. And finally I noticed that the weep holes were not positioned quite low enough to let all the water drain out, so that there was usually some standing water in the box after a rain shower. I figured there was no way to keep the water from seeping through the joint if the box was constantly full of water. So I deepened and reangled the weep holes until any water that entered the box would immediately drain out. Of all the things I did I decided that fixing the weep holes was probably the most effective part of the solution.
 

kapnkd

kapnkd
Our cockpit combing locker has always had a bit of a trickle leak. We took it apart to see if we could fix it.

View attachment 15468

The whole factory set up seems hodge podge. Two different peices of plastic screwed and silconed together, silicone globs everywhere, combination of flat head and phillips screws on the same pieces (what's up with that anyways?). The opening/trim is so close to the cockpit locker, that there's no real edge to form a seal. We are at a loss as to what to do other than put it back together in its original hodge pogde configuration and slap silcone goop where needed, and wait for it to start to leak again.

We've also considered just covering it up, or glassing in a new custom locker.

Has anybody had had any similar experience with their combing lockers?

Mark

Just got a reply back from one of the E-38 owners I spoke of before and wanted to pass it on to you:

"My memory is a little dim, but I think part of the solution was to seal it good and add a sealed drain back to the cockpit,
Gary please add or correct....Randy"
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Yes, I also drilled out/enlarged the weep holes/scuppers, which makes a difference.

At least Mark has pretty good teak facing left. That particular shape, with its routered back contour and curves, was a bear to rebuild. The factory apparently made them out of scraps.
 

Pat C.

Member III
I was able to replace the teak facing a couple years ago, ordered from Catalina direct, around $40 plus shipping. Perfect fit, may check there to see if still available.
 

tenders

Innocent Bystander
My '69 32 did not even have drain holes. After digging out layers of plywood that had separated after rainwater sat in them for long periods of the me, and pouring thickened epoxy in to replace the wood, the solution was to build L-shaped covers out of two pieces of 1/2" StarBoard, with some bungee cord fastened to the outer edge. The bungee slips over the genoa cleats and holds the covers tight against the coamings. No water gets in and the covers stay on all year. They're removed when we go sailing, along with the hatch boards.
 
Last edited:

mkollerjr

Member III
Blogs Author
I was able to replace the teak facing a couple years ago, ordered from Catalina direct, around $40 plus shipping. Perfect fit, may check there to see if still available.

Hi,

Despite the photo, my teak trim is actually toast. I'll look on Catalina Direct as you suggest. Was their a specific part number?

And Christian, I agree with you that the whole assembly looked like it was made with scraps.

Mark
 

lbertran

Member III
This one worked for me

Hi,

Despite the photo, my teak trim is actually toast. I'll look on Catalina Direct as you suggest. Was their a specific part number?

And Christian, I agree with you that the whole assembly looked like it was made with scraps.

Mark

Got this at West Marine for my boat. Years later, it still looks great.
 

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Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Correct spelling and such.

Loren, You reminded me of the custom made Italian car I bought years ago, I think it was called a Personal Vendetta but then I could be wrong about the spelling too. Cheers, GLyn.
 
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