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Vee berth mystery.

Blue Chip

Member III
Since the day it was purchased new, BLUE CHIP has had a mystery water accumulation in the V berth in the winter. This is a 1990 32-200. In the V berth is a triangle shaped 18 inch deep dry storage are that has no outside connection. We have just come back from the boat after bailing out two or three quarts of what appears to be feresh (rain?) water from this area. It only occurs in the winter, which here means the rainy sason as we get NO rain all summer long. We have had it checked more than once by the yard when hauled out; have had it ":confused:washed" with power washers left right and sideways and no water. BUT sitting at the dock in the winter it accumulates a lot of water. NONE in the mattress, bedding, liners atc. JUST in the storage are. Could this possibly be THIS MUCH condensation? Anyone else ever run into this?:
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
As I recall, that model has a huge anchor well molding, secured with a bunch of screws and sealant up on the fore deck. I wonder if there is a leak somewhere along that seam and a path from there to the compartment you are talking about?
Absent some sort of watery magic, that H2O is getting there... somehow...
:confused:

You might want to spend a long rainy weekend on your boat reading a good book in that fore peak. And observing all around you, over the hours...

Ya think?
:cool:

Loren
 

Mindscape

Member III
Condensation?

You might want to check for condensation, I've got a 32-3 and the previous owner had it shrink wrapped the 1st winter I had her. I had to vent the shrink wrap to get some air flow going and it helped to prevent condensation from forming, or at least I felt like it did.

I've got that same storage locker in the vberth and have not had any moisture there. Is the boat level? maybe water is running up there from somewhere else. Sounds like a day at the boat in the rain as Loren suggested.
 

andy beach

Member I
I had the same mystery leak in the v-berth of our E-34 and as Loren pointed out we were able to track it down to the seal on the anchor locker failing. We recaulked and have had no trouble since. Good Luck.
 

footrope

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Another possibility, if you normally have rainwater from the mast in your main bilge, is that that the water is migrating forward when you're heeled over and sailing through the waves. I think that accounts for some of the bow water on my E38, although I haven't been through all the hardware yet. When everything is dry, it stays dry and not every trip out results in water collection. The anchor locker isn't the source of the water in my case.

We have a water tank up there and I have pulled it out and it does not leak. Condensation on the water tank, if you have that configuration, is another possibility if you keep it filled during the cold months.

Good luck!
 

Brian K

Member III
Very interesting Blue Chip. I'm a new owner (July 07) of a 1988 32-200. I don't think the anchor locker in this model is the same as some other Ericsons like the 34 that has a separately molded anchor locker. I know the E-34 is prone to leaking around the anchor locker seal. I'll have to check mine next time I get out to the boat. The area you are talking about is completely sealed except for the opening at the top. So I don't think there is any possible way for water to migrate from another location. Good luck!
 

Ernest

Member II
V berth leak

We had a leak that was going down from the nav light wire into the bow rail and from there into the space forward of the the V berth. If you are just pouring water on the deck, you'll miss this one
 

Jon Anton

Junior Member
Vee berth leak (solved?)

Had the same thing happen to my 1988 32-200, and it took some time to find it...
Here's what happened: The water came in under the forward opening hatch frame! Just a few drops were visible running down from the aluminum frame, before they disappeared behind the plastic moulding, i.e in a small crack between the fiberglass and the wooden hatch frame. Then it would slowly seep on top of the headliner forward, and then down, inside the liner on the walls in the vee birth. It would surface along the wooden batten covering the lower edge of the liner on the "wall". From there it is a short distance to the storage area. Once there, it would take a long time to evaporate, and often the tell-tale signs were long gone. If you remove the wood batten, you will probably find signs of moisture, as in rusted staples.
Rebedding the hatch frame is pretty traight forward. This fixed my problem. I guess water leaking arould the hatch gasket could end up taking the same route.
Good luck!
 

danosmith

New Member
As a relatively new owner of an 1989 Ericson 34-200,(currently stored on the hard)...how is the center bilge area collecting water after heavy rains...moisture noticed at the base area of mast??? What/where should I be looking for the water intrusion??? Any input will be appreciated...thank you.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
vertical fresh water

As a relatively new owner of an 1989 Ericson 34-200,(currently stored on the hard)...how is the center bilge area collecting water after heavy rains...moisture noticed at the base area of mast??? What/where should I be looking for the water intrusion??? Any input will be appreciated...thank you.

This is addressed in several other threads on the site, and the short story is that in *any* boat with a keel-stepped mast, rain water comes down the inside of the spar. Remember that you have a number of little openings in that long aluminum pole... all the sheaves at the top, (4) spreader roots, and a host of halyard exits near the deck.

On our double spreader rig I find that the greater quantity of water comes down during periods of combined wind and rain -- when the rain is blown hard against the sides of the spar. I clean out a quart or two from the bilges after any significant rain event in the winters.

Thru-stepped spars have performance advantages and do save structural weight and complexity, but fresh water delivery to the bilge is a by-product. :)

Hope this helps.
Loren in rainy Portland, OR

ps: a plastic "turkey baster" for $1.49 is a great help in getting that water out of the bilge...
:rolleyes:
 
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