Frank Langer
1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
I have a very irksome water leak that I have not been able to solve, and am wondering if anyone has experienced a similar leak and solved it.
The water is visible right at the joint between the V-berth bulkhead and the V-berth base on the V-berth side. The woodwork at the corner (ie. the rear port corner of the V-berth when I raise the cushion) is damp; when I look inside the locker which contains the holding tank, I can see water drops on the underside of the V-berth floor at that corner, and it then runs down that bulkhead and then leaks under the bulkhead into the head beside the toilet. I have dried it all, and it returns during a rainfall, so I know it's fresh rainwater.
I have tried to find the source of the leak, but so far no success. I first dried the wood with a heater and then ran a water hose for about 20 minutes on the rubrail and on the port stanchion in that general area, but that didn't lead to any sign of water entry. I also ran a hose on the hatch cover above the V-berth without any water coming in. The mast foot seems too far away, as the area of the leak is about 3 feet forward and given the slope of the deck there, I think any leak there would run into the head, not the V-berth, so I've ruled that out. I ran water over the anchor locker at the bow, thinking that maybe a leak there could run down the port side of the V-berth and leak in the area described above, but it also stayed dry.
My last guess is that perhpaps one or more of the screws holding the V-berth hatch in place is leaking, not into the V-berth, but into the deck core and then inside the headliner and down the vinyl fabric at the side of the V-berth into that corner--although I ran the hose there, I think it must take longer to gradually run its course, as there was no immediate leak. Unfortunately, there is no access to that headliner in that area without removing the V-berth wood moulding, plywood veneer and headliner staples--a pretty significant job for me.
When the weather improves I will rebed that V-berth hatch cover, but in the meantime I'm not convinced that I have identified the source of the leak correctly yet, though I don't have any other ideas.
Has anyone had a similar leak, given that this area of the Ericson boats is configured similarly? I would appreciate any help or advice to help me solve this problem.
Frank
The water is visible right at the joint between the V-berth bulkhead and the V-berth base on the V-berth side. The woodwork at the corner (ie. the rear port corner of the V-berth when I raise the cushion) is damp; when I look inside the locker which contains the holding tank, I can see water drops on the underside of the V-berth floor at that corner, and it then runs down that bulkhead and then leaks under the bulkhead into the head beside the toilet. I have dried it all, and it returns during a rainfall, so I know it's fresh rainwater.
I have tried to find the source of the leak, but so far no success. I first dried the wood with a heater and then ran a water hose for about 20 minutes on the rubrail and on the port stanchion in that general area, but that didn't lead to any sign of water entry. I also ran a hose on the hatch cover above the V-berth without any water coming in. The mast foot seems too far away, as the area of the leak is about 3 feet forward and given the slope of the deck there, I think any leak there would run into the head, not the V-berth, so I've ruled that out. I ran water over the anchor locker at the bow, thinking that maybe a leak there could run down the port side of the V-berth and leak in the area described above, but it also stayed dry.
My last guess is that perhpaps one or more of the screws holding the V-berth hatch in place is leaking, not into the V-berth, but into the deck core and then inside the headliner and down the vinyl fabric at the side of the V-berth into that corner--although I ran the hose there, I think it must take longer to gradually run its course, as there was no immediate leak. Unfortunately, there is no access to that headliner in that area without removing the V-berth wood moulding, plywood veneer and headliner staples--a pretty significant job for me.
When the weather improves I will rebed that V-berth hatch cover, but in the meantime I'm not convinced that I have identified the source of the leak correctly yet, though I don't have any other ideas.
Has anyone had a similar leak, given that this area of the Ericson boats is configured similarly? I would appreciate any help or advice to help me solve this problem.
Frank
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