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Where's the water coming from?

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2017 5:27 pm
by ChrisC
In the process of working on other projects on my C-22 I have developed a seeping water problem. My boat has been on a trailer since Otober 2016. However, water collects around the keel bolt area on the access hole side (starboard), and now that the plywood has been ground out on the port side, water puddles near that keel bolt as well. Using a mirror and a strong light, I can see moisture further forward in the hull.

I suspect this must be from the flotation foam. Is there anywhere else water could be hiding and seeping from? When I removed the black rubber plug to access the keel bolt area, water gushed out. A substantial amount!!

The water appears every couple of days. I vacuum it out, the area dries out, and then it's back 2 days later.

Two questions:
1) How does this water enter the boat? I know it isn't the keel bolt on the port side. But maybe starboard? What are other possible points of entry? Deck/hull joint (rain)? Area around the stantions?

2) How can I drain it or fix it? I remember Astrorad wrote a post about drilling a hole in the side of the settee to drain the water into the sole floor. This would be OK, but this water clearly seeps into the hull beneath the sole. Maybe it's coming from flotation beneath the v-berth. I believe this water may have contributed to the rot in the keel trunk bracing (that's already in a different thread).

I'm thinking about lowering the bow on the trailer so the water goes elsewhere, the keel bolt/trunk area dries out, and I can make my other repairs. And get my boat in the water. But of course, this does not solve the water problem, and perhaps sets things up for more rot later on.

Thanks for any advice.

Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2017 8:59 pm
by Reality
I had some thing like that. It was the toe rail. I scraped out the caulk/sealant on the top inboard edge of the toe rail and resealed. It stopped.

Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 3:52 pm
by ChrisC
Thanks for the tip. After seeing the water I looked at the toe rail seal closely, and it does need work. It's on my to do list.

Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2017 10:37 pm
by Reality
if it's severe you may need to remove the toe rail and redo the seal under it. I think there are pictures of this process somewhere on the site.

Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 7:53 pm
by ChrisC
Yeah, I was thinking about that. I may be able to do something quick, but it may require more work. I'll have to do some investigating. I think the area around the stanchions is also a problem. I will need to investigate. And yes, I've seen information on this on the site somewhere. :D

Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 5:19 am
by Reality
yes, I also rebedded and refastened my stanchions

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 6:28 pm
by astrorad

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 6:32 pm
by astrorad
Here is video of hull to deck seal repair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V5LrvklbtU

Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 6:33 pm
by astrorad
Here is video of replacing toerail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwoELAC88I4

Re: Where's the water coming from?

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 3:58 pm
by Lydia J
I just became the owner of a C--22 Sandpiper on Friday night. I'm very excited except that I keep returning to the boat to find water resting in various compartments that are not connected: battery storage compartment, storage compartment opposite the table, and on the sole. I covered the entire boat with full heavy duty tarps, and it's still getting water in the cabin. I am terrified because we may have had some warm days here, but it's still winter in Nebraska. It's snowing right now, meaning, it is freezing outside. That means water in my bilge is also freezing. Where is this blasted water coming from?

Did you try covering your boat to see if it still took on water even when it was protected from water sources?

I thought this water may be flowing up from the bilge due to previous leaks; however, after reading this post, I wonder if I may have lots of little leaks all over the boat.

Re: Where's the water coming from?

Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2018 4:26 pm
by Lydia J
Here's the question, for me, guys: I can see how water gets into the hull from the toe rail and stanchions, but how does it get onto the sole floor and into storage compartments that are completely separate from each other as the entire cabin is a molded piece of fiberglass separating it from the holl/bilge. So so baffled by this one.

Re: Where's the water coming from?

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 5:42 am
by jsa
I've had some issues with minor leaking as well. I too was getting water in weird places. I was on the boat in a really heavy rain and noticed water coming in from the cockpit storage hatch/seat on the port side. Water would come in from the corner of the hatch and pour through into the cabin where the galley would be stored. It would then run down the cabin settee and into the storage compartment across from the table. I was also getting water in the battery compartment and found it to be coming in from the companionway hatch. I think the constant pressure there has messed up the seal and the step leading into the companionway kind of slopes toward the cabin, so that doesn't help.

A little sealant around the metal of the companionway hatch fixed the battery compartment leak and cleaning up the seal around the cockpit hatches helped as well. I've found that even a little crud can allow a leak there. I may put an actual seal on the cockpit hatches this season.

Hope this helps a bit.

Re: Where's the water coming from?

Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2018 7:32 pm
by Reality
My C22 had seepage onto the sole floor when I got it. Finally traced it to a crack in the fuel locker (aft middle) due to they'd put a heavy battery in there. I believe the battery bouncing when trailering cracked the floor of that compartment near the seam with the stern. I moved the battery into the cabin in a near center & lower position to help with balance (under settee). The fuel locker gets water from stern and cockpit as it's serves as a "flow through". When water came in (often when backing up with outboard) it's seem down into cabin sole. Previous owner had tried to fix with silicone sealer which comes loose over time. I cleaned the compartment thoroughly and then applied several coats of flexible rubber truck bed liner (spray can). Solved my leak. I also installed flaps on the transom scuppers.