Help -- Rainwater leak & damage

[PM Field]

I have a 1992 Com-pac 23/3 purchased from the original owner last year. For the past 5 years it sat up on the hard on the marina, untended (the owner's new wife wanted babies, not sailing). During that time it leaked somewhere around the stays. I am (hopefully) including a photo with the damage. I e-mailed Gerry Hutchins at Com-Pac and he replied  "Mike – There are 3 places this leak could be.  The port (least likely), the hull/deck joint, or the chainplates.  The hull/deck joint at the chainplates could be a likely suspect."


My Question -- I am fairly handy and can work with tools, but have never done so on a sailboat like this. Can anyone describe what I actually need to do to stop this leak? Once fixed, I can handle the interior repairs, I think.

Thanks,
Mike Field
Bowley's Marina, Baltimore
pmf@jhu.edu



http://www.com-pacowners.com/4images/details.php?image_id=648

[mgoller]

Hey Mike,
Yes there is a lot of movement and stress where the chainplate comes down behind the rub rail and past the deck hull join.  It is also a low spot where rain water can pool depending on the angle of the boat on dry dock or trailer.  The flange of the join if I remember is a bit thin where the chainplates come down so they lie against the line of the hull.  I would say you may be able to pull the rub rail out and inspect that area. 
A poor man's repair would be to gob that area up with a good sealant without removing anything.  The right way would be to take the rub rail off, remove the chain plate clean the deck join and seal it as best you can. 
Removing the deck from the join completely is overkill and don't do it.
There are tricks to getting the rub rail back on.  I think you need to do it on a hot day so the rub rail is warm and will stretch.  otherwise a mechanical aid of some kind to lengthen it back to shape.
Ports are known to collect water and leak a little.  The water would dribble down and onto the berth usually.  Your picture shows the delamination of the paint from the hull which would indicate water coming through externally past the flange or the chainplate bolts and between the fiberglass and paint. 
When you take the chain plates off you may get some clues.  Look closely as you remove the rubrail before you start cleaning.  You may see signs of water ingress there.  You may see missing sealant around the chain plate bolts as well.
Good luck.  Its all a normal part of boats.  Luckily Com-Pacs have few holes through the hull and the flange was done right so there are seldom problems even with the older boats.

[PM Field]

Thanks! I was afraid I was going to hear that the rubrail needs to come off, only because I'm not quite sure how to do that, and the owner's manual doesn't give any hints.  How is it affixed, and how best removed?

And thanks for taking the time to explain to a novice.
mike

[mgoller]

Hey Mike,
At the stern there is a bronze corner covering the rub rail join.  Through it are two bronze fastners that go through the cover, rub rail and the flange.  You don't need to remove the fastners holding the stern rub rail.  Work out the rub rail by bending the cover out of the way enough.  It is pliable.
Now just start peeling back the rail to the offending area.
It will take all of 10 minutes.
Now you can see what is causing the problem.

[LConrad]

Rate than start a new thread, I though I would ask a follow-up on leaks around the port.  Mine seem to leak, but not consistently. I have not removed any yet, but it looks like they are installed with lots of glazing compound.  Anyway, what are good ways to stop port leaks?

[edbuchanan]

Hi Mike,
     I had a similar problem in Molly, our 1983 23/II.  When I removed the ceiling panel (shown so rotted in your picture) I discovered a neat hole, complete with daylight, in the hull deck joint, right behind a chain-plate.  Upon removing the chain-plate, I noticed some crevasse corrosion in the form of a thin "crack" in each chain plate.  All seven chainplates have been replaced.
     All four ceiling panels were removed.  The trick for removing the forward panels is to remove the fore-peak locker first.  It removes easily.  Of course, all six chain-plates must come out first.  Watch you mast doesn't fall down!  Make sure your center bulkhead is OK.  Then scrub any dark areas in the hull-deck joint with alcohol, then apply 3M Marine Adhesive Sealant under pressure, until it squirts out the outside.  Better to have a bit of a mess than not enough sealant.
     Chain-plates were attached with sealant, applying it on the inboard side of the plate, so as you push it into the slot, it forms a neat little hill of sealant.  Looks like it sheds water well.  The effect is just like Com-Pac's original construction.
     To make the chain-plates more serviceable (also the ceilings), I put the backing plates and lock nuts directly on the hull.  New ceilings were made using the old ones as patterns.  The teak strips were attached with #6 x 1/4" flat head brass wood screws.  I used a marine primer and flat white marine interior paint on 1/8" plywood.  The ceilings were drilled with over-size (chain-plate bolt) holes to allow socket wrench access without removing the ceiling.  The holes were finished with fender washers, spring lock washers and acorn nuts to pretty it up a bit.  Make sure you don't rotate the chain-plate bolt when (barely) tightening the acorn nut.  The result is that the ceilings can now be removed without touching the chain plate.  Chain-plates can likewise be removed (in theory) without removing the ceiling.
     The boat is now dry as a bone. No water or dampness after the three week trip just completed.  We'll see if it lasts!
                                                                          Ernie

[LConrad]

I also get significant interior leaks on the starboard side near the bulkhead.  I first thought it was the compass mounting but am not so sure.  I can slide the sink under this area to help catch water.  Do the ceiling panels transfer leaking water and make it harder to find the real leak?