[Rhodes22-list] Leak at the bow....where to look first

[Michael D. Weisner]

Reuben,

I would check the bow eye. The wood backing block usually rots and the eye loosens up. Sometimes just lifting the boat using the bow eye will cause the eye to loosen as the wood compresses.

Also, you may want to re-bed the bow pulpit rail deck fittings, chocks, etc.

Mike
s/v Wind Lass ('91)
Nissequogue River, NY
I’d rather be sailing :~)

-----Original Message-----
From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> On Behalf Of Reuben Mezrich
Sent: Monday, March 1, 2021 4:08 PM
To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Leak at the bow....where to look first

As I mentioned a week or two ago, I installed a Marinco 3" Day/night solar vent at the bow, using the hole already in place for the anchor locker. It installed easily, seemed to work fine but a few days later we had a heavy rain and the next day the forward tips of the forward cabin cushions were wet. I removed the vent, replaced the deck plate, installed a new gasket under the deck plate, applied a generous amount of RTV silicone to both sides of the gasket and reinstalled the solar vent. The next day (yesterday
actually) I used a hose to rain water on the forward deck, aiming at the solar vent for about 6 minutes and when I checked below everything was dry.
I checked again in an hour and it was still dry.
This morning there was about a cup of water, maybe two cups of water at the bow. There was no water in the tray that serves as the anchor locker and which is directly under the solar vent. The vent itself was dry as was the ceiling around the vent. The walls were also dry. I dried the water with a towel and a few hours later a small amount of water seemed to be seeping under a triangular piece of wood at the very  bow of the boat (see attached photo). I haven't removed that piece of wood yet but I'm pretty sure I'll find the bolts from the chain plate at the bow for the jib stay.
My feeling now is that the solar vent was never the source of the leak but I've had a small leak for a while but never noticed because I never had a reason to go up to the very front of the forward cabin. As it turns out the bottom of the cushions, which are rubberized are stained, giving evidence that the leak is likely long standing.
Those bolts would be my best guess as the source of the leak but I'd look forward to suggestions as to where else I might look.

Its always something

--Reuben


Reuben Mezrich
Pelican Cove in Sarasota
Cell: 410-499-8922

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