Typhoon mystery

[Sally Perreten]

When it rains heavily we get water in the well beneath the cockpit. We can find nothing else wet, such as cockpit lockers/qtr berths, and it can't be coming in through the drop boards as it would have to arc around to get under there. If it rains a long time we get quite a bit. Does anyone have ideas as to where we should be looking? It's not in the category of problem, but it does occupy a corner of our minds.

Sally

[Jim Buck]

Sally,

The last Typhoon I owned had this problem. My issue was a leaky scupper hose. I tested it by closing the gate valves and pouring a bucket of water into the cockpit. If you dried verything before trying this you might see a drop or drip and uncover your leak. If all is still dry try closing one and leaving the other open then refill the cockpit with water. Should be able to see a drip this way also. I also had a small amount get in through the lazarette lid when it was really raining; never figured out a cure for that. I would look for a leaky gate valve or scupper hose first. Hope this helps and please let us know what you find out.

Jim

[Steve Laume]

If it is a failed and leaking scupper hose it could move into the arena of a serious problem. Those puppies are below the water line.

Failed caulking around the rudder post or the inspection port would both result in water where you are finding it.

It sounds like you should close the cockpit drain seacocks and take a tub in the cockpit. Splash around real good and look for the drips after your bath.

Or spray everything down with a hose, Steve.

[Sally Perreten]

Thank you, Steve.

Hoses, seacocks and thru-hulls are new. We only have the leak after a heavy rainfall. And there is no salt taste in the water at all, so we know the cockpit drains are not involved.

One of these days we'll get to a dock and turn a hose on it - good suggestion. I thought there might be a known culprit others have experienced.

Sally

[Markst95]

Hi Sally- what year is your boat. My 72 lazarette covers would leak when I sprayed a hose on them and drain into the area you described. If it rains hard enough the small drainways aren't enough to keep some water from overflowing into the quarterberths. I keep my boat at a mooring and wanted to be able to lock them so I beefed them up and added some hinges which have helped.

[Sally Perreten]

Yes, we thought that had to be the way water got in, but there is no water evident on the quarter berths. They are always dry. It doesn't seem possible that water leaking past the hatch covers could get past the quarter berths with leaving them at least damp.

THe previous owner was a smart engineer and confessed to not knowing how water got in there.

Well, we will have to get to a dock sometime and turn on the hose.

Thank you for your suggestion, though.

[bifcondor]

in my case it was a jug of fresh water that I kept stored onboard under one of the V berths. it had a pin hole leak and slowly drained. I don't know how my mystery would have unfolded had I not noticed the near empty jug. how much water are you finding and how long between mopping it dry?

[Sally Perreten]

We only find water there after a heavy rain. About 6 big spongefulls. It's perplexing, but not problematical. We aren't storing anything there that might be harmed by water.

Sally

[Appleton68]

Are you saying there is no water on the deck below, just in the keel area? When it rains hard, as it did last weekend in the Boston area, I end up with water on the deck below but not on the berths, etc. (although it may have been there & dried up).

[Sally Perreten]

The only place we find water is under the cockpit. None in the qrtr berths, none on the cabin sole.

Sally

[Sea Hunt]

Hello Sally:

Sorry about the delay in responding to your post.

I had a similar problem with S/V Tadpole. If you do a search using words like "water in Typhoon bilge", scupper hoses on Typhoon" or similar type search words you will find several good posts discussing causes and solutions.

Here is the link to a post I started months ago:

http://www.capedory.org/board/viewtopic ... on&start=0

There is also another thread (regrettably, also started by me) that I cannot find. I think there are more detailed suggestions from experts on this board in that other thread. Unfortunately, I am "computer challenged" and my good friend OJ has yet to offer to help me learn more about computers.

In my case, whenever there was a heavy rain the cockpit would have 1"-2" of water and the bilge would have 4"-5" inches of water. After a lot of scratching my head and posts on this board, I determined that the cause of my problem was the scupper drain hoses were "looped" into a 360 degree circle creating something like an air pressure block and preventing the rain water from draining out the cockpit via the scupper drains. The water in the cockpit and the bilge was fresh not salt water.

With no where to go the rain water then would fill up the cockpit. Once it got above 1 1/2" to 2" high in the cockpit the water would drain drown through the tiller stem fitting affixed to the cockpit sole. It has about a 1 1/2" lip to the stem. The "overflow" would then drain into the bilge where it would remain until I pumped it out.

Solution: I replaced the scupper drain hoses with more flexible hoses that did not have to have a 360 degree rotation to them. Water now drains quickly and completely through the scupper hoses. The "scupper drain hoses" may not be your issue.

At the suggestion of several on this board I also sealed the area around the tiller stem fitting to prevent any further water intrusion.

My bilge and cabin sole are now essentially bone dry regardless of how hard it rains. Of course, I live in South Florida so "bone dry" is a relative term. There is always some moisture in the bilge (mostly from oppressive 95% humidity ) but now I just sponge the moisture out with a small sponge it is so little. I believe a small amount of water is also coming from the cockpit seat hatches. When it rains really, really hard (often in South Florida this time of year) the angled slots on each side of the seat hatch covers cannot drain the water fast enough and some drips into the aft cabin where it finds it way into the bilge. I believe this to be accurate because once in a while I notice the dock lines and anchor lines stored in below the seat hatches are moist or damp.

Hope this helps a little.

[Sally Perreten]

This is certainly interesting and most informative! I think you've put us on the right track. I just bet you've provided the answer.

Sally