Sea Water intrusion in Side Pockets under Dinette Table

[SteveM]

Just got back this morning from the Bahamas. My dad sat at the dinette most of the crossing. He said once in a while when we would go into a deep trough he would feel water spraying him in the legs. I thought he might be a little off. However, when cleaning out the boat I pulled a towel out of those pockets I had stored there; it was fully soaking wet. I'm guessing that under the rub rail is where the boat was sandwiched together. If true, then taking water against the rub rail hard could penetrate and come in....all guesses right now. My first thought is to put a bead of silicone under the rub rail. Anyone else ever have this issue?

BTW, I used 120 gallons coming back from Hope Town to Lake Worth Inlet, I tried to get a sweet spot at 19-20 knots which would average 11.5 gph on the flowscan. Not bad at all. Here's our spot link if anyone is interested in the route. http://share.findmespot.com/shared/face ... lXOqtnSl2l

[Charlie J]

steve
how many miles from hope town to lake worth inlet

[Gert van Leest]

Steve ,

you are right the hull is riveted en screwed together under the rub rail .

don't use silicone , you are better of with sikaflex 291.

Love to take that trip once !!

Gert

[Stephan]

Steve-
I don't envy you chasing leaks.
Given that your dad felt it on his legs and in deep waves might it just be water splashing up from the bilge? I realize that this question introduces the unhelpful possibility that the leak could be anywhere capable of delivering water to the forward bilge but... before (re)sealing the rub rail might it be worth a check to see if the water was splashing up from the bilge. I don't remember where the limber holes are on the hull stringer that runs under the settee but if you have access that might be worth a peek. Also, I can remove the liner from the back of the hanging locker on the port side with just a couple of screws, that might give you a good clue as I would expect there would be some staining from where the water was trickling (spritzing?) through if it is from the rail.
Good luck and best,
Stephan

[SteveM]

Charlie,
It was approximately a 200 nautical mile run. Seas in the Gulf Stream were 3-4' with SE winds, waves were quartering us from the port side as we were heading directly West on the last leg from West End Bahamas. It was very comfortable at 19 knots traversing up down and in the waves with zero pounding.

Gert,
I think you and your family would enjoy it. Please feel free to pick my brain if you ever want to make the trip.

[Kevin]

Don't forget to check above the water line thru-hulls if you have them in that area like for the AC. Bow railing screw holes too. I suspect the rub rail would be the most likely candidate though. Remember to look farther forward from where your dad was sitting as the water would likely travel aft before finding its way down the inside of the hull. If you do not find an obvious spot you could throw some baby powder on the woven roving before your next crossing and I would think it may leave tell tale signs when it gets wet.

It seems so far from the keys but I would love to venture "further out" into the Bahamas.......away from Miami.
Those are some great fuel burn numbers.

[Pete Fallon]

Steve,
I watched your progress last Saturday on the Spot web site. Not bad fuel burn numbers and good time, if you upped your speed 5 to 7 knots your burn would more than likely been the same , you have to remember that the 31's were designed to run in a quartering and beam sea in Narragansett Bay in RI back in 1958 when the first 23 deep v hull was made by Ray Hunt it liked to run on top of the chop not through it. I used to run back from Stellwagon Bank a distance of 20 miles with my old 440 Chryslers at 3000 rpms and burn 30 gallons in 45 minutes, It was always 3 to 4 feet either a beam or quartering sea , it seemed that the faster the 31 goes the better the ride. The ride was always rocking chair smooth.
On the subject of water intrusion in the dinette area I would check the side deck fittings, outrigger bases, spring cleats, deck fills. I don't think it's coming in at the hull deck joint, because the fiberglass inner batten would prevent water from coming inside the boat , unless it's been breached by a screw hole or the batten has delaminated which is very unlikely. I looked at your hull side pictures and the only thru hull in that area is the forward bilge pump fitting, check to see it the caulking is still intact around that fitting. I would use a garden hose with the high pressure stream to check for areas of leaking, put a dry paper towel inside the side pockets and see if there is any drops on it after you spray the deck fittings down. Another area might be at the side window track, water building up in the track then dropping down through an old screw hole. Chasing water leaks is like pissing into the wind, but you will find them eventually.
Pete Fallon

[SteveM]

Pete, I think you are correct on the fuel burn. I was pushing along more so than gliding on top. I seem to recall at 22 knots I was seeing 10gph. I was running at 18-19 knots getting 11.5 -12gph. I have to play with it more to find that perfect sweet spot.

Good idea on the window tracks too. I'll check all of it with a hose this weekend.

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

[M. REY]

I remember to see at the time of my new rub rail installation a gap without fiberglass in each side of the boat hull deck joint, in the closet behind the electric panel and in the port side closet too.
plug the hose there,
good luck!!