[Rhodes22-list] Leak on port side bow area of the 1983 Rhodes 22

[Roger Pihlaja]

Steve,

Assuming your 1983 hull is constructed like my 1976 hull, the hull/deck
flange design resembles something like the lid of a shoebox.  The deck has a
downward flange that overlaps the upper edge of the hull.  The space in
between the two components was filled with some sort of sealant & then the
two were mechanically joined with pop rivets on about 18 inch centers.
Finally, the rub rail was installed on the outside of the hull to hide the
seam.  On the inside, the cabin liner also has a downward flange all around
the perimeter.  This cabin liner flange is nonstructural & there should be a
decorative black vinyl molding thru bolted to the flange in order to cover
the hull/deck joint.  In order to inspect the hull/deck flange, this
decorative molding will have to be removed.  When you remove any pieces of
this molding, be certain to mark the location it came from as well as which
end was facing towards the bow because these pieces/parts are not
interchangeable.

The shoebox type of hull/deck flange is a pretty good design & really
shouldn't cause a problem; but, I suppose it's possible the hull/deck flange
has developed a leak.  However, before removing the rub rail, I would remove
the decorative molding up in the V-berth area.  If the hull/deck joint is
leaking; then, the most likely source is one of the pop rivets.  With the
decorative molding removed, you will be able to pinpoint the leak.  Assuming
the leak really is a pop rivet, you will have to remove the section of rub
rail and drill out the pop rivet.  Then, I would cover the inside and
outside of the pop rivet hole with a HD tape like duck tape.  Take a
hypoderdermic syringe and inject as much unthickened epoxy as you can into
the pop rivet hole.  Let the epoxy cure, drill out the hole, put in a new
pop rivet (or machine screw & nut), and reassemble the whole thing.

However, it's also quite likely that once you remove the decorative molding,
you will see the hull/deck joint is not the source of the leak.  To locate
the leak, seal yourself up inside the cabin.  Have an assistant spray water
on various thru bolted fittings on the foredeck and cabin top one at a time
for several minutes each while you inspect for leakage inside the cabin.
It's quite likely the source of the leak is something like a deck cleat,
cabin port, or rail stanchion.  It's also possible you have a crack in the
foredeck in the nonskid or the toe rail and the water is running along the
inside of the cabin liner for some distance before dripping out where you
observe it.

Tiny leaks like you have can be drive you nuts trying to track them down!
Good luck.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

----- Original Message -----
From: "steve" <stevej78 at comcast.net>
To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2004 11:27 PM
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Leak on port side bow area of the 1983 Rhodes 22


Roger,

Good evening,

I 'm a Rhodes 22 owner with a 1983 Rhodes.  I live in Bellevue, WA., in the
Seattle area.

There is a leak on the port side inside the v berth of the boat.

It's a small leak in the in the berth that weeps from the on the port side
seams where the upper deck and hull meet..

This leak seeps down along the port seam to the wooden support rail which is
fiber glassed in the bow.  The water continues along the rail to the end of
the rail where now the exposed wood shows dampness.

Would the rub rail and the black holding device for the rub rail be removed
off around the nose of the boat and using a sealant calk the joint to solve
the leak?

Please advise in stopping this leak.

Thank you for your patience in reading this long email.


Steve Jacobs

Bellevue, WA

Stevej78 at comcast.com



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