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

[Reuben Mezrich]

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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