Strategy for leak mystery

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JP Kewley 97x
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:50 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Portland

Strategy for leak mystery

Post by JP Kewley 97x »

Just bought a 97x. It is completely covered under a tarp that has some tiny holes and a few small holes. I do not see any puddles or dripping happening from the tarp when I look all around the cockpit and deck. There is water coming in at a slow drip during rain in the aft panel fiberglass lip, which is where the inner fiberglass liner channels leaks from most deck hardware I’ve learned…

Looking for suggestions to pinpoint the leak point(s).

Thinking of taping plastic over various parts to see if it stops the leak or helps me detect water. Any better ideas for me or places to focus my attention?

I’m baffled by the lack of any water anywhere on the outside of the boat and still a leak on the inside!

Image

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JP Kewley 97x
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Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:50 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Portland

Re: Strategy for leak mystery

Post by JP Kewley 97x »

Oh I just found this idea to pressurize the interior and can’t wait to try it!

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... 75#p280475
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Be Free
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Re: Strategy for leak mystery

Post by Be Free »

I have to say that I'm baffled about where that first picture was taken. I know that some of the interior trim changed between your model X and mine but I just can't place it.

If it's coming from the upper part of the cabin the most likely spots are the deck connector for the mast (or any other cabin-top penetrations your boat may have) and the mast foot. Once water gets through the cabin top it can run over the upper liner until it comes out in a variety of odd places.

A leak running down the side of the cabin is usually a chain plate or a window leak although I've had cabin-top leaks make it all the way to the sides as well.
Bill
2001 26X Simple Interest
Honda BF40D
"If I were in a hurry I would not have bought a sailboat." Me
JP Kewley 97x
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:50 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Portland

Re: Strategy for leak mystery

Post by JP Kewley 97x »

That picture is the panel for the interior transom access. I can stick my head in there and see exactly where the water is dripping through a weakness in the fiberglass. It’s below the motor well but that is separate fiberglass. This is the interior liner fiberglass.

Thanks for the help!
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pitchpolehobie
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Re: Strategy for leak mystery

Post by pitchpolehobie »

There is a drain line there from the motor well. It could also be any deck hardware higher up that tracks down along the liner interior from a wicking effect. Check the rear cleats etcvin the cockpit.
2002 MacGregor 26X: Remedium
Tohatsu 25HP
Cruising Area: Inland Ohio, Lake Erie
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Jimmyt
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Location: Mobile AL 2013 26M, 60 Etec

Re: Strategy for leak mystery

Post by Jimmyt »

What has the humidity been in the last few days? If you are having temperature swings that cross the dew point, you may be seeing condensation. The interior space between the liner and cabin top will be poorly ventilated, and the liner will likely be slow to warm; making condensation a possibility.

You don’t mention how well you vented the boat, or if you had a heater in the cabin. If I recall correctly, Portland can be humid from time to time.

My go-to for finding deck leaks is; one person outside with a bucket or hose, and one inside with a flashlight. Wetting small areas at a time, look for an increase in the drip rate. If the boat isn’t level, start at the lowest points and work your way up, leaving plenty of time for the water to work its way down the liner.

If you are tarped, and don’t see any water on deck, I’m guessing condensation, though.

Good luck! And, please post what you find.
Jimmyt
P-Cub-Boo
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OverEasy
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Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
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Re: Strategy for leak mystery

Post by OverEasy »

Hi All!

Looking at this post it is something we can relate to.
We found some minor “annoyance “ leaks last year that we fixed by gently tightening ALL the window bolt/nut sets.
Two person job with one on the inside tightening the nuts and one on the outside holding the Phillips head screw still.
(Lots of those little interior nut cover caps to take off and put back on ….)

Our windows are set with what we assume is the factory original 2001 butyl putty which is great as it tends to last and remain pliable for nearly forever. The thermal cycling over the years along with the twisting/turning/flexing over the decades loosened things up just slightly. After tightening any window leaks disappeared.

The annoyance leaks back in mid aft berth area that we found were related to the pedestal and feedthroughs.
These we fixed by a couple of approaches.
First was the unbolting of the the pedestal from the cockpit sole.

The factory feed throughs were not completely sealed nor were they sufficiently proud above the deck.
So we took them out and replaced them with new PVC pipe sections that are about 6 inches higher than the cockpit deck and after throughly cleaning away any prior goop that the various prior owners had applied to the base material sealed everything top/bottom/in between with 5200. This has eliminated any rain and wave wash leaks from these feedthroughs.

Then for the pedestal base bolts we again throughly cleaned away any prior sealant to base material.
We applied a liberal coating of 5200 to the bolt shanks and added neoprene washers at the top deck interface before tightening up the bolts holding the little angle brackets to the deck. (We wiped the interior bolt threads clean of ant 5200 before tightening so that in the future these pedestal bolts can be removed.)

These steps took care of the annoyance leaks in this area.

In 2020 we had the rub rail replaced as the original had suffered some cuts and abrasions prior to us.
It was time.
While we don’t know if there were any leaks associated with the rub rail it is nice to know that the new rubber and sealant is in place for the future.
We also resealed the chain plates at this time while we were at it.

Now on to the only remaining annoyance leak we have left which is remarkably similar to the interior engine bowl one presented by JP Kewley 97x! Image
We noticed that after all the pedestal and feedthrough sealing we accomplished that the annoyance leakage there was substantially reduced but not entirely eliminated.
At some point in time one of the poor owners had routered/dremeled out a crack on the interior surface of the bowl inner liner and applied gelcoat to it. We can only assume that the cracking may have been caused by water migrating into the region between the exterior deck shell and the inner liner shell. How the factory seal the shells together is somewhat if a mystery to us but it couldn’t have been anything but a blind assembly with resin goobered on the surfaces and hope for the best technique. Any water getting inbetween would have become trapped expanding when temperatures dropped below freezing and ice formed.

While we haven’t gotten to it as yet (other than to place a small plastic bin under it) I think that our approach is gonna involve injecting a slow cure thin flowing potting type epoxy resin into this interspace area to see if that will eliminate this last annoyance.
If anyone has seen this and gotten it resolved we are all ears and open to suggestions!

Best Regards
Over Easy😎😎🐩🐈
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Be Free
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Re: Strategy for leak mystery

Post by Be Free »

There are a lot of penetrations in that area that could be causing your problem. I assume that the bow of the boat is higher than the stern so a leak anywhere between the companionway and the transom could be the source.

Remove the cover between the aft berth and the transom and see if the drain in the engine well is leaking.

There are a number of cables that pass through the hull near that point. Water could be running along one of them and dripping between the liner and the hull.

The connection for the backstay is another possible spot for water to migrate to where you see the leak.

A crack or hole in the bottom of a fuel locker has been known to drip in that area.

There are two holes between the pedestal and the aft berth. A leak there usually drips straight down on the mattress but it could run to where you are seeing it.
Bill
2001 26X Simple Interest
Honda BF40D
"If I were in a hurry I would not have bought a sailboat." Me
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Dougiestyle
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Re: Strategy for leak mystery

Post by Dougiestyle »

Congrats on the new to you 97X. Welcome to the club!

I had the same area leaking on my 98X. I put water in the fuel lockers and found they were leaking through to the liner, which came out of the same area as yours. I drilled a hole so most of the water that gets in can drain to the cockpit. When they assembled the lockers they used a sealant on the locker to cockpit flange which tends to leak over time. I cleaned out as much of the old sealant as possible, and resealed with 4200, it took 3 tries to stop all the leaking from them.

Check any protrusions under the pedestal reseal when you have it opened.
I pulled all the cosmetic caps on the inside to help inspect for leaks.

Good luck let us know what you find.
Dougiestyle
1998 26X , Nissan 50D, "Water Buffalo"
JP Kewley 97x
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Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:50 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Portland

Re: Strategy for leak mystery

Post by JP Kewley 97x »

Thank you all for sharing your experience and suggestions!

I will keep this post updated with my findings.

It is comforting to know I’m not alone in this challenge and I will do my best to enjoy this mystery and document it here.

Water can be our friend and our enemy… hopefully I can keep it outside of my cabin and we can remain on good terms ;)
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Be Free
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Re: Strategy for leak mystery

Post by Be Free »

Image
Bill
2001 26X Simple Interest
Honda BF40D
"If I were in a hurry I would not have bought a sailboat." Me
JP Kewley 97x
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:50 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Portland

Re: Strategy for leak mystery

Post by JP Kewley 97x »

After a long search I have finally isolated the leak… water is coming in through the chain plates. I have masking tape on them currently and there is no water dripping in the aft birth!

Thanks everyone for your help!

May we all stay dry in our cabins,

JP
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Russ
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Re: Strategy for leak mystery

Post by Russ »

Chainplates are the most common place for leaks.

Glad you got it sorted out.
--Russ
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