Chrysler Sailors Forum

my boat has been out of the water for 6 months , i found some water in the cabin. i suspect the windows , or the toe rails . anyone have this problem

Yep! A real problem on C-20's especially, due to design. I'm planning on re bedding all the hardware next spring. The previous re-bed job was done with some kind of red putty which is now flaking off. This looked interesting, I may give it a try.
viewtopic.php?t=3132&highlight=butyl+tape

I found significant leaks wicking up through the toe rail joints. Once I solved those areas, I found leaks around the toilet waste through-deck fixture.

Tons of leakage from the top that caused significant waterlog problems with the foam in the starboard settee. You can see the results of that effort on previous posts.

I've also removed and overdrilled all of my hardware. I filled those holes with epoxy and redrilled smaller "location" holes. I'll primer and paint the entire boat next spring and bed the hardware in butyl rubber.

Currently, I have no leaks!

leaks or not im going sailing next week......... i hope

On the S.S.Lollipop, I do not consider topside leaks an immediate problem as long as the topside remains on top The bottom side on the other hand........

Leaks, good one. I'm going to say it's your Port Hole window(s).

The first posting I ever read on this forum was about a top side leak. One of the people who responded said that all of our boats came with factory installed leaks.

This I read before I purchased my boat and I still love my boat some 3 or 4 years later. My boat did not leak for a couple years so I guess I was lucky. However my Aft, Starboard side porthole started leaking. At first just a few drops, no big deal, it might have been condensation. A month later I had an inch of water on the cabin floor. However at that time I could not find the source of the water. I put paper towels down and came back after a big rain. Most of the paper towels were wet but I did narrow it down to the Starboard side.

Now I had to wait for a dry day or three. I got all the water out and let the boat dry for two days. Then I laid out my paper towels again and got my hose on a bright sunny day.

I hosed down the the aft cockpit area. All dry inside.

I hosed down the bow. All dry inside.

I hosed down the Port side cabin area. All dry inside.

I hosed down the Starboard side cabin area. I could see the water running down the Aft Starboard window from the outside in a little river-let. AHHHHH No water going in on the forward window.

Here is my link to the posting on fixing the issue. Read the posting everyone else added to this posting too. Really good stuff on fixing windows, deck hardware etc. I put in step by step how to's which we're further enhanced by the rest of the forum. My first attempt failed but came close to the mark. My second attempt, also documented here, with the guidance of this forum worked perfectly!

viewtopic.php?t=2757&highlight=window

My boat has been high and dry inside ever since. Much thanks to all who contributed to my success.

Thanks
Alan

I,m plagued by the leak issue as well. I bought my boat this past summer and put it in a slip on the south shore of lake superior. A month later I pumped 15 gallons of water out. After pulling the boat out, re-sealing the windows and storing her on land for a while I came back to find another 15 gallons of H2O. I originally thought water might be leaking from the keel but now I'm wondering if it isn't the toe rails and how to remedy this. I fear I might have the only boat that doesn't float.

On my C-20, I had some leaks with heavy rain. The biggest sources turned out to be the screw holes along side the keel cable trough in the cockpit and the screw holes that attach the cover over the keel winch. Some previous owner had 'sealed' them with some sort of silicone caulk at one point in the boat's life. They had discarded the cover over the keel cable trough, so that area is open. The cover over the keel winch was just left loose; I assume to allow easy removal for inspection and lubrication. The result of those leaks was about an inch or two of water in the lowest forward bilge area (on both sides of the mast/keel trunck) after two or three days of heavy rain. After sealing those holes, the 'major' leaking was eliminated.

I still have some minor leakage coming from the bow behind the small bunkhead in the forward cabin. The forestay chainplate attachment is up there and I suspect either the chainplate or the pulpit rail attachments are leaking. Once the sailing season is over down here, I plan to pull the boat and reseal all the through hull attachments. For now, I am not worried about a tiny bit of leakage...i just keep the cabin cushions at home unless I know that I need them and wipe up the bit of water that accumulates in the forward bilge/storage area.

phil