4788 Port Side Salon Water Leak Source Solved-gctid705415

[vinomaker]

I have a leak that is staining the fabric above the lights and windows on the port side in the rear section of the salon. I noticed one of the lights was flickering and dim, when I pulled off the puck light cover water poured out. So, water is draining into the area above the lights from somewhere.

After removing the shades and taking down the valance, I removed the staples holding the ceiling material so I could inspect the whole area above the windows. I inspected the hose connection from the scupper on the upper deck and all was dry. I had a helper spray water from above to try to see where it was getting in. Looking up into the area where there was black stains on the fiber glassed beam I could see water very slowly collecting on the beam. It is located above the back window area 7 inches forward and 4 inches in from where the scupper is located on the top deck. We aimed a stream of water into the scupper drain and found it to be totally blocked. We used a plumbers snake to run down the drain hose to get it unblocked. The starboard drain was blocked as well so we cleared it out too.

Again my helper sprayed the area from above as I watched from below and water was still collecting on the beam. It appeared that the scupper area had been caulked before by the previous owner and myself. We took a closer look at the area and found a pin hole in the fiber glass. We scraped and poked finding some soft material. I then cut out enough material forward of the scupper to see if the plywood board below the fiber glass layer was wet. Sure enough there was a cavity around the scupper that was a reservoir of water that has pooled.

Source of the leak is found! Now, I have to make sure it is dried out before I re-seal the area. I am gong to have a professional come out and examine the situation and bid on fixing it before I decide to continue on my own.

Lesson to share: Make sure your scupper drain hoses are clear and functioning.


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[higgins_jr]

Wow Jerome. Thanks for sharing. You have a repair job and a half now!! So was the pinhole in the curved cupped area of the drain before the fitting or up on the flat top edge before the water gets into the "cup"?? The way you've cut it back suggests it was on the flat area outside the drain itself.

To fix it now, I think the easiest way might be to bog and paint it, but let's see what your repair guys say! The tread area is a bugger to fix in any event. I had a 4" round crazing/gelcoat delamination on the top flat edge towards the rear and I had a spray painter bog and epoxy paint it. He did a nice job of matching and feathering in, and while it's a tad shinier that the gelcoat, a cut/polish/wax has blended it so you can't really tell.

I think I've licked my leak as well to be the connection where the hose connects to the scupper fitting. The spiral ribs make it tough to get a good seal and mine was dribbling out underneath. I sealed the underside/around the fitting and it seems to have nailed it.

These leaks can be a combination of things too. I took the drain fitting out a few years ago and found a "V" where the outside gelcoat vertical edge and an inside edge of fibreglass came together, a gap in the wall thickness. With the upper deck dry and after removing the drain fitting, I noticed a drip of water coming thru the gap, so it was getting in I figured from the davit wall fitting thru the wall bolt holes and making its way back between the skins.

Sealing the davit thoroughly, the drain hose reseal and the top edge re spray seem to have done the trick for me. Let us know how you go with the repair.

Cheers

[knuckledragger]

I discovered water in the two aft port side salon lights as well in my 06 490. Just stating the search now. Thinking of just caulking every seam and especially around the scupper drain. Any advise greatly appreciated!

[higgins_jr]

Knuckledragger, I'd suggest you use the search facility "4788 salon leak" to see prior threads. They will be of assistance I'm sure.

Cheers

[Oakland4788]

After reading this post, I discovered the scuppers for the first time. Near the rear of the fly bridge on both the port and starboard sides. I have a 2001 4788.

Where do these drain too?

I cannot see water exiting anywhere? Do they somehow go to the bilge?

Although mine may be blocked, because when I flood the area with a hose the water seems to bypass the scuppers and drain off the aft edge into the cockpit?

Thanks,

Bob

[Simonsen]

"Oakland4788" post=706856 wrote:
After reading this post, I discovered the scuppers for the first time. Near the rear of the fly bridge on both the port and starboard sides. I have a 2001 4788.

Where do these drain too?

I cannot see water exiting anywhere? Do they somehow go to the bilge?

Although mine may be blocked, because when I flood the area with a hose the water seems to bypass the scuppers and drain off the aft edge into the cockpit?

Thanks,

Bob

Bob,

The scuppers drain out the side of the boat just above the water line. If someone is up there and pours water into the drain and you are in the cockpit looking over the side you'll either see water coming out one of the drains there or you'll have goldfish in one of your puck lights in your salon soffit! I don't think they can handle a lot of water at a time (like when washing the boat etc).

If you pour water there does it go down the scupper and out the drain? Inside the cockpit up on the ceiling just above the lights up in the corner there is an oblong plate with four small phillips screws..if you remove that it gives you access to the scupper/hose connection. It's a poor design at best! The scupper meets a T fitting. There is a forward drain scupper that's under the lounge chair on the FB...the hose on that attaches to the back scupper via the T..this is where I think they went wrong...they used a corregated hose that goes down to the drain! It's very hard to efficiently clamp a hose of this nature. A lot of members have had difficulties getting it to seal. I think what Jerome is dealing with would be on the more "rare" side of things but our boats are getting old.

Derek

[Oakland4788]

Dereck,

I now see where the water should exit.

I will test it again tomorrow in the sunlight.

So far! I have no leaks in the salon.

[Guest]

Chasing a similar leak. Wonder if the 4588 has a rear flybridge scupper? Found the one in the foot well at the flybridge helm. Could not ID another, maybe behind the seat box?

[vinomaker]

Well, I was optimistic I had it solved. I stuffed the hole with paper toweling then covered the open area I had exposed with plastic and tape. After a rain I pulled the cover off and the paper towels were soaked but the amount of water did not drain into the salon. It was enough to keep the board wet in the ceiling with minor water dripping into a towel placed there.

I then taped shut any suspicious caulking or crack or previous repair in the gel coat and re sealed the exposed area by the scupper. Next rain same thing, the paper towels in the hole were wet and water was sitting in the area below the fiberglass around the scupper.

Looking up into the ceiling and wall all along the port side from above and below there is no evidence of water leaking or traveling.

One area I will check next is the gutter drain that runs above the port windows. I will unscrew it and reseal to see if that is the culprit. I also plan to re-caulk all the gear on the radar arch even though there is no moisture present. And I will re-caulk where the radar arch meets the fly bridge wall.

I have the salon torn apart until I get this solved which is a mess.

[monstercomp]

Hello Vinomaker,

I have the same exact problem as you described on mine. Did your problem ever get resolved?

Thanks in advance
Johnny

[higgins_jr]

Jerome, when I saw your "tape job", I wondered whether that was going to be successful keeping the water out. At a very minimum, in my view, I think you need to start again and lay a continuous line of sealant around the hole and vertical walls (particularly on the tread pattern) then retape/reseal.

Certainly the rain gutter edge trim can be one source - to see if any water is collecting in the back cockpit roof cavity, there should be a hole with a removable plug up under where the rear clears fasten at the top in the corner. Remove the plug and stick your finger in there to check.

Obviously you need to be there when it's raining or flood the rear flybridge with a hose to see whether you can get to the bottom of it.

Cheers

[Guest]

I think Kevin Sanders posted a while ago about re-caulking all around the radar arch. His leak was showing up on the starboard side (puck lights and the rear valance). I was having the same issue. Re-caulked every inch of the radar arch. I hesitate to say the leak is gone (for fear of jinxing myself) but after the last week of heavy rain I haven't seen any signs of water intrusion.

Keep at it, Jerome!

[smitty477]

"Chasing a similar leak. Wonder if the 4588 has a rear flybridge scupper? Found the one in the foot well at the flybridge helm. Could not ID another, maybe behind the seat box?"

Hello Masonj - The 45 is not the same but if you are chasing a leak 'under' the davit arm that is likely your culprit on the 45.

On the 47 those rear scupper can be accessed and 'watched' for leaks after removing the covers high on each side by the cockpit lights outside in the cockpit. Sometimes the leaks are hard to detect as they run slowly along that corrugated hose.

FWIW - when searching for leaks along the drip rails and/or the arch I really like to find the source 100%.

Typically that can be done by systematically covering the drip rail or potential area with some 'hull preservation tape' normally used for shrink wrapping.

Tape up one area at a time and run a sprinkler over the top to see if you have the leak beat.

Hope this helps

[jas0381]

#11.

I just overdid everything. We claimed success but there was limited expertise with lots of luck.

Was able to ditch the buckets and clean the watermarks on the valance.

[egbauman]

"jas0381" post=707191 wrote:
#11.

Was able to ditch the buckets and clean the watermarks on the valance.

What did you use to get the valence clean?

I'm battling the same leak on the port side of my 47. I've got the port side of the radar arch and the base (where it meets the hull) all sealed up with preservation tape. We had one decent rain since then and did find some water making it down into the salon. At this point I suspect the snaps where the bimini attaches to the top of the arch. Found some of them could rotate and will have someone remove these snaps and install new ones (hopefully with lots of 5200).

This past weekend, I snaked out the port aft scupper and ran the hose on it while inspecting the drain tubing through the access port. Absolutely dry there. So hopefully the snaps on the arch are the sole culprit. if not, it'll be time to tape up the port drip rail.

[vinomaker]

Spray nine was recommended and blew me away with the results. http://www.amazon.com/Spray-26832-Mu.../dp/B0014COKYU

Here are two sections before and after. The second section I will try to work on some more but the first one is great!