A
leak-proof boat
might seem like the
holy grail – but it
is achievable with
patience and a
thorough approach to problem
solving. Here is a simple
procedure to follow should
you find a leak. We’re not
talking huge quantities here –
if there’s a big leak you’ll need
to make your way to a hoist
ASAP – but for smaller leaks
here’s what to do...
Step 1: Taste it!
Assuming it’s not swimming with
oil or diesel (or sewage, which
leads straight to the holding
tank!), dip your forefinger into the
water and give it a quick taste to
see if it’s salty or fresh.Step 2: What kind
of sailing have you
been doing?
It’s worth reminding yourself of the
weather conditions and the use
your boat has had since you last
looked in the bilges. If she’s been
sitting on the mooring and it’s
been pouring with rain, then
finding fresh water in the bilges
might mean that it’s a leak from
above decks. If, on the other
hand, you’ve been doing some
serious sailing with the rail
submerged in heavy weather, then
the presence of salt water could
lead to a leaky deck fitting.Sailing like this can reveal all sorts of leaks!PRACTICAL
Tracing those
tricky leaks
Boat leaks are the bane of a sailor’s
life, but with patience their source
can be traced. Ben Meakins has
some ideas of where to start...
Leaks above the waterline
WATER TANKS The first thing
to check with a freshwater leak
is the freshwater tank. Flexible
bladders can puncture, hoses
can slip off and taps and
seacocks can leak, depositing the
contents of the tank into the bilge.
You should be able to
reproduce the leak, if it is the
water tank, by baling the bilges
and adding more water to the
tank with a hose, monitoring the
bilge water level while you do so.
If it’s not the freshwater tank, you
can move on.DECK GLANDS The fittings
designed to keep water out
where wires pass through the
deck are another common
source of leaks. Check these
by pouring a bucket of water
over them while someone
looks on from down below.
Common failures include the
rubber gaskets wearing out,
or the wires being too small
for the gland. You can make a
quick fix with Sikaflex or
another sealant. Some of the
better glands that allow a plug
to pass through are of the
J-hoop type.WINDOWS Windows, especially
as boats get older, are a common
leak point. Test these with a hose
or bucket of water. If you have
simple acrylic windows bolted on,
you may get away with tightening
the fixings. However, other
windows, especially those with
complex aluminium frames, may
need stripping and rebuilding,
which is a tricky and time-consuming job. It’s rarely totally
successful to attempt to seal these
in situ, but it’s worth trying to add
extra sealant to areas where it’s
sparse, and products such as
Captain Tolley’s Creeping Crack
Cure can be effective in fixing
small cracks and leaks. However,
at the end of the day, you’re
probably looking at taking them
out in the winter.
Rubber inserts can perishWill Sayer