Leaks 38 Ocean

[Andrew Ward]

Hi All,

This is my first time messaging I hope you may be able to help. I have had Marynia a 1998 38 Ocean since 2016 and have replaced the engine / saildrive, all rigging, sails and electronics, my last job was to replace the electrics including all the interior and exterior lights and have a new control panel installed, but work has been halted due to fresh water ingress on the starboard side from the front cabin and along to the chart station. I have just resealed all the windows, (thanks for the previous posts around that job) and the very small amount of water ingress in these areas has now been sorted, but the problem continues and in heavy weather  and seas is pretty bad.

I think the problem may be at the base of the stanchions and the bow and midships mooring cleats but I do not know how to sort that? I have taken one stanchion out to inspect but the base area that may well need sealing is concealed in the teak strip over the hull to deck seal. Will I need to somehow remove all the substantial teak strip? And how do you reach the base of each stanchion and cleat as most appear to be behind the interior fit out and inaccessible? Does anyone know what tool I would need to remove or tighten the mooring cleats? (they have a hexagon head with a minimal gap around them).

The contractor has informed me that water has been running at the back of the control panel and substantial damage has been sustained. Water now collects at the base of the batteries and in the bilge under the companionway steps and runs into the bilge to the front of the saloon table.

If anyone can help I would be very gratful as it is proving challenging and I have to get it sorted fast.

Thanks,

Andrew Ward
Marynia (Chichester Harbour)

[symphony2]

Welcome

You are correct the water will be coming in because of failure of the sealant under the rubbing strake. been covered here in the past and hopefully Yngmar who has done this job will be along soon with the details of how to deal with it.

[Yngmar]

The most significant leakage on our 40 Ocean was from the stanchion feet, including into the electronics locker, which happens to have one of those feet. You can remove a small panel at the back and top of the lockers all around the furniture to (just about) access the nut for the stanchion feet, then pull them out and rebed with an elastic sealant. Make sure you scrape out any old grot and clean up well.

The other one was from the deck/hull joint, but that was leaking less. Depending on which year your 38 Ocean is (the older ones had the rubbing strake lower on the topsides), the joint is accessible behind the teak rubbing strake, which is easy to remove once you take the stainless strip off it. Then it's a matter of raking out the insufficient sealant, again cleaning and degreasing and installing new, of which you need a lot.

But do the stanchion feet first, they're more likely to be the issue.

[Andrew Ward]

Thanks very much, all really helpful. Yes, my 38 Ocean was built in 1998 and the rubbing strike with the stainless steel strip is lower down on the hull. I am struggling to understand that this is where the actual hull/deck bond is as the rubbing strike stops short of the bow and stern? It looks decorative. Will this really be where the bond is? I will attack the stanchions first...Sorry to have to ask but does anyone know what tool I need to remove the mooring cleats - the hexagon blot heads are naturally sunk flush on the cleats but the gaps around them are minimal.

[Yngmar]

No, it's not, that's what I was trying to say. If the rubbing strake is at the toerail level, then it hides the joint. This changed sometime during the 38 Ocean series. Not sure how to access it on yours. Might even be they glassed over it, in which case it's very unlikely to be leaking. When you take off the rear panels of the lockers, you should get a camera inside which will help see how it's constructed and if it's glassed or sealant. With some luck you might even spot the leaks

[Joe]

Hi Andrew,
If you have the same setup like we do on our B38 Ocean (photo) the rubbing strake should not cause the leaks. Remove the 3 screws from the cover plate of the stanchion and lift it up. You get access to the stanchion bolt which should be well embedded in Sika or Silicone. If the stanchion bolt is not tightly sealed this could be the reason for a leak. Remove the old sealant with a sharp knife and put a generous amount in the hole before you put the cover plate back on the not fully cured sealant. Problem should be solved.

The mooring cleats simply can be removed by unscrewing the nuts from the inside of the boat. The cleats are just fixed with long bolts which you have to push out after unscrewing the nuts.

[Andrew Ward]

Hi,

Thanks very much for those last two replies, I really appreciate the advice. I hope to get down soon to investigate further and yes my boat looks like the photo so fingers crossed it is not the hull / deck seal.