Leak into the aft cabin at roof level

Can anyone offer any advice.  After the very heavy rains in Spain we returned to find the bilges with 4" of water and wet mattresses in our aft starboard cabin.  Water has been leaking from the junction of the ceiling and the common wall between the shower and the bedroom. It is freshwater.  Above it lies the channel where the halyards run from the mast to the jammers.

Despite a careful search we can't find how the rain is getting into this spot.  Has anyone else experienced this problem or have any suggestions?

Thanks.

Thanks John.

I took the mast seal plate off and there was signs of shrinkage and leakage past the rubber so hopefully the added sikkaflex seal will deal with one leak source.  However water is still making its way to the aft cabin.  I removed the lining in the shower/toilet (the cabin roof lining is going to be a b-- of a job if I have to remove it!  No signs of water on that lining.

I hosed down the roof in the vicinity of the sprayhood / sliding hatch cover / halyard lines cover and lo and behold that may be the entry point.  What I can't understand is how.  The deck appears to be basically a large one-piece moulding with the halyards channel cover "sikkaflexed" all along its length on each side of the moulded channel. The sliding hatch cover appears to be similarly attached.  I can't see any other entry points in the channel or cover moulding.  I can see that the sikkaflex on both pieces has shrunk a bit and has thin hairline cracks in it, but that shouldn't affect the integrity of the coachroof moulding itself.  The only question in my mind is whether there are some sort of fasteners from inside the coachroof holding the channel covers in place; surely Hanse wouldn't just rely on 2 strips of glue to hold things in place, particularly when I have 2 teak handholds running the length of the cabin and attached to the halyard channel cover.

I hope my descriptions make sense.  If anyone else has had similar leakages how did you get the roof linings off in the cabin (mine have nice neat silicon seal beading all around their edge!).

Oh so appropriate timing... a thread on leaks!

After the initial leaks on delivery and the main one that I fixed that was where the mast passes through the deck, we have been leak free for 3 years...

Until this winter.  During the recent heavy rains water was coming in at a fair rate in the forecabin and to a lesser extend in the salon.  Both manifesting itself through the light fittings.  Unfortunately in the forecabin, enough water got onto the wooden shelves that it soaked into some end-grain and has discoloured.

However, I am also at a lost to explain where it is coming from.  I have exactly the same thoughts as Graeme.  I thought it was the mast again, but a new rubber seal didn't help for the forecabin leak and the saloon, I also can't figure it out.

Since I also have a 461, the headlining is beautifully sika'ed in and no way to remove it without making an almighty mess. (Actually, I have to say, the general level of workmanship regarding the sika/silicon is outstanding.  I've never ever achieved that quality of join!)

Interesting point Panos makes... maybe it is the hatches???

David
461#028


Edited by leemind - 07 April 2010 at 14:02

Hi Graeme,

Edited by John Allison - 15 April 2010 at 17:17

Thanks for the advice.  I was able to contact a great guy in Windermere (Hanse UK) who was able to tell me that there are two sets of guides in the channel and to access them I just have to cut away the sikkaflex holding the covers to the hull.... No bolts or screws.  So all I need is a good long warm day and a supply of Stanley knife blades!

Having taken this on board, if you have your liferaft secured to the hatch garage (as mine is) we may be relying on a thin wedge of Sikkaflex to stand between us and disaster should you ever get heavy seas over the cabin roof.  Mine is going to the stern at the earliest opportunity.

As an aside we also talked about other 461 maintenance jobs.  He suggested keeping an eye on the steering rods and their nyloc nuts, have been known to vibrate loose.  Also to make sure the tube surrrounding the rudder post is protected from foreign objects falling in and fouling the needle roller bearings.  He also suggested I check if the boom is using three mounting points for the main instead of two.  Not that as far as I know any 461's have had boom problems, but all the same!