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Does anyone have a truly dry boat? I have been making progress in sealing up and keeping water out. Today found about 1 litre of water in bilge (after about a week of heavy rain), but have no idea where it came from, as cockpit locker seemed dry. There was a little moisture on inside of locker cover/hatch. My biggest concern is the quarter berth upper side (i.e underside of starboard side cockpit seat), which was very moist (condensation).
This quarter berth area is constantly wet on the upper surface. The quarter berth is only open on one side, towards the dinette. Without airflow condensation is likely to linger there. I have been thinking of fitting a vent in the cockpit. Anyone have similair problem in quarter berth, if so how did you overcome the problem? I thought best position would be aft, in the area of the engine well, but with o'board running, fumes would get into 1/4 berth and then into cabin.So maybe position vent half way along the length of the cockpit seat>
Help much appreciated.
P.S. I am also thinking of fitting a vent on the port side (cockpit locker) and have the ideal spot........blanked of hole where old inboards controls must have been positioned. I would then block up the opening between the cockpit locker and cabin. So then cockpit locker will have its own vent and be closed off from the cabin.

Hi Guys

Egret II has never been a dry boat even when it's not raining .Beer ,Wine, Rum ,Scotch ,Port and when we get desperate the good old Dr Jerds Jungle juice . Egret II has the odd deck track bolt that leaks and her lockers leak sometimes .Oh not to mention a small window leak and when it blows hard on a rainy day the air vents might let a little bit of water in .Apart from that she's a really dry boat The one important thing is my bunk is dry . I personally don't think anybody has a dry boat ,but a litre of water in the bilge is nothing.Egret II doesn't have berths under the cockpit but does have lockers which did have a condensation problem .(I think )I solved part of this problem by installing a inspection port in the cockpit side which can be left open when shes on her mooring . Do the Mk 2 etc 's cockpit coaming and cockpit seat sides have a gap between the deck viewed from the inside if you lay on the bunk and look up .If they do why not install a small half /side vent to the coaming side, this should coarse a draft and solve your condensation problem. I did spend a rainy day and a night on-board Egret II couple of years ago with a pencil ? HMM ! AND spotted and marked all the leaks and repaired them on a sunny day.You will be surprised how hard it is to find a leaking metal thread or a self tapper because they don,t drip as such but weep.I have known one person how put food dye along his deck tracks and stanchion bases and sprayed the area with water from a spray bottle and waited for the dye to do it's job .

Cheers Bear

I spent a few months tracking down and sealing all the leaks Storm Petrel(Mk11) when I got her about 5yrs ago - there were quite a few from some strange places, but that is another story. Luckily Stormy has a timber, custom fit out(no fibreglass liner except in the v-berth cabin), so I can see and get to all the through bolts on the deck to track down where water is coming in. For several years now Stormy has had a dry bilge and the cabin remains completely dry even after heavy rain or a day or two in a rough sea. I do however have one small (and bloody annoying) leak that I cannot track down in the bow. It doesn't leak in the rain but after a day in a heavy sea I end up with a cup or two of water in the bow locker dam(below the anchor locker). I have resealed all the through bolts in the bow, double checked the anchor well and can only think the water must be coming from under the stem head fitting somewhere or from the deck/hull joint?

It is great having a dry cabin to sleep in and you don't get condensation or mold if you leave the boat closed up for a bit.

Cheers,
Mark
Storm Petrel

Seaka is a dry [water] Top Hat, but that came at the expense of time tracing each and every leak and resealing where necessary etc.

Now the problem is condensation, with the higher humidity here in Queensland this cold winter is giving me all sorts of problems, mind you it’s all gone by 0900 or there abouts. So I just wipe up the hanging drips and get on with it!

Phillip
Back at the MacKay Marina.

Hi Top Hatters

Went down to Egret II today couldn't believe it ?dry as bone after all that rain one happy Bear

Bear

I was the same on Sea Lady completely dry despite the top wash board not on and one deck fitting out of place. I think someone must have been on board.

I was very surprised that she was dry was expecting a swimming pool.