Bow hatch leaking............?

ZaQ · 01-20-2004, 08:30 PM

I have an 19 foot Alumaglue VS. It has a bow hatch where I store life jackets, the Type IV, and the fisherman's top. The darn thing has been leaking this winter and my pfd's are all moldy and wet. Is there something out there I can add to seal the hatch? Thanks!

Kentucky Hog Hunter · 01-20-2004, 08:35 PM

Zaq...

No expert here but call Stevens...I bet they can suggest a permanent solution...

Good Luck...

Billy · 01-20-2004, 09:00 PM

My front Alumaweld hatch condenses real badly causing the same problem. Check/seal any fuel and/or electrical lines in/out. Installing single edge sticky tape in the hatch cover groove slot helps a bit--stops rattling anyway. I ended up stashing the jackets in dry bags. Let us all know if you get a permanent fix. Good luck, Billy

Flatfish · 01-20-2004, 09:04 PM

Is it actually leaking, or just sweating?

Dads drifter was a mold making machine. It would hold water for a month or more. Even in the summer. A truly stinky thing.

Our drybags from cabelas do the same thing.

If it is leaking, depending on where the leak is, glop on some gutter sealant on the inside. If it is a slow leak, this should stop it. redneck garage fixin' at it's best.

If the lid itself is leaking...I have no idea. Call Stevens. They have probably heard every problem in the boating world.Twice.

I actually prop my seat boxes open just a tad to help keep air flow on the inside to keep the spores down to a minimum.

Good Luck.

Mark and the dog.

[ 01-20-2004, 10:07 PM: Message edited by: Flatfish ]

Mrdorkfish · 01-20-2004, 09:07 PM

Zaq, When there are times you won't be using the boat and equipment on a regular basis, please take all contents inside and let them dry. I bet that hatch is open all the way down to the plug. :tongue: Good luck :grin:

Mrdorkfish [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

Some guy named Louis

fop · 01-20-2004, 10:25 PM

Hatch leaking is probably from around the lid. Put some new foam tape around it. Maybe even a little thicker that when is was new. You might check if you have pop rivets that might have loosened on the lid base too! If they are leaking I would think that a little silicone would do a fix on that.

After bringing my sled to WA. from AK I also had a moist and moldy problem. Tried to keep lids open on nice days but never have had one this year. Never had any mold problems in AK. Too much sun I guess.

I went to the hardware store and purchased 4 aluminum round "mini-louvers" and bored the holes to fit in the side of each seat box and it pretty much stopped the problem. Gotta have some fresh air in them. I think they were around 2" diameter. You might even try that on the side of the storage area inside the boat.. Also, on the Willie Boat the manufacterer had spray on foam type stuff sprayed on the floor on the front storage box. I don't know if that is for congensation(sp) for a noise control.

fop

ZaQ · 01-21-2004, 04:44 AM

It may be condensation, but the PFD's drip when I pick them up. Since I first found this about a week ago, I have been taking everything out and hanging it in the rafting shed between trips. I know one of these times I am going to forget them in the shed and get a royal keester chewing from a OSP officer. I am going to try the slight prop up thing, see how that effects it. Thanks all..........

:grin:

Pitch Pocket · 01-21-2004, 10:23 AM

Somethings going on because the hatch has a raised lip. Water would have to climb over that lip to get into the forward storage.

It might be leaking from the plastic access hole in the bow. If that has a bad seal water can get in. You might also check the seal on the gas filler cap. It is exposed to rain and it runs through the front compartment.

ZaQ · 01-21-2004, 10:57 AM

I think it may be condensation from the bilge. I need to investigate it more, but right now I am taking everything out and I propped up the lids this morning. Who knows.......thanks for the help.

Beer Waggin · 01-21-2004, 04:10 PM

I was told by Steven's that it actually comes up from the bilge. It's not a totally sealed compartment, even though they sell it as "Dry Storage." You might have a different story with your boat as the one I was looking at is just a couple of years old.

blacktail519 · 01-21-2004, 04:14 PM

If condensation, Dry it out, And slip a Dri-Z air pack in there during salmon season! Should take care of condensation problem. Good luck!

BUGLEMAN · 01-21-2004, 04:36 PM

Hey Mel,

Do you have shore power? If so leave 110V light on the boat during the winter. It should generate enough heat to lower the humidity in the enclosed space of your cabin.

RogueFisher · 01-21-2004, 05:45 PM

My friend had the same problem with his sled. He bought a couple large dry bags for under $50 and then started leaving the hatches open when he had his heavy storage cover on his boat.
Problem solved.

Another solution would be to build a large new heated shop. You could build it large enough to offer to let the wife park her car inside also.
Always thinking..... :grin:

ZaQ · 01-21-2004, 05:55 PM

I like the shop idea, I have plans to build a port over it this summer. DriZ huh?

blacktail519 · 01-21-2004, 06:02 PM

Dri Z Air Moisture displacement packs. GI JOes, Fishermans, ETC......... They work, Trust me

NETONE · 01-21-2004, 06:03 PM

Ahhhhhh...just let it leak and enjoy the smell of mold on the PFD....it shows your a seasoned fisherman......

Hookset · 01-21-2004, 06:11 PM

NorRivDav has got it right. The hatch lid is water tight, except the inside of the compartment is not. The floor of that compartment is resting on stringers welded along the bottom. Therefore, any water or mositure under the floor boards will escape into the hatch. The only cure is to place a water tight box inside or use dry bags as other people already mentioned. I used to have a similar boat that was stored in the garage and always kept the lid open when not in use.

The worst problem I had was when the bottom welds broke along the extruded channel, everything got wet.

best of luck,

Gregg

R Jackson · 01-21-2004, 06:19 PM

ZaQ, do you have floatation foam in your bow compartment? If so, you might check and see if it has absorbed a bunch of water that is now being passed on to your PFD's. That foam can be like a sponge sometimes.

Get Bent · 01-21-2004, 08:17 PM

ZAQ I CAN FIX THAT FOR YOU IT WILL COST YOU ABOUT 30K BUT IT WILL COME WITH NEW MOTORS :grin:

Miss B Haven · 01-21-2004, 11:08 PM

Most lockers like that have drains, either overboard with a clamshell vent or into the bilge. Could be slopping water back up in from the drain.

On the other hand...condensation was terrible during/after that cold freeze we had. Miss B is under a covered slip and has a full top on. Her hatches up on the flybridge were open to allow air circ around the jackets etc. When I checked her after the snow melted (and Corn Pass was open) everything in those lockers was soggy. Amost like it rained in there! :shocked: