Can't find source of leak ... :(

[Buccaneer]

Series 1, 48 MY
L shaped bunks in mid ship stateroom. Leak under lower bunk, but seems to come from something/somewhere near starboard side.

I've looked at master HVAC condenser (these are the old 'split system.'). Nope. Looked at midship condenser. Nope. Looked at washer/dryer (we replaced it 4 year ago with a 'all in one' front loader). Nope. (We live aboard 5 months now, while house hunting, and have used all these systems -- a lot recently.) The main saloon condenser isn't anywhere near the apparent seepage/leak (yes, I know water travels in strange ways...).

So we thought at first, Master condenser. Dried floor, stopped using HVAC. Still wet. Dried floor again, stopped using midship HVAC. Dried it up. Wet again. Stopped using washer. Dried. Wet again.

Opened all the hatches, condenser areas all dry. Opened drawers on lower bunk, floor soaked.
I've looked at the blueprints/drawings ... there is nothing in that void space that seems to be able to be a source of water.

In the SF Bay Area we've had an unusual wet rain period. The drought is WAY over. Rains from Jan/Feb have filled all the reservoirs. There have only been few periods of non-rain. But the water seepage/leak is centralized to this area. The mater stateroom HVAC condenser is contained in a 'built in' area under the lower bunk in the midship stateroom. It does not allow access to the area below it, which would, if the drawings are right be above and adjacent to the main fuel tank. There just isn't anything in that void space that I can identify. Or get to.

If I try to go through the engine room, the OEM Onan generator blocks whatever access MIGHT be available to that side (which is where the exhaust tube runs. And, no, we haven't run the engines while the leaks have been revealing themselves...)

OK, now that I've described the unsolvable question ... What's the answer?

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Food coloring.

 

[Scott Mather]

We had same problem last year on 52c

Was a water fitting from pressure water leaking in eng room. Was dripping and running forward on a ledge into stateroom. Could not find how it was getting to the stateroom, was dry between the drip and wet floor. But fixed fitting and floor dry since.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

On the 48MY is there a bar fridge or icemaker on the back deck above that mid stateroom? Maybe that's where its coming from.

 

[SEVEN]

Try to vacuum out the wet area. Shut your water off at the pump or the shore. Release the pressure and leave for a while. If it's wet it's in the pressure system. Have you checked the access hatch in the show if you have one. Mine leaked gallons a day until I found it. Lastly did you check the rudder shafts? What part of California? I'm in the Delta.

 

[SEVEN]

Shower. Sorry spell check.

 

[Buccaneer]

On the 48MY is there a bar fridge or icemaker on the back deck above that mid stateroom? Maybe that's where its coming from.

That could be it ... Neither seems to be outta whack. But, WTH, might as well pull them out to check behind. I'd have thought there'd be some water through the limber hole near the wing door next to the icemaker as a tell-tale...

 

[Buccaneer]

We had same problem last year on 52c

Was a water fitting from pressure water leaking in eng room. Was dripping and running forward on a ledge into stateroom. Could not find how it was getting to the stateroom, was dry between the drip and wet floor. But fixed fitting and floor dry since.

HVAC units are on Stbd side. Engn Rm water hose is midship, centerline. To get to port side and then aft of eng rm, that water would have to travel a looooooong way. Possible? I keep thinking its the saloon HAVC condenser, but then it seems too far fetched as the source.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Are the evaporater drain pans (air handler) dry? If not check the drain hoses as they clog with fungi and back up? Any leaks in pans? Water will follow a beam, for example, to its lowest level. Does boat list slightly to port?Does the house water pump cycle when there is no water draw?Are there water stains on wood around any windows? Is any of that wood soft?

 

[bobk]

Series 1, 48 MY
OK, now that I've described the unsolvable question ... What's the answer?

It's solvable, but you will need to find the answer.

I have the same boat, so here are my thoughts. BTW, those are evaporators/air handlers under the bunks. Compressors are in the ER.

On mine there is a muffler outboard of the master evaporator that can't be reached from the access hatch which is inboard of the evaporator. My muffler/exhaust pipe connections sprung a leak a couple of years ago and to get to the hose clamps we had to cut an access hatch on the outboard side of the bunk platform. I was lucky that I just needed to tighten the clamps. If you do this, be careful not to cut into the exhaust system.

Also worth a note, the piping for W/D and icemaker pipes/hoses located on the aft ER bulkhead sit above the mid cabin sole as do the generator and AC RW feeds. A leak here might find it's way aft to the lower bunk, but it would be a long way around.

Is your bridge tightly enclosed? If not, check for a leak from above. I saw a 48 during my shopping that had a leak from above which made a mess of the headliner from a long term leak.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Bobk

 

[bobk]

BTW, the bolts for the aft spray rail come through the hull in that area. If there is some soft wood or peeling paint on the rail, water might be coming in from there. Been there done that.

Bobk