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CB77
06-08-2008, 08:32 PM
Hi,

I have a persistent water leak coming into the Cabin from behind the Gunwale rubber somewhere above the Anchor well drain out let.

( I originally thought it was the drain leaking but replaced it and leak coming from higher up)

Can someone let me know how to remove the gunwale rubber to get access to the leak and how hard will it be to put back on?

I tried syringing resin in behind the rubber but this didnt work.

The boat is a fibreglass Signature.

Roughasguts
06-08-2008, 08:58 PM
I got a Signature too.

Have you got a bow rail,??? I would think it's one of the bolt holes holding the rail to the deck leaking, those rubber seals they use aren't that good and seem to seperate after a while.

CB77
06-08-2008, 09:14 PM
I got a Signature too.

Have you got a bow rail,??? I would think it's one of the bolt holes holding the rail to the deck leaking, those rubber seals they use aren't that good and seem to seperate after a while.

Yes it has a bow rail, I will double check but I ran water just along the rubber and it came in.

Can you tell me if your Signature has fibreglass matting rolled along the deck join on the inside either side of the Anchor well?

Mine has this matting and I would like to know if it is orginal or an earlier attempt by previous owner to fix the leak?

Roughasguts
06-08-2008, 09:19 PM
Be a couple of days before I can get back to you on the matting.
I'm at work 110k's from me boat. But mine doesn't look like she's been touched up, it doesn't leak either thankfully.

Well it does leak, somehow water is getting in under the floor in the sealed section. But that's another story.

Blackened
06-08-2008, 09:26 PM
G'day

Just hope to yourself that it's not the gunnel rubber.... to remove and replace is a basterd of a job

Dave

CB77
06-08-2008, 09:59 PM
G'day

Just hope to yourself that it's not the gunnel rubber.... to remove and replace is a basterd of a job

Dave

Thanks for that, just what I needed to hear because I just confirmed it is a leak behind the gunwale rubber! I used blue food colouring in water and applied with a large syringe along rubber. I also used red coloring to check the bow rail mounts and they dont seem to be leaking!

Now What???

Roughasguts
06-08-2008, 10:11 PM
You know I would be inclined to cheat here.

How much of the area do you think leaks ? eg 6-8 inchess.

Cause if that's all I would probably drill some small holes in the rubber top and bottom and syringe some sealer in there until it ooozes out the top holes.

Then just fill the holes, could be as good as new and bugger all work.

CB77
06-08-2008, 10:23 PM
You know I would be inclined to cheat here.

How much of the area do you think leaks ? eg 6-8 inchess.

Cause if that's all I would probably drill some small holes in the rubber top and bottom and syringe some sealer in there until it ooozes out the top holes.

Then just fill the holes, could be as good as new and bugger all work.


Yeh Ive been thinking along those lines, but i am a bit of a perfectionist and would hate to have the drill holes.

I was thinking more like pumping a shit load of resin or other sealer from the inside.

It worries me a little though that water may continually be trapped and cause long term damage to the fibreglass?

Roughasguts
06-08-2008, 10:31 PM
You could dry it out after you put the holes in, run a air hose through the holes any water won't last long in there.

I wouldn't worry much about patching drill holes, compare to stripping the whole gunnel and then trying to replace it.

But anyway if you find gunhall rubber punch out an identical hole to the size of the drill hole then just push it in like a grommett. In a few weeks you wouldn't notice the differance.

gofishin
07-08-2008, 10:45 AM
Craig, I would assume the matting was added at the factory to help join the top deck to the hull, and run completely round the inside of the hull - but I have never looked closely at a H/Sig. You should be able to tell if it is or a patch job (flowcoat match? Fleck match?).
You will probably find that the leak is from a ST screw used in the joint, and that they didn’t use enough glue/filler.
Is the gunnel rubber one continuous length round the bow, with gunnel caps at each transom corner? Or are there also caps at/under the bowsprit (i.e. 2 pce gunnel rubber)? If the latter, then I would definitely remove the cap & peel the gunnel rubber back & do it properly. In fact I would do it properly either way – do it right, do it once! Have you tried HSM to see if they can give you some advice?
It’s been over 20 yrs since I have installed/re-installed gunnel rubber. At the advice of Epiglass (now International) we used to use/mix (I think) Part A of Epiglue and part B of Epifill…shite, not sure now, maybe the other way round. Note: the hull joint needs to be properly sealed/joined in the first place. Best to seek advice from HSM etc.
cheers

CB77
07-08-2008, 12:37 PM
Craig, I would assume the matting was added at the factory to help join the top deck to the hull, and run completely round the inside of the hull - but I have never looked closely at a H/Sig. You should be able to tell if it is or a patch job (flowcoat match? Fleck match?).
You will probably find that the leak is from a ST screw used in the joint, and that they didn’t use enough glue/filler.
Is the gunnel rubber one continuous length round the bow, with gunnel caps at each transom corner? Or are there also caps at/under the bowsprit (i.e. 2 pce gunnel rubber)? If the latter, then I would definitely remove the cap & peel the gunnel rubber back & do it properly. In fact I would do it properly either way – do it right, do it once! Have you tried HSM to see if they can give you some advice?
It’s been over 20 yrs since I have installed/re-installed gunnel rubber. At the advice of Epiglass (now International) we used to use/mix (I think) Part A of Epiglue and part B of Epifill…shite, not sure now, maybe the other way round. Note: the hull joint needs to be properly sealed/joined in the first place. Best to seek advice from HSM etc.
cheers

Thanks,

Yes it is a one piece rubber with joins either side of outboard well.

The matting is just normal fibreglass no color so i guess it was done later.

I assume HSM is haines signature?

tropicrows
07-08-2008, 12:49 PM
When I fix up my boat, and fitted the new Gun whale rubber, I said then and there thats the last time I am ever going to do that job. It's a shit of a job, Craig find another way the last thing I would be doing is removing it.

TOPAZ
07-08-2008, 03:45 PM
Fitting gunwhale rubber is a job for the experienced - it has to be heated then stretched then glued all in one operation.
It is also difficult to re-fit the old rubber, as it will not be long enough to stretch properly.
When I had a hull seam leak in my old Swiftcraft, I just ran a bead of Silicone right around the hull join on the inside, and it never leaked again!

Richard

CB77
08-08-2008, 07:02 PM
After considering everyones comments I decided against pulling off the Gunwale rubber.

While I was cursing the previous owner for putting two strips of fibreglass matting along the deck/ hull join & blocking access where the leak was, i noticed a small pocket of air along the deck/ hull seam where the matting couldnt be pressed into when it was glassed in & where the leak was coming in.

I drilled a 7mm hole where the leak was coming in and filled it with heap of sikaflex sealer, I then used my trusty cigweld easy sprayer air blower to force the sealant into all the air pockets along the fibreglass strips and hopefully the leak. I repeated this three times and on the last one I just used the sikaflex and no air to make sure all the air was out, I only stopped when water stopped being pushed out under the gunwale rubber from the outside.

It seems the previous owners fibreglass job was part of the solution & probably stronger than new and it all looks very neat now.

Water tested and it is all dry. This maybe a solution for other with similiar problems down the track?

Water tested it again with food coloring in water and all dry now.