flooding of cuddy cabin

mattlow · **Joined:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 3:09 pm **Posts:** 8

Hi all,

This is my first post as I have just purchased a 2004 sundowner 205. During the pre purchase inspection sea trial it was noted that the boat was leaning to the left slightly which I did not really notice, the mechanic doing the trial noted that it was most likely placement of people in the boat or possibly a ballast issue but as the boat and engine checked our perfectly I purchased it

Since purchasing the boat I left the cabin doors open accidently on day 1 and it rained, I found the whole cabin storage areas under the seats full to the top and the floor flooded which I put down to rain entering through the cabin door however I did wonder how that much water could enter. Anyway, wet vacuum and a few hours followed by carpet shampoo fixed this

After taking it out the first time I found the lean to the left was significant. The boat was put back in the drive but I think it was bow down as it looks deceiving as to whether it was bow up or not. Doors were closed, hatch shut and sure enough the cabin flooded again, I have now read posts that this has happened to others and you MUST store the boat with the bow up.

Can someone help????? I have raced yachts all my life and you should not have to do this, I would like to leave the boat at a pontoon which is available to me for a week here and there but cannot do it with this problem.

Thank everyone!! Any help is appretiated

ric · **Posted:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:06 pm

Get a hose out and spray around til you find the leak. I'll bet $1 it's the top hatch. No, in fact I'll bet $10. Super common issue. Screws get lose over time, sealant dries out. Take it off, reseal with 4200. I've had to do this with every cuddy cabin I've owned.

mattlow · **Joined:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 3:09 pm **Posts:** 8

Thanks Rick,

I will definitely do this, alot of water has got in there though, the pot side storage under the seat has been full to the top, must be 15ltrs of water. I noted the carpet under the port seat cushion wet also, on the left as soon as you walk in from the deck.

Any ideas?

ric · **Posted:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:14 pm

mattlow wrote:

Thanks Rick,

I will definitely do this, alot of water has got in there though, the pot side storage under the seat has been full to the top, must be 15ltrs of water. I noted the carpet under the port seat cushion wet also, on the left as soon as you walk in from the deck.

Any ideas?

There's only two possible places of leakage.

#1 the common issue: Top hatch. They can leak like a son of a bit. My 2009 Stingray's top hatch might as well been a hole before I sealed it. It was BAD.
#2 where the windshield attaches to the boat. My Chaparral does this slightly but has not been bad enough to warrant taking it off to reseal. The water goes in the bilge not in the cabin.

babbot1 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:46 pm **Posts:** 570

Don't forget the anchor locker. Notorious for leaking into the boat because the drain is above the bottom of the locker. If I am picturing it correctly it sounds almost like it is coming in from above so the hatch or door is more likely.

mattlow · **Joined:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 3:09 pm **Posts:** 8

Thanks for your help, ill have a look at this too. Sound like there are a few areas it could be coming from. I read a post from 2006 that when the bow is down and it rains the cabin fills up, surely this is not meant to happen, what if you want to leave the boat moored?

ric · **Posted:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:36 pm

mattlow wrote:

Thanks for your help, ill have a look at this too. Sound like there are a few areas it could be coming from. I read a post from 2006 that when the bow is down and it rains the cabin fills up, surely this is not meant to happen, what if you want to leave the boat moored?

That info is incorrect. The boat shouldn't leak when sitting in the water. Get the garden hose out and have someone sit inside and spray around. They'll see the leak.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:42 pm

ok i confess it was me.. i took a piss in your cabin and tried to clean it up with the garden hose..... :oops:

LouC · **Posted:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:43 pm

When the boat was left with the cabin doors open, did it have the mooring cover that covers the cockpit area installed? Because if not that could partly explain the large amount of water you saw in there. Some of these boats are not self bailing and if the cockpit cover was not installed, all the water could have run from the cockpit area down into the cuddy. That is a LOT of water more than you would expect from a leaky hatch in the cuddy. These boats are not designed to be left open especially if they are not self bailing. The leak points mentioned can be issues, that you can take care of, but that much water, sounds like the boat was left with the cover off.

babbot1 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:46 pm **Posts:** 570

Sounds like the cover was off to me as well.
I assume the people who are saying the bow should be high when sitting are saying this so it drains out the plug on the transom when it is on a trailer. It just needs to be a little bit inclined.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:55 pm

When I sea trialed and tried to buy a 2003 S205, it does have a self bailing cockpit. My Chap doesn't leak one ounce of water in our crazy florida weather when tied to the dock with no cover on and neither should your 205. There's a crack that needs some caulk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiPkYt09awo

mattlow · **Joined:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 3:09 pm **Posts:** 8

Hahaha, that was quite funny... The doors were only left open once, since I have purchased a temporary cheaper cover however when the bow was down a little it flooded again. Since ive elevated the bow this is not happening which leads me to think there must be a leak somewhere.

Vintage Beauty · **Posted:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 5:30 pm

ric wrote:

mattlow wrote:

Thanks Rick,

I will definitely do this, alot of water has got in there though, the pot side storage under the seat has been full to the top, must be 15ltrs of water. I noted the carpet under the port seat cushion wet also, on the left as soon as you walk in from the deck.

Any ideas?

There's only two possible places of leakage.

#1 the common issue: Top hatch. They can leak like a son of a bit. My 2009 Stingray's top hatch might as well been a hole before I sealed it. It was BAD.
#2 where the windshield attaches to the boat. My Chaparral does this slightly but has not been bad enough to warrant taking it off to reseal. The water goes in the bilge not in the cabin.

#2 is an open issue on my sundowner. Water will leak through the bottom of the windshield and travel back up into the cuddy through the headliner- then soak the seats and floor. It's on my list of items. Unfortunately from what I've read you need to remove and re-bed the entire windshield to fis it correctly.- until then, I put a couple chamois cloths and a towel on the dash to soak up any rain water before it moves into the boat. This works pretty well unless we have an exceptionally heavy rainstorm.

alex8q4 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 7:18 pm

Does cuddy not drain to your aft bilge?

Do you boat in fresh or salt water?

mattlow · **Joined:** Wed Jan 07, 2015 3:09 pm **Posts:** 8

Im not sure about the drainage as yet as ive just got it, im in salt water 90% of the time.

www.iFourWinns.com

flooding of cuddy cabin

Who is online