Stopping leaks around toe rail bolts > IJCA Forums > International J/24 Class Association

Unanswered Active Topics

Forums Search

Subject: Stopping leaks around toe rail bolts

You are not authorized to post a reply.

Author

Messages

Ken Shores
Posts:85

11/09/2009 12:38 AM
Has anyone had suggest in curbing leaks around toe rail bolts? I am going to remove the bolts where the leaks appear to be and will seal with 3M 4200. I don't know of anything else to do short of completely removing the toe rail and re-installing it. It seems to be in the fiberglass area, and not the balsa. Comments and experiences are welcome. Ken Shores

Pierson Jacquelin
Posts:56

11/12/2009 3:43 AM
I just pretend that the water appears as a type of speed/fun indicator and reach for my sponge and bucket.

Ken Shores
Posts:85

11/13/2009 7:29 PM
I do the same, but the added problem that I have is that the shelf of the cubbie has rotten a hole in it due to the water. I know drill holes and glass in a dutchman. Thanks for the suggestion that was the type that I was looking for! Ken Shores USA 2273

Bill Barnfield
Posts:9

11/27/2009 5:14 PM
This may be more of a task then you want to jump into, but the only real solution is to remove the Toe Rail and then Fiberglass the hull and deck together. The process is not all that difficult and if one is careful it will only require repainting 2 or 3 inches out on each side of the joint. Generally the leaks on molded boats come from the hull and deck joint. The caulking in the joint dries out over time and often the bolts need tightening also. A well caulked and sealed Toe Rail is an additional seal over the hull and deck joint but rarely is it sufficient to create a totally dry boat if the hull and deck joint has gaps.

Ken Shores
Posts:85

11/30/2009 1:46 AM
Bill, Thanks for the comments though they were not the ones that I wanted but was expecting to hear. In the short term the problem is the rotten spot on the cubbie shelf. I may try "rot be gone" first before I do the dutchman (though I think that the dutchman is the only solution). Maybe another answer is just glass the wood shelf but cutting a drain port to allow the water to drain to the bilge.

Bill Barnfield
Posts:9

12/04/2009 6:11 AM
Aloha Ken. I understand starting on what you hope will be a small fix and then winding up with a whole nest of problems you didn't want to deal with. But I also know how nice it is to toss your shirt into the cabin and be able to pull it out COMPLETELY DRY after a few hours of sailing! Not to mention all the residual problems created by excessive dampness in the cabin. I just glassed my hull and deck together as part of a major refurbishing that involved recoring the deck and replacing the termite eaten main bulkhead. Hopefully, I will be back in the water in a week or two. I guess in your case, draining the water into the bilge would probably be an ok interm fix.

You are not authorized to post a reply.

Forums > General Interest > Maintenance Topics > Stopping leaks around toe rail bolts