fixing seafari cabin leaks

[rhody98]

When its sloppy out I will get some water in along cap/hull joint, at least I think thats where it comes in. I would think the water is driven up along the hull into this joint when the bow dives in rough water. Its usually pretty dry around hatch so that doesnt appear to be the problem.

Pulled the rub rail as you can see and there is a gap in places along joint. I am thinking the repair is to remove the liner screws next, clean out joint, reinstall screws after resealing joint/screw holes with 4200. Split the spacing with additional screws using 4200 in new holes as well.

Does this sound reasonable?

[mnwnvc]

I hope so it is what I did but I used 5200 and a lot more rivets. Pulled things together with screws as I worked my way around boat and then replaced screws with rivets after 5200 cured. I ground both surfaces before 5200 by chucking up abrasive disk backward on air drill and separating flanges with wedges as I worked.

[rhody98]

Yes 5200 makes more sense than 4200 for this application. Curious why you replaced the screws with rivets?

[Islandtrader]

Yes 5200 makes more sense than 4200 for this application. Curious why you replaced the screws with rivets?

Think of screws as little saws,as they start to back out. Plus rivets never come loose.

[3rdday]

I did an aluminum rubrail twice with screws on a Chris Craft, no thank you. After I installed again with aluminum shank and Aluminum mandrel rivets no problem. Again on my SC I used Rivets/ backed with Washers and hybrid polyurethane adhesive/sealant.
If you do screws alone, even with new holes & adhesive , you are wasting your time. I had to special order long shank and mandrel rivets they are 1-1/4 with a 1"grip range . I had to buy 500 and i have some left over, if you want them.

[mnwnvc]

I replaced screws with rivets because I thought they would hold better. I also knew I would screw the rubrail and insert through everything, too much is sometimes enough. So far everything is tight.

[abl1111]

I thru bolted w/ nylock nuts and washers - perfect...

[rhody98]

Thanks 3rd day, are those 3/16" dia?

Deciding between bolt/nut route and rivets....will look at again this weekend. I need to remove teak trim strip in cabin and see if there is even room for a nut. I think they originally just ground off the end of the screw and covered with the teak strip. I'll PM you if I go rivets.

[Bushwacker]

Rivets or machine screws/washers/nylock nuts to create some clamping load is definitely the way to go. Sheet metal screws don't hold well in fiberglass because if there is ANY dynamic (vibratory) load on them, they will cut into the glass and eventually work loose.

When I got to Green Turtle Cay after first Bahama trip over 30 years ago, my cabin looked like someone had turned a hose loose in there! [img]/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] I went the screw/washer/nut route on my Seafari over 30 years ago on both the rivet holes and rubrail screws and it hasn't leaked since!

[rhody98]

I ended up using rivets to reseal the cap to hull. Thanks 3rd day. I had never used rivets before. Opened up the seam, cleaned the joint with a knife, resealed with 5200. Pulled the joint together with screws as Michael suggested then installed ss rivets at about a 3" spacing w/ washers on backside.


Couple of lessons learned for me. I'm sure the rest of you know this already.

1. If you dont have two persons installing rivets with one holding washer in place on back, the washer slides off when riveting. I taped in place until I could talk the 10 yr old to hold the washer in place with a screw driver.
2. At the factory some of the rub rail screws were installed over the top of/interfering with the cap/hull screws. There were four instances of this. When the rail is removed the screws break off because they are intermeshed with threads of the hull/cap screws. Rectifying these 4 locations exceeded the duration of the entire rest of the project. A royal pain.
3. My seafari (dont know if the eariler versions do) has a teak strip covering the original hull/cap screws. They had cut the screws off so the teak sits flush. I had to buy a dremel with a little cut-off wheel to cut off the end of the rivets to get the teak strip to seat reasonably.
4. Dont let the alum rub rail hang as you take it off, I bent it a bit right at the bow. Now my boat looks like its snarling when looking at it head on. Nice, dummy.