1990 270DA Rain Water Leak - HELP

T

Tiago

New Member
Jan 12, 2020
19
Boat Info
270 DA Sundancer 1991
Engines
Twin 4.3 Mercruiser w/ alpha I gen I drives
Dear all,
Since last year that I've been trying to find the origin of a rain water leak. No success...
Basically I've rebbeded almost all deck hardware. I am very very frustrated now.
When it rains I have plenty of water on the floor (only on the floor not on any of the vertical walls that limit the compartment) of the storage compartment below the eletric panel (port side).
In order to try to make things easier attached are some pictures.
Any help will be much appreciated! I am totally lost...
Regards.
 

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Where I can see the water
 

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the usual suspects are the side windows...
 
Dear hughespat57,
Thank you very much for your reply.
Both side windows were removed and reinstalled. All the rubber seals are new.
They were leaking before but now I am sure they are not!
Regards.
 
Tiago said:
Dear all,
Since last year that I've been trying to find the origin of a rain water leak. No success...
Basically I've rebbeded almost all deck hardware. I am very very frustrated now.
When it rains I have plenty of water on the floor (only on the floor not on any of the vertical walls that limit the compartment) of the storage compartment below the eletric panel (port side).
In order to try to make things easier attached are some pictures.
Any help will be much appreciated! I am totally lost...
Regards.
Click to expand...
That second pic, water in hanging locker, black door above is shore power panel, behind that is your shore power plug in. Check and re bed that. Windows are too far forward to leak into that locker.
 
Also, your boat is the new model of 268 of which I had 2. If you have A/C, the water line from intake pump to unit runs thru that hanging locker, check that line.
 
Dear Pirate Lady,
Thank you very much for your reply. I have already rebbeded the shore power plug in with butyl. Agree with you that windows are too far forward. Do you know if there is a way to remove the power panel? I am thinking that maybe it will be easier to trace the leak...
Regards.
 
I removed my power panel when i added AC to boat and had to put in a breaker, there were 4 philips screws in the corners then it CAREFULLY pulls out. i say carefully cause you dont want to pull any wires of the CBs that are in there.
 
remove the panel, then do the old buddy with a hose trick from outside while watching from inside. and FEEL, often you will feel the water before you can see it. good luck.
 
Given that the windows stop about at the same spot of the locker, I wouldn't count them out, just yet. Also, vertical walls will dry VERY quickly. Try using the hose - systematically - to see if you can get water to show up. You can also tape paper towels onto the wall in key areas - if they dry out after getting wet, you can tell that they DID get wet.

"Systematically"... remember that water can travel quite a bit horizontally before dropping down. So any possible source that's level with the top of the locker (or where you find evidence of it coming in) or above is a possibility. Start low with the hose, then work your way higher.

If the water is coming in on a regular basis - that's actually a good thing as it's easier to find.
 
Lazy, I had similar boat. The windows are a good 2’ forward of the locker he said wet. I don’t see water traveling that far back horizontally. Just me.
 
Pirate Lady said:
Lazy, I had similar boat. The windows are a good 2’ forward of the locker he said wet. I don’t see water traveling that far back horizontally. Just me.
Click to expand...
I was only going off a picture online of a '90 270DA - you could be right. In the pic, it looked closer. Sometimes there is a shelf, or possibly even the inside of the deck/hull joint that water can follow. Water can do strange things.

'Nother possible source... winsdshield mounting screws.
 
Do you have the single trumpet horn mounted on the deck just above your Electrical panel? My 91' 270 leaked there. But sounds like you are or have already done the obvious spots. The ac/dc panel comes out pretty easily and has enough wire for you to work back there without disconnecting everything. I would give the shore power inlet a good seal with caulk versus the gasket as I don't think that mounting area is perfectly flat.
 
May not be your current leak but they are also prone to leak at arch attachment. I made a 1' extension with tubing for caulk gun and sealed mine on both sides where arch attaches. (difficult area to access).
 
Dear all,
Yesterday rained heavily. Went to the boat today. Lot of water inside storage compartment below electric panel. Follow the advice and started to trace the leak. Attached there is a picture where I found wet carpet (red line). Picture refers to cabin where table is screwed to the floor. My opinion is that water present in the storage compartment is coming from anywhere forward. All help is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
 

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Tiago said:
Dear all,
Yesterday rained heavily. Went to the boat today. Lot of water inside storage compartment below electric panel. Follow the advice and started to trace the leak. Attached there is a picture where I found wet carpet (red line). Picture refers to cabin where table is screwed to the floor. My opinion is that water present in the storage compartment is coming from anywhere forward. All help is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
 
Tiago, this is really difficult to help over the net, BUT, the one time I had to trace a leak I dried everything, bone dry, then went to boat on a day when rain forecast , then sat in it while pouring and found it. I think you need do this. Water on cabin floor is useless to determine where it coming in from above.
 
Obviously this ins't a "guaranteed" suggestion, but look at your anchor locker. Remove everything and look for...

-- Plugged drain hole(s)
-- Cracks of the gelcoat in the bottom or aft wall of the locker

Do the hose trick in there.
 
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