Advice on removing cockpit hatch hinge on 2006 340 SDA

[boatrboy]

Well I’m getting closer to a dry bilge, just not there yet.
It poured earlier in the week and I only have some spots of water, maybe an ounce or so. I need to be closed in again and see what is going on. I resealed the rub rail screws around the swim platform where I saw some signs of water droplets too. These are helping but I must be missing something small. Last year I sealed where the water and electric lines go through the lazeret but that is where I see the drops. I put some paper towels in the holes of the thru holes around the water and electric lines to see if that proved out my latest theory. I remember it was a tight spot to seal when I did it so maybe I missed some area. I’m thinking that is still the culprit now. The hatch hinges are dry now.

 

[Woody]

There should be a hole in the white plastic of your rub rail below the metal insert. I've heard some guys say it's a drain for any water that gets trapped behind it. If water gets trapped behind, depending on how much, it can fill and any place along the way could become a leak. Rub rail screws for example. The hole is small, poke in there see if it's plugged. I did this on my 280DA once for the heck of it and water ran out. It should be near the corner of your swim platform.

 

[boatrboy]

Well after months of agonizing I am almost there with a dry bilge.

The big culprit was the thru hull fitting for the water lines. Even though I thought I resealed it, I did a poor job and it still leaked. This caused the sound insulation to get wet every rain and leak into the bilge by the ac water pump motor and port stringer.

What happens is when water gets in the stern locker, it stays there pooled up a little and leaks down the fitting. I had to cut my old one out and buy new. I had a gasket made and used 4200 on top of that. It’s not easy to get get channel locks in there so I had a wrench made at my shop on our laser cutting machine.

I now have a few drops after washing the boat on the stbd side stringer which I’m sure I’ll find. However, the bilge floor is bone dry which make me very happy.

Here are a few pics