How to proceed - weird problem

T

TimHenn

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I've had some problems over the years but this one has me stumped and wondering how to proceed.

My guests show up last night and the one standing in the stateroom to port says "should it be wet?" I originally think he's joking but sure enough the floor is wet, one of the twin mattresses furthest to port is wet and then...I notice the ceiling...gasp! The headliner is bowed downward maybe 2 or 3 inches and its full of water! Nothing is dripping, the liner at the moment is water tight....even if you push on it. I'm guessing there's 4-5 gallons of water in there...possibly more.

So, I proceed to pull the freezer out expecting the galley floor to be wet and the tube feeding the ice maker to be leaking. The floor, everywhere I can see, is bone dry. I haven't pulled the fridge yet to look behind it but peaking down the sides there's no moisture. The headliner is directly beneath the galley floor which is hardwood so definitely no access to it from the top.

My first concern is of course the source of the problem. But no matter I need to get 5 gallons of water from behind a perfectly good and relatively new head liner. Is it time to call the pro's on this (My marina NEB builds boats) or is there some trick I can do myself to remove the water and salvage the liner? It might be stretched so bad it has to be replaced anyway but before I jump in to doing anything I wanted to know if anyone has had to deal with a strange issue like this.

I'm going to be pulling the fridge later this morning once the guests clear the boat. Hopefully I will find something wet.

Hope your weekend is going better than mine,

Tim
 
Tim, I'm not sure if your boat has a wet bar up in the helm? Perhaps one of the water lines has ruptured? If you turn off your shore water do you hear the freshwater pump constantly cycling? This might be a clue then again I could be a mile offbase!
Bill
 
Thanks Bill, no wet bar on the bridge but there is an AC unit directly above the spot where water could collect. There's also a fridge but no water goes to the bridge fridge. If it was the AC unit I would think the water would be salt water and that doesn't appear to be the case... But something to look at for sure. Thanks.
 
If the liner can be saved, which I doubt, it should be removed to dry everything behind it. A small hole in the right spot can drain it and a decoration of some sort put in place over the hole. Since you have experts nearby I suggest asking them.

What Billy said about a water hose leak.
 
Hmmmm...strange water issues on a boat.
I would try to insert a length of flexible tubing from an access point like the edge of the liner and try to siphon it out. I had a water leak issue in my freshwater system that turned out to be a right angle plastic union connector that developed a hairline crack. I thought I was going to have to remove the whole fiberglass head enclosure to get to it. I ended up removing a storage cabinet next to the enclosure to gain access.
 
quote:
Originally posted by TimHenn

Thanks Bill, no wet bar on the bridge but there is an AC unit directly above the spot where water could collect. There's also a fridge but no water goes to the bridge fridge. If it was the AC unit I would think the water would be salt water and that doesn't appear to be the case... But something to look at for sure. Thanks.

Click to expand...


If your AC was running, you could have a clogged condensation line and the pan was overflowing. That would be fresh water.
 
I would also start with the condensate from that AC unit, pan drains are often prone to clogging because of the dirt that accumultates but also because many builders route the hoses without enough slope.

That sounds like quite a bit of water. Do you hear the fresh water pump cycle on for no reason?

Tying to suck the water out with a thin hose is probably the best option although the headliner is likely stretched out beyond salvage. Pulling it maybe the best way to trace the leak.

O thing to remember about leaks, is that wayer often travel some distance before emerging, the source maybe further away
 
Thanks all. The condensation clog is the best possibility. I'll have a look at that after the fridge comes out. The bridge AC unit has a drain pan pump/switch. I have that running now to see if the pan fills up and the switch is shot. Thin hose is a great idea but I will have to find an entry into the liner. There are a couple of dc lights that I can take down and push the water through that opening...I can't believe those lights are water tight but at the moment they are. I might pull one light, hope that it doesn't all shift to that corner, slip a hose in and vac it out that way.

Thanks -
 
Pulled the fridge and no moisture water anywhere around the AC unit. Checked the drain plug and hose and all seems well. Still not sure of the source. I never ran the onboard water pumps, just shore water so far.

On a good note, the dc light was in just the right position that I could take it down and sweep the water to it. After about an hour of squeezing water till not even a drop remains the liner looks incredible - I doubt anyone could ever tell something went wrong. Very happy about that. 10 gallons came out! I'm running the bridge AC and galley AC but no signs of leaks or issues yet. If even a small amount gathers in the liner ill know the issue is still unresolved.
 
I never hook up the boat to shore water, too risky if there is a leak... And your water in the tank gets old... Does the accumulation of water happens after heavy rain or a boat wash?
 
If you don't figure it out tis weekend, try contacting the boat manufacturer for a diagram, or at least a description of what runs up there, and perhaps some advice.
 
I'm still betting on an A/C condensation leak. Where does the condensation hose run? Could there be a leak down stream of the pan?
 
I ran both ac units, washed down the outside and it rained on Sunday. Not a drop in the liner so far. I'd like to believe the AC condensation but ....10 gallons of water?! That's a lot of water. I've only run the units 1 full day before discovering the problem. The other possibility is the water has been accumulating but we never noticed it until it squirted small amounts onto the floor. Hard to believe that maybe it's been accumulating for some time but then condensation could be the source.

I've been all over the AC units. The bridge unit has a switch/pump that appears to be working but maybe moving it around got it working again. THe galley unit runs out of the pan through a short hose overboard. I was able to pull the hose and rig something up to it to blow through it..didn't appear to be blocked.

So, i'll keep monitoring the liner for any signs of water. Not sure there's much else I can check.

Pascal, I always turn shore water off when I leave the boat. I use both shore water and onboard water throughout the season.

Thanks for the help,
 
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