so I have a bit of a cabin leak...perhaps

rasbury

When we first bought the boat about 4 years ago, we had to pull out the mid ship mattress as it had gotten wet and was moldy.....the boat has continued to have a musty smell but seems to go away once you get it opened up etc. But, having been laid up almost two years is worse. I have kept my enclosure down there separated by comforters and such. As I'm getting ready to go back to the water, I pulled out all of that and I have had more water. The far starboard corner carpet is moldy in about a 6x2 section....the material against the bulkhead around it is curling up a bit like it was wet and the adhesive has broken loose. Now, sitting on the street this is absolutely the lowest point in the cabin but I don't see any signs of water running to it and it is not soaking wet. Now, that being said, when I have the cover on it I leave the window open right there going into the berth (270) and I'm not sure I have had a problem with this until recently- it's been home with the cover off and I have left the window open. It has rained some. But, what makes me think this has been a bigger problem than recent, the comforter I have as separators, a couple of them were REALLY moldy and the corner had kind of rotted away so obviously this has not been something that got wet in the last couple of weeks. Places to leak? The snaps for the carpet, those screws would not go through? There is a compartment above deck there but it seems to hold water...looking at the material that is the "roof" of the mid berth, it is sagging a little and I'm going to pull that or at least open it up to see if water has been coming in the window and running under that panel to the back corner which is entirely possible... where would I get replacement material for that? Also, same for that bulkhead vinyl? My wife has problems with mold big time and I have delayed launching until I can check this out- if I even mention it to her no matter how good I clean it out of there it will always be a problem....

GMSLITHO

get a couple of fans in there and get it dry .After that you might want to get someone to spray with a hose from outside and look inside to see where the water is coming in from 

boatman37

Windshield mounting screws?

I agree with the water hose

Handymans342

Good grief Ras when do your problems stop with this piece of Crap boat!!!

Handymans342

This is the definition of insanity

Ian

Yeah, was thinking the same thing.

J3ff

Seriously, get rid of it and start over. 

Michael T

Ras.....I give you a five star salute for what you have persevered through. I have never met or heard of any boater having to deal with everything you have. No matter what you seem to take it on and deal with it.  You are simply an amazing guy! If there is any boaters' justice in this world you will win a lottery and be able to buy a new boat. 

rasbury

Really @ j3ff ? How much did you spend repowering your boat after you just bougtb it? 20 grand by the time you were done? And icoulta, don't think I've posted anything you have not gone through.. and handy, about done with your bs for a guy that bought an RV but keeps coming back here to trash anyone that has a boat. Iboats has a pretty supportive forum, perhaps it's time for me to move on.

Handymans342

Ras, you are a car salesman. You are at the top of the BS pile!!  LOL

Willhound

To get back to your issue @rasbury it could have come in the open window, but I'd be more inclined to check the usual culprits, namely the rub rail, around the windshield mounting screws and the portlight seals. And I would start there first.
I was getting a wet spot just at the entry to my aft bunk on the port side (I think your 2005 is layed out slightly different) but it turned out to be the front port light on the port side, not the rear one as I would have suspected. Water was coming off the deck, hitting the trim ring around the port, seeping in, and then running down behind the galley cabinet to exit at the carpet, soaking that corner of the bunk. Re-sealing the ports cured the issue. I haven't done the rub rail yet, but likely will this spring just for insurance.
I wouldn't think the studs for the carpet snaps are an issue, I don't even think they penetrate the cockpit sole all the way through, and even if they did, not a huge hole.

Get a hose out and a sprinkler and a flashlight and get in and take a look. If you've never re-sealed your port lights, it took me less than an hour to pull all four and reseal them. Good luck and persevere. Being a (semi) public forum you will always get opinions, many in jest and some that don't agree with your point of view, but it's your boat so you do what you feel is best. Others may have given up by now, but that's them, and you're you. Somebody once told me, "Be yourself, everyone else is taken".

raybo3

Hey guys listen up. This forum is supposed to be supportive and helpful. It really isn't anyone's business on how much someone spends or how much work they do to their boat. We as forum member should be encouraging and helpful. @rasbury good luck with finding your leak and getting your boat in the water this spring.

Cableguy Greg

I would have to agree with the sprinkler. Let it run for a few minutes before getting in the boat. The other thing to consider is what angle your boat was sitting. The water could be running from somewhere forward of the back of the aft cabin. I have a leak that shows up every once in a while in my boat. It is usually after a hard driving rain. I need to track that one down in the spring.

Ian

rasbury said:

Really @ j3ff ? How much did you spend repowering your boat after you just bougtb it? 20 grand by the time you were done? And icoulta, don't think I've posted anything you have not gone through.. and handy, about done with your bs for a guy that bought an RV but keeps coming back here to trash anyone that has a boat. Iboats has a pretty supportive forum, perhaps it's time for me to move on.

I agreed with the prior comment that the situation  was insanity. Not sure what you took from it but it's time to take a chill pill. So many have tried to help you here and give you kudos for effort. Don’t s€£t on us. 

randy56

When i had my 270 I found a few places that leaked. First was the window's the bedding on the outside was deteriorated . Cannot find picture but I caulked around each with 4000, at where the glass meets the frame. having mold behind side cushions.  some have had to completely remove them and reinstall.  As found on this forum, buy some damp rid bags amazing how they work. another place was at the sliding door. Under the helm, the is a drain hole, about 1/2 inch hole. it was clogged was a kids supper ball. You may have debris in the hole. It is the lowest place in the cockpit, where you step down. water was getting in by the steps.  you can see the drain hole with a flash lite, about half way in there. open door  at least half way you will see it close to  the track.  about under the steering wheel.  Also I removed all the screws that hold the windshield on one at a time, put some 4000 on the threads and reinstalled them. Do not use strong batterie drill to remove and reinstall screws, or set the clutch half way,  too easy to over tighten and strip.  also tighten up the windshield wiper, where it attaches to  the fiber glass when you get up there you will see how it is attached, don't over tighten snug it up. . another place was the side pocket on port side, the one with hinged door. had to re caulk the outside frame, seemed i always had water in the pocket. even with cockpit cover on. Mine had drain hole's in the cup holder with hose's running to bulge. 
Investigating the rub rail I never found where it could leak the way it is put together. did remove nav lights and rebed them.  although I did not think it was needed.  Never found any leakage on the floor where snaps are installed.  Never found any in the anchor locker, as it has a drain. 
The garden hose idea did not seem to help, finding leaks, May if I would had someone on the inside. and doing a section at a time. I had thought about coloring the water a green or red to follow the source.  I did use two fans to dry it out from time to time one on the inside and a box fan at the door.

I know how frustrating finding those leaks can be, I developed some new Rinker cuz words during that time. Sorry cannot share them on here. LOL 

Lake_Bum

I mostly just read the posts on this forum, instead of posting non-stop on every thread. I check this site often, and feel like I know quite a few of you personally. An observation from the past 2 years, Handyman RARELY posted anything useful/helpful to anyone. He simply came on here to give someone crap over not owning a diesel boat like his that is now SOLD. MOVE ON!   
My vote is to BAN him, and force him to make the RV forms put up with his miserable self.  Rant over.  
Good luck with your leak Ras.  The sprinkler on while you sit under there is a good starting point. 

Glassguy54

There is a guy on you tube, FriscoBoater, and he had a Sea Ray on which he replaced the stringers, transom, deck, etc. after buying and discovering all was rotten. He could have abandoned it, but undertook this massive project none the less. All very well documented. Have a look. Hats off to all who take on big projects. The lessons learned and passed on help us all be more resourceful and self sufficient.

Handymans342

Rarely??? I dont think so. If you just post on the forum to bash people then dont post.  

Handymans342

Ras, I will tell you that if you lived close to me you would be in the water because I would help you every chance I got because thats how I roll. I have helped several fellow Rinkers near by

rasbury

Ok, so chill pill has taken effect and left the forum alone. Thanks for all the positive comments as always. Yes, frustration level is high but I don't have options. I can't afford to do a do over. As I've seen others deal with major issues, they get out the checkbook and move on with much less frustration as their boats were fixed. Transom leak? New transom asy and 10 grand later might barely loose a week or two of boating. I don't have those resources and would not argue with anyone that perhaps we should not have a boat. Hard to imagine an income that what ever goes wrong I hand a blank check to a mechanic. Anyway, after all I have worked through with 0 boat knowledge to get to as far as I know a very common issue, now I have a piece of crap boat, it's insane to keep working on it and it would be cheaper to start over, well should have stopped right there.

I would never want anyone banned form a forum- if that happened it would cease to be a forum by definition.  all deal with negativity in the world and I handled it pourly which I regret. I would vote however this thread be closed and enough said. I will figure this out too.

raybo3

Done..........