Bob: Assuming that the hood is similar to my 38MKII.....some thoughts on the process might be useful to you.
I've replaced the sliding Plexiglas 3 times since I've owned the boat (15 years)....During the "middle" replacement, I decided to completely remove the sliding components and made new teak ones but in the process, I noted that since the boat seems to sit "bow down a little" (so it sails flat when crew is in the cockpit), I was collecting lots of water and finally rotted stuff in the small space ahead of the slide. That space holds about a half gallon of water and over time it just gets gray and messy. Since you will have the hood off, and since your headliner is easily accessible, consider this.....I drilled out the forward corners of that space and led a flared stainless tube down to connect with some Tygon tubing and then out of the cabin side just forward of the windows....The exit hole is about a1/4" and is cut at the same anagle as the cabin sides so it doesn't show. All of the tubing is hidden by the headliner panels... That area is now always dry and since there's a way out, I haven't had any concern for over 5 years. Every spring, I run a wire snake up from the side to clear anything that has plugged the holes and never found anything of substance. Your leak at the corners of the companionway is likely caused by the aging of the sealant used in making that teak frame for the drop boards.....I had mine taken off this year and there was hardly anything behind it. So we fabricated new ones from Starboard (seafoam matches our decks) and really sealed the whole thing with sealant. Been in for 4 months now and never a drop .....since the "bow down" angle of the boat at rest collects water up front, when you get in the cockpit, it drains backward out of the trough at each side of the sliding part of the hatch and down onto the bridge deck seat.....before it used to collect at the base of the drop board and then into the spaces on either side that were unsealed..... Maybe the job should be expanded to take care of your current problem and any future issues than can come up ......doing it now prevents you from doing it again... Best, Ron C. Impromptu C&C 38MKIIC..'77 _____ From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Robert Boyer via CnC-List Sent: Monday, September 08, 2014 1:23 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Stus-List Companionway hood I am planning to remove my companionway hood and check for leaks later this Fall. Leaks into the hood are not an issue but I think the screws that fasten the hood simply screw into the outer layer of fiberglass and penetrate into the balsa core (like many other original fastenings). I will most likely remove a little core in the area of the screws and check it for water. I will probably drill out the holes to a bigger size (like 3/4-inch) and then fill them with thickened epoxy. After the epoxy hardens, I will use a suitably sized pilot hole so the screws have something to bite into. Even if it's not leaking into the core now, if you've gone to all the trouble of removing the hood, why not fix it so it will never leak? In this case, there wouldn't be much of a need for any sealant. In driving rains, I am getting a leak that exits near the companionway steps--I think the companionway hood is the likely entrance for the water (unless it is simply coming in at the companionway door). If this is the case (which I don't know for sure yet) my balsa core is probably wet in the area. We'll see... Bob Bob Boyer S/V Rainy Days / Annapolis MD 1983 C&C Landfall 38 - Hull #230 email: dainyr...@icloud.com blog: dainyrays.blogspot.com "There is nothing--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." --Kenneth Grahame
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