[Alberg30] Thank you George!

[Tom Sutherland]

Albergers,

Several weeks ago George D. wrote that nearly all of the leaks he had
found in the main cabin, above the settees could be attributed to the
screws in the sail tracks. 

I have had a very aggravating leak in the area of the forward bulkhead
inside the locker right under the side stay area. I naturally thought it
was the side stays. I rebedded all of the starboard stays, the mast
step, the dorade flange, the hand rails, the stansion bases in the area,
even the sliding hatch hood. Still the leak persisted. I had to keep the
bottom of a milk jug in the area of the leak, pushed against the forward
portion of this locker and every time I checked it after a good rain I
would find about a quarter to a half cup of water. 

It really never occurred to me that I could get this much water from the
screws in the sail track, after all my sail tracks are elevated via the
molded deck and should not be leaking at their base.

So I had an idea after reading what George wrote. I had little hope of
this working but since it would require very little effort this is what
I tried. I cleaned the top of the outside sail track off with some
acetone and placed a strip of one inch wide electricians tape over the
screw heads ... and weighted for the next rain.


As luck would have it we had about a two week drought in my area. I even
forgot about this little experiment till I saw the tape and remembered
why it was there.

Then the rain came and when I got arround to checking my  milk jug
bottom and it was dry as the perverbial bone. Thinking this too good to
me true I didn't get my hopes up ... maybe it waqsn't a very heavy rain,
maybe the warter had evaporated.

Then last night we had a real frog strangler. I went up to check the
boat and was delighted to find it as dry as could be.

Now I guess I will have to cure the problem by removing the screws one
at a time and rebedding them but I am absolutly estactic about locating
the soarce of this very worisome leak.

Thanks again George!

Tom S
A30  # 412

PS ... engine install moving slow but sure.
 +---------------------------------------------------------------+
 |                This Old Boat by Don Casey                     |
 | http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0071579931/alberg30-20 |
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