Radar arch leak

[bob richards]

On my 97' 330 dancer I found a leak yesterday where the radar arch meets up with the hull below the point where it is joined with the windsheild on both sides of the boat. The water would come in and go around underneath the padding and down the bolts holding the arch to the hull. A sprinkler hits the starboard side of the boat right at that point and it soaked the compartment on that side. The area was carpeted over gelcoat over wood with a drain to stern. The problem was that the carpet retained enough water that over time it rotted the wood.

I pulled the pads off (two screws behind the flaps in the material) and cleaned behind it and let it dry before caulking it on the outside and inside. I had to remove the light in that compartment as it was rusted out, pulled the carpet and removed the rotted wood.

I am going to let it dry out for a while and then would like some suggestions as to what to put in the place of the rotted wood. Any ideas?

Bob

 

[divedaddy]

If you have the leak resolved and a good repair, new wood (marine plywood) should be okay (there is a lot of it in thst boat). If you don't want to go back to wood, you might want to consider Starboard from King Plastics.

 

[bob richards]

Thanks,

I can pre-glass the board on the bottom and set it in place and then glass it into the boat from the top.

Just checking, thanks

 

[Good Gracious]

Hey I have a 98 330 and I have the same problem starboard side leaking from where the windshield connects to the arch padding on arch is soaked dripping from the bolts that hold it on missing one bolt carpet is wet. how did you stop the leak? do you have any pics?

Thanks,
John

 

[Good Gracious]

Also where are the screws on the inside compartment or outside of the pad.
How did you find them

John

 

[LMboat]

Had the same problem. There was enough structure of the bottom left, that I just used some fiberglass cloth and resin. it has worked great. It doesn't look that great, but I use that compartment for the cleaning supplies and garbage can/bucket, so it's not that big of a deal.

 

[Bliss]

I bought a 1997 330DA this winter and held back cash subject to just this sort of thing. Can you folks tell me exactly what I should inspect to see if I have this problem. Please be very specific as I, as yet, am not familiar with the boat. Thanks, JS

 

[bob richards]

The connection point for the radar arch all the way around it needs to have a sealant. There are screws in the pads on the interior side that you can see by pulling back the flaps of material. Phillips head screws. Pull the pad off and clean out all the dirt and slim built up from it always being wet and let the pads dry out before putting them back. You have to seal it on the outside as it runs up the forward side of the arch as it joins with the windshield as well as on the inside. You probably already have a selant on the outside running horizontally.

What was happening is that it would run in from the outside vertical/diagonal seem and run in where it attached to the boat. If you stick your head inside the compartment to starboard you can see the bolts and washers that hold the arch in place.

If you carpet is at all wet you have a leak. The carpet will retain the water and the wood below it is only coated with a light gelcoat. A quick bandaide is to remove the carpet as it will then run down into the engine compartment and not stay trapped on the floor of the compartment.

 

[Bliss]

Thanks. Any help is appreciated. I won't see the boat in the water until about May 1. In the meantime I might get a chance to look for wet spots or stains.