Phantom Leak, '77 Cat 30

[H3LlIoN]

We've got a phantom leak that drips out above the ice box in the galley on our '77 30. I am unable to isolate a source. Has any one encountered this issue and determined the cause? The only known close openings are the door and the windows, both of which are sealed and not leaking. Thanks,

- H

[sastanley]

H3, It is common for leaks to occur around windows & chainplates..it gets thru the deck, but not the fiberglass cabin liner, and then trickles in between the two until it finally finds an exit, making it hard to isolate the source.

I used to get water dripping out of my cabin lights all the time. I was pretty sure it was the chainplates, which were several feet upstream. The cabin lights were attached to the cabin liner with (not sealed) sheet metal screws which went thru the liner and water found its way thru the screw holes.

[Mo]

food coloring...then water.

Put some food coloring around a suspect area...ie a window and run water. It will leave a track of color....it your leak becomes colored....you found where it is coming in.

Do just one area at a time...ie. chain plates, then windows, around a deck fitting etc. Leaks can be a B!tch to figure out. I don't know which I hate worse, finding leaks or wiring (especially someone else's wiring) . LOL

[quiltdog1]

Water leak source

I have a 1977 catalina 30 also had a leak in the same area and found it to be the life line stanchions.