Finding the Leak in the Deck

[tbodine88]

I have a 30 year old Nimble Artic.

She is pretty. I like her a lot. I keep her on her trailer beside my house.

After every rain there is water in the bilge. which runs beneath the cockpit and a short way into the cabin. I repaired the Bilge pump and keep it on Automatic so it keeps the water low. Except when the switch mysteriously is turned off.

There are lockers on the starboard side, outside in the cockpit and inside the cabin. I stowed some cloth items in the interior locker and found them wet after the last rain.

While I was running cable fort the new depth finder I found that the bulkhead surrounding foam that lies beneath the cockpit is wet and rotten. I see no cracks in the cockpit or on the deck on the starboard side, The life line stanchions seem to be solid and the deck is not soft.

What is a good method I can use to find this leak or these leaks and save my beautiful boat?

Here is a picture of the bulkhead https://photos.app.goo.gl/CrkQa737auJwhRUr7

[paulajayne]

Dry the inside where you think it is leaking.
Then distribute talcum powers every where you suspect.

Wait for rain then check for tracks.

[marcjsmith]

have some with a garden hose. spray areas while you are inside and look and watch listen for dripping water..

[tbodine88]

Thanks for the suggestions.


I pulled a lot of stuff out of the locker this morning. Then put a fan in to blow on the wet parts in the hope they'll dry out.


I will also place a boom tent over the Cockpit until the foam and wood are dry, before I do this test.




There aren't a lot of deck penetrations. There is a winch on the port side and two cleats on either side. There are no obvious cracks in the fiberglass or topsides that I can see.