Water leak '87 Salt

[skiman_61]

Hey guys,

I've had water coming into my old salt coming up around my exhaust tubes. I removed the baffles and caulked the bejesus out of the tubes two seasons ago. No change. The only thing I can figure is that there is a hole in my pipes.

Anyone experience similar problems?

Thanks,

Jack

(Oh, BTW, its not leaking at the rudder box or the shaft or dripping down from anywhere above the deck. This I mention because others have suggested these possibilities. Not the case.)

[Salty87]

Did you reach up the exhaust pipes and get those joints? The pipes 'connect' to the baffles maybe 4" in but it's far from water tight w/o sealant. Scrub the area clean with a brush/rinse/dry well and slather some 4200 in there.

[chautauquasun]

That's interesting. I have had the same problem for a few years. I still am running the trapps as exhausts and assumed it was coming from where the two join but it sounds like you are saying there are joints in the exhaust pipes. I was going to remove the trapps this year and remove the exhaust pipes and then go with flapper style exhaust. I would have lost my mind if I did the replacement work and still had leaks. So you are saying you need to seal the actual pipes? I always thought they were one piece.
thanks
Dan

[Salty87]

The hardware the trapps attach to is part of the flange mounted to the transom, not the exhaust pipe. So the pipes and flange meet up and need to be sealed. The best way to maintain the exhaust would be to pull the trapps off the transom and scrape away any old sealant there and up the pipes. Re-bed the flanges and hit the joint in the pipes...all of it with 4200.

Was a surprise to me too until taking it all apart for rebuilding stringers. You'd think it would have been more commonly identified as needing periodic maintenance since the result is waterlogged foam and rotting stringers (if your exhaust is under the floor like some models).

[skiman_61]

Did you reach up the exhaust pipes and get those joints? The pipes 'connect' to the baffles maybe 4" in but it's far from water tight w/o sealant. Scrub the area clean with a brush/rinse/dry well and slather some 4200 in there.

I put it pretty far up in there. Not sure I knew there was a joint at 4" tho.

Thanks for the response.

[cadunkle]

Also check your platform brackets and bolts. After replacing my rudder with a new style MC box and large rudder I still had water coming in. Resealing the three transom brackets resulted in a completely dry bilge.

[skiman_61]

Also check your platform brackets and bolts. After replacing my rudder with a new style MC box and large rudder I still had water coming in. Resealing the three transom brackets resulted in a completely dry bilge.

The brackets look to be sealed tighter than a duck's butt. Then again, water can find a way. Thanks for the tip!

Jack

[skiman_61]

Hey guys, got the boat back from my fiberglass guy. New floor. Original stringers solid. I’ve got water coming in around my pipes like you wouldn’t believe. I need to caulk the interior of the tubes? Wtf?

[nboardskier]

That's interesting. I have had the same problem for a few years. I still am running the trapps as exhausts and assumed it was coming from where the two join but it sounds like you are saying there are joints in the exhaust pipes. I was going to remove the trapps this year and remove the exhaust pipes and then go with flapper style exhaust. I would have lost my mind if I did the replacement work and still had leaks. So you are saying you need to seal the actual pipes? I always thought they were one piece.
thanks
Dan

Salt is right. The SupraTrapps are the biggest reason so many of our beloved old Supras end up needing stringer replacement. No one ever knew to seal the joint inside the pipes and water got under the floor, wicked into the entire boat by the spongy foam. Good ballast though! Even though the traps sound great, you have to ditch 'em!

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[Salty87]

...assumed it was coming from where the two join but it sounds like you are saying there are joints in the exhaust pipes...
Dan

The exhaust pipes overlap the transom flange (maybe the transom flange overlaps the straight pipes, it's been a long time since my rebuild) a couple inches forward of the transom. There's no splitting hairs, horrible design. The pipes could have just extended 4 or however many inches to the transom with the trapps connecting directly to them. But, no.

Even though the traps sound great, you have to ditch 'em!

So good to see you back, Clint! I just realized you have a new handle. The trapps are ok as long as they get resealed periodically. Those with floors that end a foot or so short of the transom are at a bit of an advantage for being able to see the leak. Wish I had done that with my rebuilt floor.

Skiman, this is a below the waterline application. Best to use 3M 4200 or something else approved for such. Caulk from 2 years ago with a new floor is a bit of a pucker factor. Spending a couple hours to pull apart, scrape clean, reseal with new sealant would be money well spent to protect your recent work as well as stopping the leak.