Anyone identified small rain water leaks in their fibreglass boat using electronic equipment?

No I haven't but logging humidity over time might give a general indication moisture is getting in.
To track down specific leaks you could hire a thermal camera and use that. Damp areas will show up colder, moreso if using a fan to increase evaporation. These are used in the building industry.
If going down that path you might also want to crank up all your electrical equipment and check your wiring for hotspots at the same time.

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warwickl said..
Anyone identified small rain water leaks in their fibreglass boat using electronic equipment?

Before you go too far, are you seeing water in the bilge, or can you identify water traces up higher?

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Stockie said..

warwickl said..
Anyone identified small rain water leaks in their fibreglass boat using electronic equipment?

Before you go too far, are you seeing water in the bilge, or can you identify water traces up higher?

Over several years I have done everything possible that's normal to do including your suggestions.
Thanks for you input.
I have covered, taped, sealed every hair line cracks but obviously missing something.
I just need one more magic method so thermal imaging came to mind or other electronic device.
I found that overseas some marine surveyors use electronic equipment to identify osmosis and other damage due to water.

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warwickl said..
Anyone identified small rain water leaks in their fibreglass boat using electronic equipment?

No. I think logic and commonsense is the only real way. On my boat with a keel stepped mast I get rain water down the mast. Forward hatch has small drains that get blocked that will let water drip inside.

Telling the forum what sort of boat it is might elicit info from other owners about where they found leaks. Different boats have different quirks.

In addition to the type of boat it would be useful to know what the evidence for water ingress has been observed. Is there some damage that is evident or are you waist deep at the nav station?
If the boat is not a well known design, can you give construction details; is keel or decked stepped mast, cored, ply or solid glass deck?

The description/type of my boat may not be popular on this forum.
I have gained a lot of benefit from this forum and made some contributions and as such hope not to damage my involvement here.
Anyway here goes its a Riviera 34ft Flybridge cruiser. No mast fitted yet - meant to be a funny comment.
The leak is small about 2 coffee cups after very heavy rain and strong winds. The rain finds its way into a firberglass shelf on the hull in the bedroom at the front of my boat. There is no damage as the shelf contains the water.
Over many years I have taped over everything, removed lining etc etc I have contacted Riviera however no additional help as I have done everything they suggested.
This got me to think that thermal imaging etc may help.

I think I can rule out a leak through the mast for you. Also chainplates.

A thermal imaging camera might work, but there would have to be a reason for the temperature differential. In a material that absorbs water, the micro evaporation from that surface will be cooler. With a gelcoated fiberglass structure I am not sure you will see the temperature graduation towards the leak source unless you are right on the spot of the leak.
Still might be worth a try. If there is a micro gap that you can't see but water comes through, it could well pick it up.

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warwickl said..
The description/type of my boat may not be popular on this forum.
I have gained a lot of benefit from this forum and made some contributions and as such hope not to damage my involvement here.
Anyway here goes its a Riviera 34ft Flybridge cruiser. No mast fitted yet - meant to be a funny comment.
The leak is small about 2 coffee cups after very heavy rain and strong winds. The rain finds its way into a firberglass shelf on the hull in the bedroom at the front of my boat. There is no damage as the shelf contains the water.
Over many years I have taped over everything, removed lining etc etc I have contacted Riviera however no additional help as I have done everything they suggested.
This got me to think that thermal imaging etc may help.

Egads, a stink boat! All jokes aside, they all float Warwick, I don't see it as a big deal.
I had an annoying leak from a toerail that I could not find, I ended up sticking paper towel folded in half on the sides of the cabin along the suspect area. In each paper towel I sprinkled powdered food dye and then folded it to keep it from spilling and taped it to the sides. Came back a week later and had this horrible red streak down the side of the cabin interior..voila, leak located.
Made a mess of the cushion though, next time I'll remember that bit.
Cheers!
SB

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warwickl said..
The description/type of my boat may not be popular on this forum.
I have gained a lot of benefit from this forum and made some contributions and as such hope not to damage my involvement here.
Anyway here goes its a Riviera 34ft Flybridge cruiser. No mast fitted yet - meant to be a funny comment.
The leak is small about 2 coffee cups after very heavy rain and strong winds. The rain finds its way into a firberglass shelf on the hull in the bedroom at the front of my boat. There is no damage as the shelf contains the water.
Over many years I have taped over everything, removed lining etc etc I have contacted Riviera however no additional help as I have done everything they suggested.
This got me to think that thermal imaging etc may help.

Can only be the stanchion bases or the forward deck hatch. Try a bit of talcum powder above the fibreglass shelf to try and work out which direction it comes from first. If that front interior is lined it's going to be hard.

You could also try this- used for detecting water leaks in cars. Probly alot cheaper than anything electronic, AU$50 from the UK.

Wow, thanks for the suggestions I was expecting expulsion.

A simpler test is to draw concentric lines with a whiteboard maker around the suspect area. You will see where the moisture is coming from as it will remove the marker in that area. Simpler than food die or torches with UV die. Tracking back from the lower point in the shelf may need a coule of new lines as you identify the source.

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MagicCarpet4 said..
A simpler test is to draw concentric lines with a whiteboard maker around the suspect area. You will see where the moisture is coming from as it will remove the marker in that area. Simpler than food die or torches with UV die. Tracking back from the lower point in the shelf may need a coule of new lines as you identify the source.

yep, i've used cheap textas to track down cabin leaks. most kids' textas have water-soluble ink...

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fishmonkey said..

MagicCarpet4 said..
A simpler test is to draw concentric lines with a whiteboard maker around the suspect area. You will see where the moisture is coming from as it will remove the marker in that area. Simpler than food die or torches with UV die. Tracking back from the lower point in the shelf may need a coule of new lines as you identify the source.

yep, i've used cheap textas to track down cabin leaks. most kids' textas have water-soluble ink...

Fishmonkey is back! Did you go somewhere Fish or am I just showing my ignorance?

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warwickl said..
Wow, thanks for the suggestions I was expecting expulsion.

Why? Most of the members here if they had been paying attention would have known that you have a motor boat, you had mentioned it in previous posts. By all means stick around.

Seal the boat and pressurise it. Then pour some soapy water over it

have you tried a moisture meter?

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saltiest1 said..
Seal the boat and pressurise it. Then pour some soapy water over it

have you tried a moisture meter?

I found this one on the internet and it has ok reviews "Tramex Skipper"
Overseas it is used by marine surveyors to check for osmosis and any areas that are damp. It has a setting for fibreglass.
I am tempted but lowest price is $630.

I think the Tramex would be more useful to check for osmosis. Even then it is best for taking readings at one point of time and second and third reading at later time to see how quickly it is drying out. i.e. relative moisture levels.

It would give indication that your bulkhead has higher moisture content than other non leaking bulkheads, but don't think it will pinpoint a source. Where are you anyway? I have a Tramex for measuring moisture in walls, it's probably exactly the same as the skipper model though might have some slight difference in calibration.

I do leak detection in my trade for a lot of clients and the moisture meter is last resort as it gives a wide playing field but narrows it down for me. I find it a very useful tool.
You'd use it on the underside of the deck and take note of readout at ever decreasing points on a grid. I prefer to lightly write numbers in the surface as I get closer if a large area, in pencil.

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saltiest1 said..
I do leak detection in my trade for a lot of clients and the moisture meter is last resort as it gives a wide playing field but narrows it down for me. I find it a very useful tool.
You'd use it on the underside of the deck and take note of readout at ever decreasing points on a grid. I prefer to lightly write numbers in the surface as I get closer if a large area, in pencil.

Thanks very good information.