Leak in he engine compartment

My 1986 IP 27 is located on Puget Sound.  When it rains (often here) water runs down the port side of the engine compartment, down the front of the battery box and on the side of the engine, some times filling the engine pan in the winter.  I have decked the drains and they are all clear.  I cannot detect how the water is entering.  Can anyone help?
Graham

Thanks! I will try that.
Graham

Hayden,
Thanks. I removed the old gasket and replaced it with a new one. It is still dry here so I am unsure if it will succeed. May I ask you one further question, please. The gasket I replaced is not on the hatch lid, but on the raised edge of opening. Should there also be a gasket on the edge of the hatch? I worry that adding a gasket there would impede the gutters and not allow water to properly channel into the drains.

Hayden,
Over the weekend I placed a hose into the drains at the hatch lid and in the small locker on the port side. They all drained overboard as they should. I replaced the gasket around the mouth of the engine compartment. Today I ran a hose into the cockpit and simulated rain for about 25 minutes. The hose nozzle I placed at the transom. There were no engine compartment leaks. I have not added a gasket to the lid because I worry it might block the drains, both of which are located close the hatch lid. What do you think? (I much appreciate your advice with this issue).
Graham

Graham,
I have a 1985 IP27 and have had similar experience. One thing I did was to trim the rear corners off of the rubber/foam sheet in the compartment lid. This way they don't block the 2 scupper openings.
Let me know if you continue to have problems. I have a lot more on this subject.
Good luck,
Art

Art,
I would appreciate more information if you have time. This problem has bothered for three years. This year I had a new engine installed and I am anxious to solve the problem once and for all.
Graham

Graham,
The port side leaks because the gasket system is poorly designed. I replaced my in-hatch foam a few years ago and found it sealed for about a year, then became over compressed on the port side (no hinge to support it) and started to leak again. There should have been some sort of stops to limit the compression of the gasket on the port side, just as the hinge limits the compression on the starboard side.  (Hope this makes sense.)  You will probably see that the port side of the hatch sits a little lower than the starboard side when closed.

Another way to think of it is that the port side closes to the point the edge of the hatch sits in the cut-out (actually the drainage groove).  At this point the gasket takes a set and no longer applies pressure to the frame. 

• The gasket looses sealing ability + the hatch edge sits inside and partially blocks the drainage groove = Leak

I ended up places about a foot long piece of garden hose in the port drainage groove and it GREATLY improved the problem.  The gasket no longer acts as a seal, but water drains very freely through the groove and very little makes it into the engine compartment.  (You need to keep the hose clear of course).  I think that hatch foam primarily serves as as noise damper.

I'll try to get some photo's for you over the weekend.

Best,
Art

Art,
That is most interesting. I would really appreciate some photos. I’ll continue
to work the problem.
Graham

Graham,

The first photo shows my "hatch gasket", which is more of a sound deadener than gasket.  Note how the upper (starboard) side groove is shallower than the lower (port) groove.  This is because the hinge limits compression of the foam on the starboard side, while the port side has the hatch rim sitting in the drainage channel on the port side.  The rim partially blocks the water drainage. 

Also note that I removed the corners from the foam where it covered the scuppers.  This simply reduces the chance that the foam will block them.

The second photo shows the piece of garden hose that I placed in the port side channel.  This prevents the hatch rim from bottoming out in the drainage channel.  Water seems to flow through the hose, unless it becomes clogged with debris (and needs to be cleared out).

In summary, I changed the gasket a few years ago and it worked well for about a season until it became compressed like the old one.  With the hose in place (about a foot long) Duchess gets much less water in the bilge.

Let me know if you need me to elaborate on any of this,
Art 

Art,
We have been away on a cruise of the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound - sorry to be slow to respond. Your photos are very helpful. I fitted a U gasket around the edge of the hatch lid, but cut away the areas that would impede the drains. I tested by running water into the cockpit for several minutes, and there was not leak. I have previously renewed the gasket around the opening to the engine. But if it doesn't work, I will look again at your solution. Thanks so much.

Graham,
Please send a photo of what you have done. I am not familiar with a U gasket, but it sounds like you may have a solution.
Best,
Art

Art,
I will take a couple of photos and post them.
Graham

www.ipyoa.com/media/kunena/attachments/2...hgasket.jpgArt,Sorry to be slow answering your helpful email.  I couldn’t figure out how to post photos with my reply.          trimmed away the gasket on the cover where the drains are located to facilitate the flow of water.  We have now had some rain here and so far there has been no leak.  I have a diaper in the engine well so I can monitor the ingress of water, but so far so good.  Opening the engine hatch is harder with the addition of the gasket, but I have a too which is a straight steel rod bent at one end to a right angle.  I can insert this under the hatch cover at the site of the drain and it lifts pretty easily with this.  I did secure the u gasket with contact cement.       

Art,
Still pretty shacky at photo insertion.  Here is the lid gasket photo. 

You seem to have a very different configuration than I do, but if it does not leak stay with it!

I have a sound deadening foam in the center of the hatch, and you may want to consider adding some since it helps quiet down the engine.

Best,
Art

Art,
Where did you get the sound deadening foam? It sounds a great idea.
Graham

I used Sundown IAFC05N 1/2 inch thick foam. They are located in Salem Mass. Follow my photos and don't cover the scupper areas.
Best,
Art