Finding deck leaks

[nestorph]

I've had some types of leaks that I suspect are deck-related. The boat is on the hard so I have to periodically trundle off to the yard to turn on the roofer's pump I have stuck in the bilge to drain it.

What is the most effective technique for finding the leaks? I've read about sticking an electric leaf blower into a companionway slat (obviously one made for this purpose) to pressurize the boat's interior. Then use a soap solution (don't know the proportion of soap to water) that is applied either through a spray bottle or paintbrush. Since there's a lot of area to cover on a 30 foot boat, any advice on a better way to go about this would be much appreciated!

[coopec43]

What is the boat constructed of - wood, steel.....?

What about getting someone to hose water the deck while you are inside? (Pay particular attention to any hatches/windows)

What design is the boat?

[nestorph]

It's an Islander 30 Bahama sloop with fiberglass hull. I'll add your hose water suggestion to my to-do list! Thanks

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/bahama-30-islander/

(Mine has a Yanmar engine)

[BenBowSirocco]

I have to say- I kind of like the leaf-blower idea! Never heard that one. Seems like a great idea to me and less destructive.



Be aware the boat likely has a plywood deck core: so water intrusion under a stanchion or sail track.. etc. will need some repair to be structurally sound again.



A friend of mine had a couple very pesky small leaks and used "water damns" stuck down with tacky tape (plastic cups usually- though the sail track ones were cheap pine strips) and he filled the dammed area with food colored water.

This allowed him to know exactly what was leaking down below. Sail tracks where one color. Stanchion bases used all sorts of colors to identify which individual one leaked. Chainplates were green if I remember right.. haha

[coopec43]

You said the deck was f/g. Do you mean solid f/g>

But if it is cored then water could leak through (say) the Starboard hand rail mounting and then migrate and exit some distance away