Phantom '82 GW Rain Leak

[LX Kid]

:hmm
Have an '82 GW Weekender and was wondering if anyone has dealt with a phantom leak such as mine. This has been a two year restoration and just got it into the water two weeks ago. Normally the boat is covered but when I'm using it daily short term, I only cover the cuddy including windows. When it rains I'm getting about two gallons of water in the forward bilge. These are the things I've done trying to stop it:
1. All bow bright work bases caulked including vertical poles.
2. Removed rub rail and caulked all holes and under lip where hull meets top pan. Left rub rail off until I find the leak.
3. Covered rope pipe and find no evidence of water in rope locker.

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Re: Fantom '82 GW Rain Leak

:hmm :hmm Before you go crazy try to find the leak, see if you can pour some water on your deck, make sure the bilge has no water, and see if the water you just poured finds it's way to the forward bilge. Some boats, by design(or by design error), when at rest the front portion of the v-bottom hull sits lower than the rear more flat portion of the hull, so that makes water to run forward first, fill the lower part of the hull, then water flows in the rear bilge. I know some Wellcrafts had that problem, but i really never heard about Grady, but you never know. Looks like you did everything to find the leak, so my approach is easy to do. Good luck and let us know if i hit the nail on the head.

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Fantom '82 GW Rain Leak

Yesterday I raised the bow "way up" and all water ran out to the rear bilge. I then plugged fuel bay drains and front bilge line to rear bilge. We had a hard rain last night. Went out this morning and pulled the plug, in the rear bilge area, for the front bilge drain line and pulled out couple gallons. Been chasing the leak for couple weeks now and is driving me "insane!"
:bang