Okay, science it is!
Since these boats are covered with carpet inside, water spreads out quickly and leak sources are not obvious. I bought an electrophysics moisture meter. (I'm a woodworker, my old pin type meter was croaking, so it was a completely justifiable expense.) The new meter has shown me many water intrusions I would not have known about for a while. I found the chain plate leak before I got it, but the extent of the wet core was revealed by the meter. I had water in the portside settee compartment the following year and blamed the hull to deck joint until I metered the area and discovered my caulk job at the chainplates was not good enough. Cabintop winches & traveler mounting bolts had wet core. The forward hatch was a big culprit but a fairly simple re-bed; no core problems. I even found an impact zone on the hull just below the toerail that showed dampness. I wouldn't have noticed that one until it was a much bigger repair otherwise.
So Rick; if you can beg, borrow, etc., plot the relative moisture readings with sticky notes or something. You'll find out more than you wanted to know! Maybe even the leak you're looking for!
After the fact, I can now see some of the visual cues I should have picked up on. There were more obvious watermarks around bolts in the ceiling, but there are a few spots on the V-berth bulkheads where the finish looks thin that must have been from being wet repeatedly. Not flooded, but frequently on the wet side of damp.
Best of luck hunting,
Bob
