still having water issues !

[266ltd]

Well i have owned this fountain for about a month and other than replacing a sea water pump everything has been awsome! i have a 2000 32 fever w/ 502's with very low hours. I an however still having trouble finding out were my water in the bilge is coming from! i had a gotten some advise from someone earlyer that said check the rub rail on swim deck. i pulled it all out and sealled all the holes also sealed the seam between hull and deck, bellows are in great shape and dont see an exahust leak no wet spots any were but i still get about a gallon when i go out for a few hours. also i washed down my cockpit the other day and i went to check the step bilge in cabin and there was 3 gallons of water in there so i bailed it out shopvac dry. any ideas why the bilge pump wont work the wires go were?

[US1 Fountain]

Do you float/anchor in rough water?

Do your water pumps leak at the weep holes?

[266ltd]

very calm water, in a cove in central il. we dont get much wave action. I was going through old posts there was some things about the coolers in cabins? were do they drain and were do the cockpit drains go? my old boat (non fountain) just drained out the sides, through bilge like holes.

[US1 Fountain]

The cooler drains is a mystery in Fountains. Mine drained into the gas tank cavity, but I never used it anyways. Some drain in the side stringers drainage, then into the bilge. The cockpit drains drain the same way. The holes going into the bilge are on the outside of the outer stringers underneath the battery trays. I ran a drain hose from the cooler drain fitting, directly into the bilge, eliminating the free flowing thru the bottom of the hull incase I wanted to use the cooler. Might try not using the cooler or hosing the cockpit out and see if your water problem goes away.

[266ltd]

the more i search old posts, fountains seem to be a bit of a pain when it comes to water not being were it is supposed to be, (out side the damn boat) lol

[SDFever]

Mine did the same thing when I bought it. It was leaking from the water pressure hose that runs from the sea water pump up to the helm. The barb that someone installed was leaking before the hose... Also, I have proven (for my boat anyway) that some water comes through the engine bilge vents on the side of the deck. It accounts for about 1/2 gallon of water only after running in rough water for a few hours.

[UNSANE]

I had an exhaust diverter leaking at one time. That put water in my bilge. I would look at your cooling items as well. Check to see if the water is warm or not right after runnin. Lately I've been getting that brown stuff from the foward bilge area. I had blasted the passages clean and now it's finally draining, even when I'm driving down the road.

[Viaqua]

I have been chasing water for 4 years in my '01 38 Lightning. Here is what I have found to be the culpritS...SSS!

1. My cooler used to run its drain to the fwd bilge-I now rerouted it and both sinks to the rear bilge-that stopped 90% of water build up in fwd bilge and the float type pump there is crap-I replaced that pump with 2 different versions and still it never caught.
2. The windshield (or race fairing) will leak like a sieve into the lower hull (eventually gets there) and then back to the bilge-no way to stop this and I have tried everything including a NEW shorty windshield supposedly properly sealed. I solved using a waterproof boat cover.
3. The bow rail attached points will leak through (you already hit this one though)
4. Water pump seals are in a word SH.T and will leak
5. I also had other water issues too numerous to mention but have finally stopped water after 2) New HP transom assemblies and all associated attached pieces (bellows, couplers, and so much more).
6. Check the seals (both sides) at the tailpipes-they always leak
A friend mentioned putting food coloring into the fwd bilge and then after awhile checking the color of the water in the rear bilge to see if the fwd area is draining properly.
You can also run a thick chalk line on the interior transom in an effort to find the source.
Good luck