water in v-berth
 

hey guys, my wife and i just got an 88 242ls. this is our first Formula :evilb: . I have learned alot just going through this forum. I need a little help figuring out how my v-berth floor is filling with water when the boat is just sitting on the trailer.the deck hatches are covered,and the door leading to the berth was covered. Is there a drain from the berth to the engine compartment? The only place that i could think that it may be coming from, is the engine compartment. There is rain water in the engine compartment. Thanks for any help.

Re: water in v-berth
 

So its no riding in rough water?? Thinking about the docking bow lights.... I push my bow lights this summer and got alot water in v berth..

Mange

Re: water in v-berth
 

I am led to believe it came from your bilge, the water gets to high and travels up into the cabin. I have had my 242 for 4 years and this just happened to me, in Oct when we had a month of ran, should of had the plug out :eek:

Welcome to the board, you will have lots of fun here and post some pics of your ride and your bride if you want :D

Re: water in v-berth
 

Be sure the transom is lower than the bow.

Re: water in v-berth
 

It may be coming from the screws that hold the windshield on. They are at the base in a channel covered by a rubber strip. Over time the sealer on them gives up and you will get a cabin leak from them-it will not drip from the ceiling, just fills the floor with water. The larger boats have a well under the cabin step that fills up from this all the time. You just need to back out each screw and put some silicone on it.

Re: water in v-berth
 

My firend had the same issue with his Wellcraft, it was a pluged drain tube that was supposto run from the anchor locker to the bilge. He jacked with that for months and it was a simple fix. Hope that helps. :rolleyes:

Re: water in v-berth
 

thanks for all of the input. the part that i don't understand is this: i pulled the carpet out from under the step,and there is a well there, but i don't see a drain to the engine compartment. Of course this is after sticking my hand into the ice cold water to try and reach it :mad:
: . i now have the bow up higher. funny how water can get in, but can't get out. The windshield thing sounds like it also makes alot of sense,seeing how the windshield and the engine compartment, were the only things that weren't covered by the tarp. all of you guys are great! :drink: we are really excited about this boat. it's a bit of a project, but was affordable. i will post pictures as soon as weather permits. thanks again

Re: water in v-berth
 

There is a drain up there that empties into the bilge. It's probably clogged with debris. Locate it and flush it out with a water hose.

Re: water in v-berth
 

There is a possibility you may have water entering through a deck hatch also. I pulled the hatches on my 311 and re-sealed them.

Re: water in v-berth
 

I've had same problem--boat wasn't sitting with bow higher than stern and water from engine bilge flowed thru those drains and flodded the cabin.

I've learned to make sure the drain plug is always removed and that stern is lower than bow.

Those drains are miniscule but they are there--somewhere in that well under the step into the cabim.

Re: water in v-berth
 

Even if the hatches were leaking, it should not build up water. It should drain to the bilge.

Re: water in v-berth
 

Are you sure it's water.....and not just Coor Lite? :D :D :drink: :drink:

Re: water in v-berth
 

... unless she is sitting nose down with her back-end in the air.

Re: water in v-berth
 

My first diagnosis. :D

Re: water in v-berth
 

If you have an anchor locker, check the bottom of it for holes.
Mine had several small holes from the anchor pounding on the bottom. I patched the holes, and don't keep the anchor in the locker and more, no more water.

Re: water in v-berth
 

Another option might be checking your deck rails. I found out the HARD way that my new/used Fountain had some leaking issues when I got caught in a huge storm hours after picking it up and my V-berth was soaked. Currently, my headliners are all down and the rail is off pending reattachment and a better seal around the bolts. Good luck, water IN the boat sucks...water out of the boat is real real nice.

Re: water in v-berth
 

Or favorite position ... ? :D

Re: water in v-berth
 

Yeah, I found that out the hard way. I was working on the electrical in my 242. I had the hatch up, and couldn't put it down that night. It rained for the next seven days. I had a tarp over the engine, but couldn't put the full cover on the boat because the hatch was up.

I was leaving for work one morning, Deb walked out with me to the truck. When I was getting in, she said, "Look at this". The jack had punched through the asphalt! :eek: I got up in the boat, and the cabin had a lot of water in it. :( I had to go to work, so Debbie got in the cabin with a five gallon bucket, and bailed enough so we could jack the trailer up higher and get the rest to run out the back.

So ends the lesson. :drink:

Re: water in v-berth
 

uuuhhhh exacltly!!! My 87 242ls has same prob when I bought it. Boat sat through two hurricanes in Boynton Beach and owner said that the well pump wouldn't work--that's another story... anyway...I had the boat covered and the rain at home (ATL) still got water in cabin floor.
This model boat does not have a drain, only a well. I wish it did have a drain.
The cover I used did not cover the windshield so that is how I found the windshield mounting screws leaking water into the cabin.
If your boat had a lot of time in the sun then you will want to remove the windshield glass and replace the rubber seals also. Both the seals under the glass frame and between the glass and frame. This boat sat in the Fla sun and everything the sun got to is baked. I have my windshield off and stripped down but don't have the stripping yet.
Check the well pump. It pushed the water out but I don't know where it was originally routed. Former owner ran it to the rear bilge but the looks of things in the cabin makes me think that it may have tied into the sink drain and out the side.
If you find the hose routing post what you find. I would like to route mine the original way.
I got a fax from Ryan at Formula about this plumbing but it was no help.


Welcome to OSO and good times.

What color is your boat? Rear platform?

Re: water in v-berth
 

aquaforce, does your boat have a bilge pump in the well? i double checked, i dont have any drains in the well, or in the wall behind it. Ryan at formula does say that there should be a drain connecting to the engine bilge(other people here say the same). I wonder if some boats do,and some don't. My carpet was definately factory, and took some effort to pull it up off of the well, and there is no signs of ever having a pump in there. It would be nice to put one in though. could yours have been put in by the previos owner? Looks like i have some windshield work to put on the list :cool:
My boat has the red #1 imron color package, and has the silent thunder exhaust with a 365 mag in it. Engine being updated as we speak.

Re: water in v-berth
 

rlv1017

There is a pump just setting at the bottom of the well. It is not mounted in anyway and from your post I think the previous owner put it there. The routing of the hose never looked right to me and the pump appeared to be logical so I thought he re-did something. Better idea to fix the problem than deal with the symptom that's why i'm fixing the leaks.
This boat is dark blue now but badly faded so I plan to change all the cosmetics of the boat and match it to my sand beige GMC truck.
Currently have the 330hp 454cid out on the floor for some work...maybe replacement. Haven't decided on exactly what engine. Something bigger for sure.

Where do you put in?

Re: water in v-berth
 

we are in plainville ct. We cruise on the ct. river, and the long island sound. Do you cruise in lake Lanier(sp)?

Re: water in v-berth
 

Yes, Lanier, Allatoona, Jackson, Tennissee river, Lake Hartwell in south carolina, Sinclair and Oconee.
We have not run a poker event yet so I hope to do that next year if I get the boat finished. Sounds like a lot of fun.

Re: water in v-berth
 

I had same problem with 272, it was the bow cleat leaking. Packed from bottom and silconed top then tightened. Seemed to have worked

Re: water in v-berth
 

I just pulled up my carpet this past weekend and had a lot of water in there as well. No pump though or no drain. In fact it doesnt seem like the well even connects to the small compartment under the step. Has anyone trying drilling a small hole to allow the water to drain into the bilge? Also does anyone know where I can get the new windsheild strip?? Thanks

Re: water in v-berth
 

YEAH MY DAD DID AND HE WENT THROUGH THE BOTTOM.....LOL

Re: water in v-berth
 

You covered that well....:drink: :drink: