Water in cabin floor compartment of 353 fastech??!!
 

I recently purchased a 2004 353 fastech. As you enter the cabin, there is a flip up step that opens to a gel coated compartment at the bottom of the boat. This area is always full of water- I empty 1-2 gallons a week. there is a drain hose that appears to be coming from the head compartment, but that is definitely not the source of water. There is a drain in the compartment bulkhead that drains to the bilge. This drain has a tethered plug. Should this plug be left in or out? I have tried running a hose in various locations, but have not found the source of water accumulation. The cabin sink drains directly to the bilge. Does anything else drain below the cabin floor? The humidity is creating a mildew problem in the cabin. Thanks for any advice on this subject!

Where is the water tank? I had a 312 and a 382 and both had water tanks under the V-berth....If yours is there it could be leaking.......or if your water pump keeps primping your water supply lines could have a leak. If you really want to know add some food color dye to the water tank and see if the water under the step changes color.

need more info

are you running the boat?
is it sitting outside? Rain?
if it is, is it bow high?
has that plug under the step been in or out when you accumulate water?
what's the water like? You can usually tell the difference in source. Even clean bilge water will have a 'lil film or fuel smell to it.
- about the water tank- is there water in the tank? If it's empty that obviously aint the source!
I believe the tanks are 19 gals, eventually it'll be dry if it's leaking.
or just go ahead and run the water out of it for diagnostic purposes.
push your hand and compress the foam under the material down the hullside in the cabin, you often won't see a water stain on this material but you will feel water in the foam sometimes to track down a rubrail ot bowrail leak.
is the anchor locker drain and drain hose open and functioning? If the boat sits outside and the hose has come off the thru hull drain- well you know the rest-
These are very small dia and require regular checks over the life to make sure it drains, and drains (rainwater/washwater) outside the boat.
also check theanchor bin to make sure it's not cracked in the bottom. The "anchor locker" on these are NO PLACE for an anchor! Lines only!

as an aside, treat the hatch gaskets with dialectric grease lovingly massaged in, wipe away excess) and they will seal and last forever, unless they are already compromised. Don't believe in your case it's hatches because those leaks are about the most apparent.

ect, ect.

I have never had water there, but my boat has never sat outside either.
Bone dry with the plug IN.
If the plug is in and you get water in there you it's 99% thst it's coming from something or somewhere forward of the cabin bulkhead, not coming forward from the bilge.

First change your username, you've got a Formula now, great choice.

Then I would get a few DampRid from WM or Wally's if they have them in your area and put them in the cabin.

Then answer Rippem's questions and we'll see if we can help.

Have the same problem with our 1997 312 Fastech. Every since we purchased it a year ago we have noticed water accumulating in the cabin flip up step area. The boat sits on a lift out of the water year around and we have yet to determine where the water is coming from. We don't use any of the devices that would use or hold water (head, sink, water tank, etc) but no idea if anyone before us used these amenities. I placed 2 DampRid canisters in the cabin during storage over the winter and have noticed that each time I look into the flip up step area there is still a small amount of water accumulating. The boat sits in a covered slip year round so no possibility of rain getting into the anchor lock area and that area has remained dry since we bought it.
It has been a puzzling mystery since the day of purchase that I hope can get solved.
Rippem thanks for the suggestions as I will def try a few of those next time I am down at the lake in hopes of localizing the source of the water.

possibly an a/c drain?? if you dry the compartment out completely and sprinkle some baby power in it you may at least be able to tell what direction it is coming from.

Anchor locker. My 342 baja had a small hole, (size of a penny) in the bottom where someone had punctured the bottom of the anchor locker. SO instead of rain water, and wetness from lines draining out the drain hole, it would run into forward bilge.
some small pieces of fiberglass, in the bottom of the anchor locker, and its fixed, it all drains out the hole made for it now, and forward bilge is dry

Same issue on my 271.
After much searching and checking I determined the water was pushing forward from the engine bilge thru the drain tubing.

The reason I say this is that I had a crack in the drive fluid resevoir and it was dripping into the bilge.
Later I could smell the fluid in the cabin and there was actually fluid mixed with water in that pocket under the step.

I have had water there several times. What is weird though is that it doesn't drain back to the bilge.
I even ran a small plumbing snake down the tube to be sure it was clear and it was.
Makes no sense to me.
There must be some kind of air lock in that drain tube for the liquid not to drain even if the fluid level is well above the drain

If your boat always has a 100 % dry engine bigle your water is coming from someplace else.

fixx
 

try this,,apply duct tape across the bottom of the windshield were it meets the deck,,formulas are known for windsgield leaks and that where the water collects..when you have the nose up on the trailer the water runs under the windshield and where it goes from their i have no idea,,look around the door to see if theirs any wet spots ..

It is coming from the engine bilge. I know this because I had an oil leak and the oily water made it under the steps. If you want it to stop, put a plug in the drains in the engine compartment. Jeff Wurl

Lot's of great troubleshooting advice!! I have installed a plug in the drain to the bilge. I have put dye in the fresh water tank which is in the bow. The anchor locker is draining overboard, so I may fill it with water and a different color dye also. No water since pumpout yesterday, so I will check after next rain as well. Thanks!!

Don't think user name can be changed. If it can let me know! Baja was great, but I love my new Formula!

Welcome to the Formula club. :drink: You will love your 353! Don't forget to post some pictures of your new ride!

Just messing with ya about the username, good luck with the new boat, you'll love your 353 and yes, post for pics later.

Here are quite a few threads with this same issue.


http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...nder-step.html

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...abin-step.html

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...ps-solved.html

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...-my-311-a.html

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...indsheild.html

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...lige-step.html

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...nder-step.html

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...abin-step.html

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...step-read.html

User names can be changed, Mine was changed before. I use to be Pontiac,

A very salty old boater once told me "There will always be water in the bottom of your boat". I know it dosnt help much with figuring out the issue, but if you are really worried about it, cabin cruisers all have an additional pump in that spot. Its usually called a step down pump. Im going to install one there on my 242. If you figure it out, let us know!

Billy

Got it Jeff! Installed brass/rubber compression plug and she's been dry for two weeks. Thanks!!

Baja..Im having the same issue (as are all other Formula owners Ive talked to) and it got me how water would come up from bilge but not drain back..so plugging that 'drain line' (that doesnt drain..should rename it fill line) in the aft part of that small well under the step stopped that issue?

Yes. Used a brass/rubber compression plug and haven't seen a drop since.

Got water again! After deck wash, noticed step compartment was filling up. Looked a little closer, and water is draining from the joint between the deck and cabin door. With the brass drain plug installed the forward step compartment can't drain. Gonna try some silicone and see what happens.

Did you check the thru hull fitting in the anchor locker? Mine broke and water made its way back under the step.

yes. Anchor locker drain is sealed, drains fine.

Havnt read any of the replies to this yet but for what it's worth the outlet hose came off our AC in the bilge under the step in the cabin and the bilge pump couldn't quite keep up so it would puddle up a bit. Finally found what was leaking and corrected it

Havnt read any of the replies to this yet but for what it's worth the outlet hose came off our AC in the bilge under the step in the cabin and the bilge pump couldn't quite keep up so it would puddle up a bit. Finally found what was leaking and corrected it