I Think I finally got things figured out on my 35 Lightning Classic, as far a water in the forward bilge. This has been an ongoing problem for me. Well the boat is now at Lake Havasu where it is always hot and the forward bilges finally dried out while the boat was on the trailer in storage in my garage.

I believe that the water was coming from the ice chest when I would pull the plug and let it drain while the boat was on the trailer. The boat sits bow low on the trailer, even if I have the tongue jacked up to the max. So on this trip I have been careful to only pull the plug in the built in ice chest when the boat is in the water and is sitting stern low (which it always is). That way the water drains to the rear bilge rather than the forward bilge. So far everything forward of the bulkhead at the step is dry.

Dave

I don't have a plug...I just throw ice in and when it melts its gone, day over.
I was getting water through the old screw holes from a previous rub rail.

Mine didn't have a plug either, but I got creative and found a wine bottle cork that was just the right size, now I have a plug so I can hold the ice cold water in the cooler as long as I want to. Works very well.
Dave

i am having the same problem w/my 27fever.water is comming from the forward vent on the port side...i think.i do not thank it is rain water or cooler water.i dont use the cooler and the boat stays in a garage.ant food 4 thought guys?i have figured out how keep down the smell when i forget to drain the water out.condensate drain tabs used in the h/v a/c industry.non toxic,non corrosive.brad

Where is you ice chest located on your 35 classic?

Ice chest is on the port side, toward the rear part of the cabin, built into the counter, I think most Fountains look about the same. The drain hose goes aft, through the bulkhead and drains to the area outboard of the stringers that go around the fuel tanks.

My 35 actually has a thru hull and it drains out of the side of the boat. I keep mine on a hydro hoist and if it sits bow low I had the same issue with water coming foward. Mine was getting in from the engine compartment, solution was keep the bow up on the hoist and we installed a low water bilge pump that keeps the engine compartment virtually dry. If you isolate the foward cabin from the bilge pumps and you get a leak up front you could have some serious issues.
Louie

Is there a way I could put a one-way valve on the limber holes in the engine bulkhead that would allow water to drain back, but not run forward when I put the boat on the trailer (or come off plane)?