Forward Bilge Compartment Question
 

My boat hasn't been in the water in the last two months but somehow water seems to find it's way into this compartment. I don't even use the ice chest in the boat. Where does the water for this compartment come from? I don't have anything in the front 3 compartments either besides the stupid orange life jackets.

If you have water in the main bilge and the bow is lower than the stearn, it will find its way there - same from trailering. The anchor locker could also leak water back under the step if the drain hose cracks or clamps leak.

There is no water in the main bilge. When not towing the bow is higher then the stern. Where does the icechest drain to? The other thing that is weird is the water is always light brown almost like oil or something.

Bow hatch leaking?

Honestly I don't know. There are no signs of it leaking and it doesn't rain much where were at.

May sound stupid, but what color is the water you boat in, or possibly if you recently bought the boat, where the boat came from. The lakes we boated on in NC and SC were tinted with tanic acid from all of the trees. The water looked like coffee. Another thought is that it could be water seeping/draining out of the stringer channels or bulkheads in the locations where the wood is not coated in resin. If I remember, some members on here commented that the limber holes were not necessarily at the "bottom" of the compartments, and the holes were not necessarily sealed with resin.

I can't remember where I had the boat last but I typically boat in the Pacific, Havasu, or Lake Elsinore is right by my house so it occasionally get's dunked in there. The water in Elsinore looks like the water in my boat, color wise. Hmmmm

Myself and a buddy with a similar Fountain have the same problem. It think it comes from the engine bilge forward when you are running. The ice chest does drain into the forward bilge. In my boat, the water in the forward bilge under the step is brown also. It could be from anywhere, including the anchor locker. I have given up trying to find the source and just wet vacuum it out once in a while when I clean the boat.

My 38 does the same thing.I too have given up looking for it.It gets wet right under the steps into the cabin.I will use the shop vac thing or a good towel.

Bow rails could be leaking. On my 29, my anchor locker was leaking. (I left the anchor in there and ran big seas)

If the water is clean, it has recently gotten in there. If it's brown, it's been there for a while. Heavy rains will quickly point out a problem.

I have this exact same problem. I had mine completely dried out for many months until this last hard rain in Nov, Dec. I have no idea where it gets its color from since i know mine was dry. I often thought it was a sign of some type of rot as well but this has been mentioned a ton of times on here and no one has really found the reason. Only guessing games.

What to do? Jack the trailer tongue way up when parked for a week or so and let it all drain to the forward pump area right under the cabin step. Then, dry it out with a vaccum and then use towel to soak up anyting left behind vaccum. Put another towel there and leave trailer as high as possible until next time you use boat. Neighbors will think you're me but you'll have a dry forward bilge until next time. I have seen mine stay dry for quite a long time until rain or if i let water in rear make it's way up front...

Sux.

Hi James,
I had the same problem with my 35, I think I figured it out. The rear bilge where the engine is does not connect to the center area where the gas tank is located. However outboard of the engine stringers, and outboard of the compartment where the fuel tank is located does connect between the front and rear bilge areas. The ice chest and cockpit drains go to this outboard area. If the boat is in the water it sits low in the stern and all of the water goes to the rear engine bilge. However when on the trailer the boat sits bow low and any water goes forward. I always drain the ice chest while still in the water, that way everything goes aft.

I got my boat completely dried out when at Havasu and have not seen any forward water since.

The yellow color is just from the dirt, crud, and bilge gunk, all old bilge water is always that color.

I also have observed that the rub rail that goes around the gunnel at the transom leaks when it is under water. I would always have some water in the engine bilge, finally figured out that it comes in right at the swim step. I guess that will be a winter project to remove the molding and seal under it.

Dave

The cooler in my 2000 32 connects to the sink drain and out the side of the boat.
Also no anchor locker, what year 29's have them?

I don't have an anchor locker in my boat. I clean out this compartment with a shop vac/towel and tow it around and more water finds it's way in there. When the boat is at storage it sits bow high and the water just sits in there. The water in my boat never transfers to the rear bilge compartment. :Whatever: NICE DESIGN FOUNTAIN!

May be coming from your AC hoses being loose or the catch pan not draining if you have AC.

I remember the ice chest hose being short, so it drains under the bulkhead.

i have 1993 32 fountain fever had same problem with water. i called fountain and talked with engineer. i found out that there is a pipe that is supposed to transfer water into engine bilge from front ,mine pipe was there but was not drilled through bulkhead

I fixed the problem by adding a computerized (small) pump to the collection area under the step's going into the cabin , the pump cycles evey minor so,if there is water it pumps it out , if no water resistance it just shuts off ,, I leave it on all winter and it will not run the batt down , it did not fix the boat but it did fix the problem!

RHC

water
 

check to make sure that water is not running under wind shield when you wash it or when it rains. It wiil run down dash and into lid that goes to cabin, which is right above the step compartment.