I have a small amount of water that collects under the step going into the cabin. It is only about a pint. If I shop vacuum it out, it is back the next day. I put blue chemical in the holding tank and this water is not blue. I pumped out all the water from the fresh water tank, so it can't be that. Anyone have the same? Any ideas? Bill

i have a 2000 38 lightning and i have the same problem. i think it might be bilge water. idk.

Inherent problem with Fountains. You will find that the pump will not get all the water out of the step because it sits too high. There are small holes or passages that run along the stringer for drainage. Mine get clogged up with crud and hold a small amount of water. It's a pain in the ASS but I guess we have to live with it. This issue has been discussed before, do a search and you can get more info than you need.

Does this happen when in the water or on the trailer?
I know my Fountain, when sitting on the trailer was a bit bow low and ice chest water that was dumped behind the bulkhead but up near the chine would run forward and then end up in the area under the step or up front under the bunk.

There are metal tubes that run from the engine compartment bilge to the front v-berth under the bed. It was a bad design from fountain, alot of the older boats have this and they leak at the seal on the stringers. the water build up between the stringers and causes rot. Look under your first step going into the cabin and unscrew you metal lid, check for water under there. i pluged up the holes with rubber I have had no water since then.

I have a 1993 47' lightning and I have the same problem ny froend has 1 of the 3 51' lightnings ever build and yep! he has water under the steps too. I never found where that water was coming from. mine is trailered bow high. but i dont have pipes leading to the engine bilge they are coming from the bow and berth area.

Thanks for all the replies. I am thinking mine is bilge water also as my fresh water tank is empty and the anchor locker is dry. I am going to put a little food coloring in the bilge and see if it comes thru
to the cabin step. To be continued....

I have a buddy that just bought a '99 42' Lightning same problem! His also dribbles water from under the port side bench seat...strange. I am wondering if the cooler is leaking as Dkahnjob mentioned. The boat runs like a champ, even smoother than my 380 Avenger with the same power, but this leaking is annoying. I guess we'll have to get Jack a shop vac for his boat warming present.

i had water rot the front compartments.

I would check the bow light and the hand rails, might be wise to take those off and re silicone the screw holds. The bow rails is kind of PITA. but that sealed mine up.

I just resealed my bow rails, light and frt. cleat this past weekend. I found a small amount of water in the very frt. of the bow behind the mirror at the end of the v-birth, aparently the drain tube in the bulkhead that was installed during the original build had been filled in with resin, might be a good thing since the water didn't go any further than that small area. After reading some of the horror stories about our boats getting water trapped in places and rotting floors, stringers and bulkheads I started pulling interior panels and carpet up and even drilled a few small holes to check under the floor and seats by using a small borescope and fortunately found no evidence of rot or standing water. I am going to seal off the lower drain tubes in the engine bay to prevent bilge water from running forward. I did find evidence that some water had at some time been running forward from the bilge since there was oil stains in the compartments under the v-birth, but wood is sealed and still solid. Oil was from previous engine oil leaks that have since been repaired.