Yes I have searched and read everything I could on here but did not see what I'm about to tell you. Washed boat on level ground while hooked up to the truck. Well, you know what happened. My first notice was that bilge pump under the cabin step coming to life for the first time in about 3-4 years. I forgot to wash it on an incline as I've done before. The effects of age I guess. Anyway got the water out of the forward bilge with the pump and several rags. The carpet was sopping wet about 2 ft in front of the step and sopping wet around the base of the cabinet on the port side about 2 feet forward of the door. I soaked up as much as I could with rags and put a large fan on it and left it in the hot sun for a full day. Came back and the floor carpet was totally dry but the carpet at the base of the cabinet was still sopping wet!! WHAT is behind there and how does it fill with water? It seems like the water was just weeping out from somewhere through the carpet under that cabinet. Any ideas? Anybody tore a 42 down to see WTF causes the water to accumulate so easy yet be so hard to remove?? Thanks, Andy

Have you tried putting a shop vacuum hose over the bilge pump discharge thru-hull fitting? I find that bilge pumps in these areas never get every last drop out. What works for me:
Take the hard plastic connected end of your shop-vac hose OFF the flexible hose, and just hold the flexible hose end up to the hull, completely over the thru-hull fitting.

I've used a hand pump with a tube to get quite a bit out. There is a lot of water that could be in there that the pump will never touch.

Your post made me think of this:
One might have success with an oil change pump too, specifically one with the "wand" that you stick in the oil pan, or down the dipstick tube. I have one I used for my jet boats, sitting dormant on the shelf.

(I'm going to keep it, as that will ensure I will never need it. Sure a shlt, if I sell it; I'll end up with a jetboat in the garage within 48 hours; less than a week for CERTAIN. Same goes for the leftover Bassett headers I have as wall decorations right now too. )

I've pumped 2 gallons out of there before (after reading here about the problem). There was no water near the small bilge pump. I was quite surprised.

The bow rails leak water. So when you wash it try not to soak thr bow rails at the upper deck

I actually sealed the bow rail bolts one day with lots of 5200 and silicone. Nothing changed. I think it gets in from the cockpit but then cannot get out without the small under step pump. Anyone see the boat with deck off and can explain?

I'll tell you this, (as I mentioned above) - there was a lot of water in mine after I checked it (approx 2 gallons I pumped out with a small hand pump), and the water was no where near the pump. If there is that much water to turn the pump on, I'd guess there is at least 5-10 gallons under the floor. If your carpet is wet, there is a TON of water in there. I'd also guess that you would notice a change in attitude or speed when running?? (8lbs per gallon - that's like sticking another skank down in the cuddy! LOL)

It seems water gets trapped once it gets in the forward bilge, and once there cannot be removed simply by raising the bow. The only way out once its gets there is to pump it or dry it with fans. I put two large fans in the cabin after I made the opening post and the boat is now totally dry without odor. It took 48 hrs to dry.

So where are you pumping from? Sticking a vac hose in front of the bilge pump area or from forward center couch area.