32 Aftcabin water under floor of aftcabin

[emunstar]

bud37,

After this afternoons exploration I believe its defiantly the fresh water system leaking. I also believe it to be somewhere in the aft cabin.

The AC's were off all night and the aft cabin filled back up with fresh water when I returned about 17 hours later.

I pumped out salon bilge, then moved back to the aft cabin and pumped the volume under the floor out. I drained as much water from my holding tanks as possible. Should I have some time tonight I'll sneak back down to the dock and see what has happened.

If no water has accumulated beyond what was left I'll start filling my water tanks and see what happens.

[tomschauer]

When you have water in the fresh water tank, the pump on and all faucets closed does the pump run? If it runs more than about 30 seconds after its turned on you have a leak. If it runs every minute or 10 or 20 minutes without you using any water, you have a leak. If this is the case, a good place to start is the water heater, specifically the relief valve, they tend to fail with a small but steady stream, especially if the heater is turned on, or the engines heated the water.

[emunstar]

Source of the post When you have water in the fresh water tank, the pump on and all faucets closed does the pump run? If it runs more than about 30 seconds after its turned on you have a leak. If it runs every minute or 10 or 20 minutes without you using any water, you have a leak. If this is the case, a good place to start is the water heater, specifically the relief valve, they tend to fail with a small but steady stream, especially if the heater is turned on, or the engines heated the water.

The hot water heater is not connected currently. I'm sure it went belly up years ago. As for my pressure pump, it cycles briefly when turned on, and I can hear it cycle briefly while no faucets are opened while working on other things.

I went back down about 4 hours after I did my best to drain the system. Water in the aft cabin was right back to its original level, almost level with the stringers the floor attaches to.

[bud37]

Seems like an awful lot of water with your tanks MT.....how deep would that be ?

Now I don't think so but have to ask...is the shore water hose connected.

[tomschauer]

Good one Bud, I was assuming the shore water was not connected.

Your water tank shouldn't hold enough water to bring it up to the top of the stringers. Sounds like a problem you need to solve asap!

[emunstar]

bud37,

The shore water is not connected and the water is probably around 4-5 inches deep in the aft cabin, only visible because I have removed the floor to allow pumping out of the water.

[emunstar]

******Update*******

It’s not freshwater from onboard, it’s the water I’m floating in. There’s no freshwater left in the boat to speak of and even after pumping the aft bilge dry while on plane the water comes back.

Seems the marina and lake waters are leaning more fresh lately leading to my confusion. Gotta love brackish water, you never know what you’re gonna get.

[km1125]

Have you looked at the rudder shafts to see if it's leaking in there?

[emunstar]

km1125,

I had a mechanic in the boat today. He didn’t see any issues with the rudder shafts.

He suggested pumping out the water, use a shop vac for the left overs, then dry the area with a paper towel. Once all dry he said to zero in on the drain plug in the aft bilge pump compartment as he thinks it could be leaking.

I did just that and the aft bilge pump volume is the only one I could get dry. The other areas between stringers would get a near constant supply of water. I probably vacuumed up close to 35 gallons for as many times as I had to empty the 6 gallon shop vac.

Oddly enough it looked like water was coming in through the middle of one of the floor support crossmembers and exiting at the limber home....

I’m at a complete loss as to my next steps.

[bud37]

This may have been mentioned but bears repeating. Have you checked all the thru hulls, including the exhaust hose/hoses if partially below the waterline and transducers for speed and depth .

Also check the hoses attached to the thru hulls, including the sea strainers. If you have the strainers ( generally there will be one for each of the A/C, generator, and maybe the engine cooling water intake )....these strainers have bowls and gaskets etc that require maintenance.

Is the engine compartment dry ?...are there any hoses that go thru holes in the stringers ?