Mysterious midship bilge water

almtm3

Im getting water filling up in the bilge under the aft berth and can't figure out where it's coming from.  Definitely not the shower.  I just fixed that sump and it's bone dry.  The forward compartment and air conditioning area looks clean too.  I just opened up the TP locker and checked the shower, head sink and galley sink. All clean.  What else is up there?

Attached is a picture  of the bilge pump and the carpet just forward if the berth.  It's always damp and the wood is duscolored.  

Ideas?. 

Handymans342

What model boat???

raybo3

2006 342EC

Liberty44140

both the toilet and ac intake thru hulls will drain to the mid bikge if they leak. Also, the shower sump exit out the Side of the boat and sink drains will drain there if they leak. If you have confirmed that the shower sump and the toilet and ac intakes are not the problem I would next remove the shelf in the shower, behind that you will see the shower and aft bilge exits out the side of the boat and the toilet raw water pump. Check for leaks there. After that i would check both the galley and head sink plumbing for leaks. It's strange that it's over flowing and ruining the floor as that bilge pump should pump the water out before it gets to that level, are you sure that pump works? Makes me wonder if the issue is the galley sink and it's draining under the floor in to the bilge. The galley fridge is super easy to remove to look for water, just screws around the outer trim. 

almtm3

Yup checked all of those. Hence the mystery.  Is there anything in the starboard side that could produce water? 

seguir

Did you check the door track.  I have found water sitting there during heavy rains.

almtm3

Yup. Thought about that too!  Camper cover was on and no big rains in a few weeks. 

Just occurs to me that I didn't check the shower drain seal inside the shower.  Seems odd I'd get gallons of water, but let me try to correlate to fresh water system use.  

If anyone knows what's under the seating area, let me know.  That's still my unknown. 

Thanks,
mac

Liberty44140

If there are any leaks in the holding tank lines or fresh water tank lines they will drain to the mid ship bilge. Fresh water tank is on the stbd side. There is a great video on this site posted by @DanD2 on how to gain full access to those tanks. 

almtm3

Thanks.   That's where my head is. 

I mean, that's what I'm thinking. ( my head is on the port side like everyone else's.

summerx

on my 310, it had an option for heating the water tank using hot water from the engine block.  essentially a hose came off the block, ran to the hot water tank and around the outside of the tank, and then back to the engine to go out the exhaust.  I had that line go bad.  took the mechanic a while to figure that one out.  it had cracked at the base of the hot water tank.  I guess it was incase you didn't have a generator, you could still heat the water out on the hook.  I just eliminated that option since I have the genny, problem solved.

Handymans342

That line on mine is full of Antifreeze

DanD2

When I kept getting water in my mid bilge it came from 2 different locations in 1 area. Behind the TP holder cabinet in the head. I had a leaking line just outside of the sump pump AND I had a leaking waterline just under the head sink. This ALL fed to the mid bilge.

almtm3

Thanks DanD2. I'm going to shutoff water, purge lines, and see if the bilge stays dry

almtm3

no joy so far.  Looks like I'm ripping out the Aft Berthing area to get a look at everything.  At least I'll get to see the fresh water and waste holding tanks.

Anything i should survey while I'm back there?

Liberty44140

Here is @DanD2 a video on opening it up:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W_q8jW_EdZ0

almtm3

OK. I'm following in the footsteps of DanD2 and have ripped out everything except for the port back rest

almtm3

It looks like the water is indeed coming from under the shower. Now what?

reneechris14

Can you reseal shower drain.I think I have a leak there too so your doing my homework for me.2005 342,only had it in the water for a month in the fall.not enough time to investigate. Oh and can I have your steps,mine are carpeted.

Liberty44140

Can you isolate it to the shower drain? Maybe pour a lot of water down that drain from buckets (not using the boats pumps or plumbing) to be absolutely sure that it's the drain. That's what I would do. There is a lot of plumbing behind the shower and under the toilet so it's best to really isolate it to one place. If it is the shower drain I would contact @Alswagg on how to get under there. 

DanD2

Just an FYI....The shower drain should go into a sump on the port side of the aft cabin. Check to see if that sump is leaking

raybo3

Try put some food coloring in some water and pour it in the shower and see if it is the shower that is leaking.......

Liberty44140

raybo3 said:

Try put some food coloring in some water and pour it in the shower and see if it is the shower that is leaking.......

Great idea!!!

almtm3

Liberty- thanks. danD2, yup.  Sump repair was earlier this fall.  Raybo - wilco 

almtm3

Get this....it looks like the water is coming from the bilge pump itself!  Not sure where, but under the shower somewhere. Wish me luck.  

Liberty44140

Remember the bilge pump and shower dump exit out he side of the boat behind the shower shelf and those hoses run under the shower. 

almtm3

Right.  I popped out the shower shelf before and everything was dry that I could see. Must be underneath somewhere.  

Liberty44140

I see. Sounds like it is either the shower drain or a crack in one of the hoses running under the shower. I agree with doing food coloring in water to narrow down whether it is the shower drain, sump exit or bilge exit. 

almtm3

Just for closure, my bilge has been dry for 5 days!  (Small victories)

Liberty44140

That's great! Where was it coming from?

J3ff

@almtm3  where was it coming from ??

SimcoeRinker400

I know this a year later but where was his leak the shower or the blige pump. Like to know?? Notice water stains in my boat 2005 Rinker 342.