270SD /240SD Sundeck Anchor Locker Water

[Rammer]

The 270 Sundeck has a mid-bilge and a rear engine bilge. Both completely separate and each with its own pump. I have been getting water in my mid-bilge (aka, ski locker). I am 95% I have located the problem via drying the boat out, laying out towels in the bilge to see where water is coming in.

It appears to be coming in via the Anchor Locker, then into the front floor storage locker, then making its way back to the mid-bilge ski locker.

Upon closer look my anchor locker has two small drain holes about 4-5in above the water line. I first noticed the problem when I had 4 people up in the bow and spent the day going slow (5mph).

Question:

Has anyone delt with this issue specifically on the 270SD (or even the 240SD)?

What have people done? Have people plugged these drain holes?

Is my anchor locker supposed to be sealed off from the rest of the boat?

Thank you in advance for all your time!!!
Any help would be great.
Not a good feeling taking on water on a regular basis.

btw ... I DO NOT take on one water when at dock. No water when on plane. When I trouble shot this and got water in my mid bilge, the towel I put in the front floor locker was soaked an there was lots of water in my anchor locker. That appears to be the source.

Thank you again!!!
Chicago Boater

 

[denwatson]

That's the way the bilge system works bow to stern. Possible cause is the bow ice chest which drains directly into the anchor locker. The drain can be plugged with a cork but you still have to get the water out of the ice chest. Check the post "Battle of the Bilge" on 11/04/10 if the ice chest turns out to be the source.

 

[Rammer]

Thanks Denwatson!

I will check out the "battle of the bilge". I appreciate your troubleshooting. FYI, I do not use the ice chest and I've emptied the fresh water tank/lines. I actually see water entering the anchor locker via the two little drain holes when Im underway at slower speeds or anchored in 2ft chop.

I also get the bow to sterm bilge water flow ... but earlier this summer I was out with 3 people in the bow ... 3hrs at very slow speeds and I was getting a LOT of water in my mid-bilge and I'm pretty sure its coming from those anchor locker drain holes.

Just curious if anyone else on a 270SD (sundeck) has dealt with this issue.

Thank you all again so much for your time!!!
chicago!

 

[Rammer]

Just a bump of this prior post from last year. Issue on 270 SunDeck ... I was on a river, going very slow for about 3hrs with people on my bow ... ended up with lots and lots of water in my bilge. Mechanic thinks its coming from my two little anchor locker drains ... and if plowing through the water for hours at low speeds ... filling my anchor locker. Anchor locker is not totally sealed from bilge ... water filling anchor locker, then overflowing over the top into hull.

Just curious specifically for any 270 Sun Deck owners if anyone had this problem????

Thanks again!
Rammer
Chicago

 

[Lake-Inator]

Looks like page 37 of your owners manual shows a through hull rope locker drain. I expect that plowing at slow speeds with passengers in the bow may be pushing water into the rope locker. I would suggest you designate one of your bow passengers as the "rope locker watcher" and do a test. Have them open the locker and visually confirm where the water is coming in from. Then you will know where to start.

http://www.searay.com/Page.aspx/pageId/10411/Owners-Manuals.aspx

 

[Rammer]

Don,
thanks for your time! I 100% agree! My boat is will be launched next week and it is the first thing I will do. I read some old threads from users here that had the same exact problem. I messaged them and didn't hear back. I was trying to find someone who had this problem. This happened at the end of last season and I didn't have a chance to trouble shoot it. I did plug those two little thru-hull locker drains with rubber cork stopper.

But I will do this asap ... recreate the situation form last year (river, slow speeds, weight in the bow ... and have a friend pop over the anchor locker hatch and see what is going on). I will keep the forum posted with my findings.

Thank again for your time and help!
Rammer
Chicago

 

[Dave S]

Having owned a 240SD, I can't recall the anchor locker ever being the cause of a lot of water in the bilge area.

If you don't use your anchor, you shouldn't see any water in the locker area or the bilge. Even when you use the anchor there isn't enough water left on the rope to cause much drainage into the bilge area. As far as picking up water while underway, in my opinion, the bow of a 270SD (or a 240SD) is too high to really let water into the locker when running in normal conditions. The only other thing that could leak up there is the bow eye used for the front tie down when trailering. That is low enough that it can be underwater a good bit of the time you are running. Take a real good look at that before you put the boat in the water.

 

[Rammer]

Thanks Dave ... I will check the bow eye for sure! Thanks for your time. Rammer, chicago

 

[Rammer]

Thanks Dave ... I already put in a call to check the bow eye for cracks, etc. To be honest, I dont even use the anchor locker, so the water is not coming from a wet anchor line ... but I get water pushing up through the bottom of the anchor locker from the two little thru-hull drains. This only happens when Im plowing through the water at very low speeds for extended time with 1-2 people in the bow.

Thanks again for your time!!!
Rammer,
Chicago