leak under step

[techmitch]

i have a 1999 sundancer and cannot locate leak/excess water around/under shower-a/c sump box located under cabin step. this eventually leads to wet carpet in cabin any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance, mtch...

 

[rumrunner]

I had a similar problem a while back. The root cause: Bad Float switch in the sump box. The box would fill with water and when underway the water would splash out of the box. I replaced the float and all is well.

 

[jtm311]

Not to scare you I also had this on my 340 it was cracks in the hull around the exhaust it was filling up the bottom of the boat. For two years Searay came out and tried to fix it. never did it went back a lemon.

 

[Water U Lookin' At]

It's probably something simple, like the bad float switch, but I had a similar problem that was my fault. I had left the bathroom window open, and rain water was getting into the bathroom and leaking from the bathroom into the carpet under the step and into the aft cabin because the caulking in the head was bad. So, it was an easy fix. Hope this helps...

 

[techmitch]

float switch is ok, i have tested it several times. the box is usually empty and the connections do not leak. water fills up around the box, once it gets high enough it leaches through the carpet and into cabin. as for the exhaust leak these are i/o's and the bilge is dry. thanks for the replies and keep them coming. Mitch

 

[boatrboy]

Tech - first - welcome to the site! - you will see everyone will ask that you put your boat info in your signature to allow us to help properly. I have a 99 270 da and had the same problem. It turned out to be the starboard portholes leaking.

Do a quick test for both windows:
1) in the head, push the plastic liner outlining the window down at the bottom of it. See if it is wet. If you are not sure, open the sink cabinet door and feel the floor in there. If it is wet check the plumbing for the sink or the window again.

2) On the 270 (don't know what you have) there is a switch panel under the next window. If you don't find evidence of water around the window frame, just remove the panel with the switches on it (4 screws) and look/feel the material under the window. If it is wet, it is probably the windows.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[techmitch]

sorry boatrboy, 99 270 dancer w/twin 4.3's so i guess were on the same page/boat. seems like an alfull lot of water to be comming from there but i will reck. what you talked about, have cked. under sink several times always been dry. i'll be down there (chesapeake bay) all weekend and will get back to you a.s.a.p. thanks again, Mitch

 

[Henry Boyd]

This has been a recurring theme. You might want to do a search, DaveS started quite a long discussion last fall on the topic.

So far, leaking portholes have been id'd as a cause. - there is a screw on the locking dog that increases the pressure on the glass,

Dave has investigated bowrail to deck attachments, and I have investigated windshield screw bedding.

And of course cracked shower sump boxes are also a potential cause. It seems that the point below the stairs is the lowest and most aft part of the forward section of the sea ray design. The forward portion is sealed from the aft portion (perhaps to prevent Carbon Monoxide from leaking into cabin?) so any water that gets into the cabin, or between the cabin wall or headliner and hull naturally settles at this point.

So keep searching - the answer is out there.

Henry

 

[obsessive]

Mitch,

My 99' 240 did the same thing last summer. I ended up searching long and hard for the leak. It happened after a strong rain for a few days when I left the cockpit cover off. I woke up to go to the head, and was greeted with wet carpet. We haven't used the shower on the boat and the sump box was bone dry. The water had worked its way in there, and didn't get the carpet wet until the nose of the boat was forced down by two people sleeping up front (then it wicked into the carpet).

I ended up (by accident) finding that the cupholder in the helm area is equipped with a drain hose that attaches to the little hole drain in the bottom. The hose had fallen off and was just sitting down in the recess behind the dash. It is *supposed* to route the water to the foot-well area in the cockpit (where you step into before entering the cabin), but it was instead draining in a space between the head wall and the instrument panel bulkhead and I assume, working its way down, as you can see the inside of the hull through there.

Check there, as the hoses get old (they are just those clear rubber style), and they don't 'grip' the nipple on teh cupholder well when they relax over time.

Eric

 

[Nehalennia]

Also check your bilge. If there's water in there it can move forward into that area aft of the sump pump.

Let us know what you figure out

 

[CraigConrad]

Wow, funny to read this as we have been troubled with this from the first day we took our new 2007 240 SunDancer out. We have had water in the engine bilge as well as the cabin, and there have been several things fixed or repaired on the boat in an attempt to fix the leaks. In the engine compartment: We have had drainage tubes replaced in the engine compartment because water was coming in as we would come off plane and splash back into the drainage tubes which were cracked.

In the cabin: the sump was filling and not emptying but of course it worked fine anytime a SeaRay mechanic got with ten feet of the boat. I believe they replaced some of the parts anyway. The water showed up again and now they are replacing the water tank as they say it has a crack and is leaking. We also had other leaks in drains that have been repaired.

There are so many possible failures, drains, air conditioner drain, leaks in the plumbing system both drainage and fresh water, water from the bilge sloshing up into the cabin.... Good luck!

2007 240DA

 

[Turtlesboat]

window was the cause for me. took a little time to find it. I just got done tightening all 50,000 screws on the boat (there must be 500lbs on screws on my boat) it's amazing how things loosen up in such a short time.

 

[SeaHarley]

I think you should get a 310DA and this problem will go away.....................

(Before anyone comments, "TechMitch" and I are friends)

And he's the one who got me looking at 310's to begin with!

I'm only trying to return the favor.