Water leak - need help

[mmcguire2002]

I stepped into the cabin of my boat today to find over an inch of water saturating the aft cabin floor. After doing some searching, it appears that the lower shelf of the storage area next to my control panel (Starboard side) is wet. The area where the curtain stores on the Starboard side is wet and the hidden compartment is wet.

I took apart the back seating area and it was wet under the seat and in the storage area for the vaccuum. I checked my fresh water tank and it is 1/2 full still. The water was not dirty. I'm assuming I have a line that is leaking, but can't locate it and am baffled why the water tank would still be half full.

Anyone else in 340 have a similar issue or experience?

 

[endless seas]

Has it rained alot lately.Windows closed all the way,hatches?
Also check water pumps to see if they cycle on .
I've had to reseal our windows lately do to the exessive amount of rain here in Md.

 

[mmcguire2002]

It has rained a lot, but based on where the water is, I can't see anyplace that water could have entered from the outside. I also have the boat washed every week and there is never any water leaking from the portholes, etc.

 

[Hampton]

It sounds like rain to me too. How about under the windshield or into one of the round skylights?

I would have said portals, but you seem to think they're fine. I wouldn't guess water from your fresh water system based on it being up so high on the stbd side. Try this: Clean it up with a wet-vac (and run your a/c a lot). Turn your fresh water pump off and wash the boat and simulate rain (in case rain gets into areas that washing doesn't) and see what happens.

 

[mmcguire2002]

Not leaking from there either. I can't figure it out. It is supposed to rain again this week, but I am out of town the rest of the week, so I don't know what will happen.

 

[Hampton]

You know that water can enter through any one of these areas and then drip down inside of the head liner or wall fabric, right? It won't run into a sealed window and show up on the ledge inside the window unless the portal seal is bad (against the glass).

 

[mmcguire2002]

Understood, but I don't see a wet wall or headliner...

 

[Four Suns]

Have you ever adjusted the porthole dogs? I had an area under the bed in my port stateroom fill up with water because the dogs were not tight. Put a running hose up against your portholes and see if they are leaking... everyone of mine have leaked at some point and required the dogs to be adjusted.

 

[Hampton]

Understood, but I don't see a wet wall or headliner...

I don't think you would. These boats are known for needing to have the portals re-seated after a period of years. I'm not sure how you go about finding out, but I'm still betting it's a portal. Just trying to help. Don't rule anything out until you've really ruled it out.

 

[mmcguire2002]

I have adjusted some of the dogs, but not recently. I'll check that as a culprit and then spray all the portholes as Hampton suggests. Thanks for the input.

 

[carterchapman]

Michael,

Not to take you off the trail of rain entering somewhere, but my fresh water tanks was leaking from a crack in the elbow on top of the tank. My MM folks told me that is a common problem. My water was showing up in the center bilge (in the aft end of the shower sump compartment bilge). Empty your water tank before the next rain and check for water again - if you still have wet areas, it's not your FW tank leaking.

 

[mmcguire2002]

Good info. Did your tank drain all at once, or was it a slow leak? Thanks.

 

[eauty]

I had a wet aft cabin floor that was do to the starbord porthole closest to the helm. It was such a weird leak that the water found a path from the porthole down the edge of the cabinet around the couch and onto the floor. It was unbelievable how much water can come in, in a steady rain with such a small leak.

 

[carterchapman]

Good info. Did your tank drain all at once, or was it a slow leak? Thanks.

Mine drained about 3" per week into the center bilge. When I purposely drained my tank and came back a week later, the bilge was dry - so I assumed it was from the FW tank. I took the aft bunk apart to expose the FW tank, and as I was filling it, we saw the leak in the elbow.

I'm in a covered slip, so I don't see too much rain leakage.

 

[eauty]

Great info for future reference. Thanks

 

[mmcguire2002]

Thanks for all the input. I have the boat at my local shipyard where they are dry the boat out and locating the root cause. I will pass along this info. So far, the porthole leaking on the starboard side, down the wall, around the couch and onto the floor sounds very similar to my scenario. If this is the case, Hampton and Four Suns would be spot on...not too surprising.

 

[mmcguire2002]

Hampton and Four Suns were correct. I had the same leak that EAUTY describes. The shipyard located the faulty Porthole, corrected it and tested it. We had torrential rains here in SoCal last week and that was the result of the water in the aft cabin. Thanks to all for the input. Glad it was an easy fix. Boat is being dried out and should be good as new.

 

[Hampton]

Good job. Glad it all worked out well (and cheap).