Water under engines where is it supposed to go?

[rello]

Hello this is my first post so please bare with me.
I am also not as mechanically inclined as everyone else from what I have read in other posts.
I recently bought a 1991 SR 31' Sundancer. It has twin 454's.
It had some kind of oil leak under the port engine before I bought it and the oil mixed in with water that was under the engine. There was a bilge pump placed under the engine which looked like it pumps the water back to the 2 bilge pumps that look factory installed (but is no longer working).
I spent the day bailing out all the water and cleaning all the oil as best I could. I could not find any factory installed bilges under either engine. I noticed that there was standing water under the other engine as well, but no aftermarket bilge there.
Where is this water supposed to go?
Also all the way behind the engine as far back as you can go behind the transmission is some kind of what appears to be metal plug?? with 3 or 4 rings on it??
My main question again is where is the water supposed to drain out to? Should there be drains or bilges under the 2 engines. The area between the 2 engines is fine as there are 2 bilges at the back of the boat.
Thank you.

 

[Greg]

I believe it is like that so you don't wind up pumping oil overboard.

 

[Redhook98]

I believe it is like that so you don't wind up pumping oil overboard.

Yup! Mine is the same way.

 

[Air O'Nautical]

Many boats are this way including mine.
It is so an oil or fuel leak is not pumped overboard.

Use a shop-vac to suck out the water when cleaning the area under the motors.
Then, replace the white oil absorbing cloths in there.
So, if any leaks happen it is easy to see the color and location.

 

[kg4vgh]

Mine may have be modified......the narrow path between the engines has holes drilled in it, with plastic ( I think) tubes inserted and sealed.....takes the water from under both engines into the center pathway to the main pumps.....I installed a seperator inline with mine to strain off anything but water to the outside.....

 

[rello]

Thank you KG.
I spoke to a friend who has a similar boat and his has the same holes. Sounds like a good idea to have them and add a filter to it.