water in forward compartment

sbeer · Post by **sbeer** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 2:42 am

Al, I see your point. In the SP the salon bilge starts at the door forward. Ive never been in the bilge of a FBC. Does that mean that if your fishing lets say, for tuna, allnight,useing the wash down and preping the tuna on the deck. All that blood and water drops through the hatches, ends up in the bilge and under the salon? all that blood acumulates under the salon? Mike

michael · Post by **michael** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 3:10 am

MIKE I agree with you about having the bilge under the cabin dry.I had some oil in the engine rm bilge which migrated forward.The only place water can be comming from is the 2 plugged pipes but with the boat in the water it is going to be hard to seal.When you take your's out could you let us know what you find.THANKS Michael

Post by **dougl33** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 4:27 am

On my 86 FBC, my forward bilge (i.e. anything from the water tank forward) does not connect with my after bilge (i.e. anything from the engine room bulkhead aft). I know that Frank's 87 SF is the same way but that Bill Dunlop's 88 FBC is different. Once again, I'm reminded that production boats are nothing like production cars (where they're all the exact same). Go figure. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

Chris Anderson · Post by **Chris Anderson** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 11:28 am

I too have wondered for years..."were is this water coming from". Sometimes the vebirth would get damp along with the inside of the the forward closets. I discovered that the caulking on the bottom side of the aluminium rubrail had disentigrated away and that when I was pushing into a following sea of much size or crossing wakes of good size, the water was being pushed up under the rail and into the area were the deck and hull meet, then coming down the inside walls. After I get top and bottom resealed, I think (and hope) it will solve the problem.

sbeer · Post by **sbeer** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 4:09 am

Now thats a good observation Chris. I will check mine today to see how well the caulking is holding up. I ve been trying to find the origin of the water for four years now. Mike

Brian Davin · Post by **Brian Davin** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 5:41 am

I noticed last year waxing that gap in spots under the rub-rail too. Need to throw some chaulking in before launching. Brian '90 Bertram 33' FBC Never Say Never Guilford, CT (Homeport) Kinnelon, NJ (Home)

Sean B · Post by **Sean B** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:17 am

That is a good observation. My boat takes on water at a very slight rate in choppy seas, and I could never figure out from where. I think I know where it coming from now Sean Burlingham "Island Time" 1987 Bertram 33 SF Melbourne, FL SBurlingham@cfl.rr.com

smanni · Post by **smanni** » Sat Jun 10, 2006 12:38 pm

Im glad to hear that I'm not the only 33 owner with strange amounts of water in the bilge for previously unknown reasons!!

Symeon · Post by **Symeon** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 11:38 pm

Having read the different posts, here are my comments to this thread: Regarding the point made by Chris Anderson, I fully agree and have witnessed damping after travelling in heavy seas, though not actual amounts of water. Regarding the split bilges, my 82 SF has two pipes coming from under the water tank and into the central bildge. They are blocked by wooden corks (a semi permanent set up). I appreciate the constructors' consideration to have the bilges communicating but in practical terms I do not want the dirty bilge water from the engine & geni to get into the central hold were I store drinks, food and spare parts. To answer to the main issue regarding water in the front compartment, I too faced a similar empuzzlement. I noticed that the central bildge had collected so much water that it had reached the front floor hatch on the floor of the V birth cabin. It was a combination of two factors: 1. The air condition valve was letting in water 2. The Fresh Water Pump leaking The air con leak was easy to locate and isolate. But the leaking still persisted! The fresh water pump did not stop working due to a leak when the pressure dropped every so often. The leak, however, was smaller than the amount of extra water being pumped. The water, with all faucets closed, found its way out from the base of the Galley faucet unit. The water collected in and around the cooking stove. The water found in the vicinity was not all the amount. The vinyl corner also had a leak. The water had seeped its way into the corner and down into the portside closet and from there down under into the bilge! When I tracked this flow it was time to go for a swim! Regards, Symeon Tsalicoglou Athens, Greece MOT B33SF'82 Greece

Roger That · Post by **Roger That** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 4:52 am

quote:Originally posted by sbeer I have water in my salon bilge. I think it might be coming from the bulkhead inbetween the salon and the engine area. I am going to pull the boat in a month to do some maint and plan on drying everything and then filling the aft bilge to see if I have any water transferring. Mike Mike Lawrence 81 sportfish 33' shot'n'beer [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... N_Beer.JPG[/img]

Roger That · Post by **Roger That** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 5:02 am

Thanks for all comments. I dont have a water heater, have checked water tank and its ok. Also, my condensate drain lines currently go to the shower pump. This does fill up often and if you are in rough seas then it will "slosh" around. However, I have dry vac this out and I still get a little water. The two compartments are sealed off so if you have a sportsfish and water is traveling up to center compartment - I dont think this is right. Mabey the models before 1987 had water flow between both compartments. I do have a large bildge pump to pump out water in center compartment. I think I may have a small pin hole in hull. We are stripping bottom to get the 9 coats of paint off and at that time I am going to look for a pin hole. I have had the thought that water could be coming through that bulkhead from the center compartment but it doesnt look like it. It would have to be getting into the stringer and then running forward through it. I have noticed though that it does seem to happen when water has collected in center compartment. I always have water there - cockpit drain lines run into that compartment as well as water coming through the rudder shafts. So if the boat has low fuel it kind of sits nose forward so this water will flow to center compartment. We have previously pulled the boat to check for any cracks in hull but boat yard said boat looked good as new! i am just thinking that i ahve a small, small pin hole that is letting water get in. I am going to do a little more checking on the center comaprtment stringer to make sure i dont have a pin hole or crack there. Thanks Roger That!

Bob S · Post by **Bob S** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 5:19 am

I have had the same situation over the years and determined that it is rain coming in from the windows. Check to see if it is fresh or salt water. On my 86SF the windowframes are attached to the fiberglass section and water clearly gets in from the screw holes. Also when a storm blows from the stern I get water around the door and at the engine boxes. I have no connection forward to aft in the bilge.

franklyprice · Post by **franklyprice** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 12:45 pm

Roger that, I get water only when it rains. I'd be hard pressed to believe that you have a pinhole in your hull. It might be a good thing to check if it's fresh water or salt. Do you think it would be worth putting food coloring in the aft bilge to see if it makes it forward?

photo finish · Post by **photo finish** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:40 pm

i ditto franks comments

sbeer · Post by **sbeer** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 12:42 am

I like that idea, put food coloring in the aft bilge. Alot better than tasteing the water to see if its salt or fresh, huh. Mike