sleeper_dave

There are drain holes, limber holes in the bulkheads, all the way down the center stringer.

If you get water in your bilge, when you slow down, it will slosh forward and get under the step and even further forward.

in my boat, I had an oil leak and ended up with an oily mess as far forward as the bed. I got under there and ran a hose in the two storage compartments under the bed. On one side, the water drained all the way back, on the other side, it was a trickle at best. I cut an access hole under the step and cleaned all the gunk out of the limber holes, now it drains fine. That area isn't finished all that well from the factory as it is never seen, I ended up getting some fiberglass resin and sealing up the limber holes that I could access a little better to keep the bulkheads dry. The only remaining problem is that the limber holes aren't all the way down on the floor, so when water does run up there (at least it's not oily now!) about half an inch of water will stay in there without draining back.

I'd imagine all the bulkheads are the same way, and some are likely unaccessible under the floor, so you will likely always have some water sitting in there unless you manage to keep the bilge dry all the time. My boat has a slight leak in the transom, i'm suspecting it's at the trim line manifold, so I always end up with a little water in there (that'll be fixed by spring, though).

Now I just open up the areas I can get to every time i finish using it and dry it up. I don't want the water sitting in there and eventually damaging the hull, although there doesn't seem to be any damage from the last 15 years.

my boat is a 27, non step, so there's no bilge pump under the step. That area might be more accessible in newer models, I can only speak from what i've found on my boat.

pookie

Thank you very much, that helps a lot. I think the boats are very similar through the years from 27 to 47. Mine is a stepped hull 47 but I think what you did would work.

On Time

Current boat 2005 42 Ex. Have owned Formula '86 F3LS, '87 Formula 242LS, 2004 Baja 33 Outlaw, and EVERY ONE had the SAME water issue we're talking about here. As it was said above, only way water gets in the forward bilge is if the rear bilge water gets too high, the boat is trailered or on sling with the bow too low, or if there is a leak somewhere up front. My Fountain was 1 year old when I bought it and it had the anchor locker leaks, bow rail leaks (previous owner had used them as cleats to tie up with), and the thru-hull fitting for the port side sink had a big leak and was loose. I changed that exhaust hose draining the sink to a SOFTER MATERIAL, since the exhaust hose was so stiff it wiggled the tru-hull with every bounce the boat made. That was poor engineering.

Dry your boat with Shop Vac first, then use large fans one-way style and open all the cabin doors and hatches and it'll be bone dry in 24-48 hrs. I should know, I've had to dry out all my boats several times and I do it promptly and did not ever deverlop a smell. And P.S. DO NOT use the Damp Rid "high capacity" tubs to keep your cabin dry, use the hanging versions instead because the tubs rupture when they are full and now you have to clean up the slick salt solution as well. It took bonehead here three times to learn that one.

pookie

Is the floor of the cabin (under the carpeting) in a 47 fiberglass or plywood?

fountain 47 sc

I pulled the carpet on the sole of my cabin and there is no access door at all and the floor is fiberglass.

twanger

I am a fountain dreamer, but my envision has a similar problem. Being my boat is an open bow it is like a funnel for collecting water. Envision did install a floor drain, but it drains to under the step where there is a bilge pump. I do the shop vac routine, but is there a pump that can get most of the water out on its own? Sorry for highjacking.

On Time

I don't think that's a hijack. I installed an automatic sensor, the electronic kind, no moving parts, and a low scoop to a pump in my Baja and the water never got more that an inch high after that. Took some engineering, but the thru-hull and wiring is already there and I 'm going to do the same thing to the Fountain as one of several small winter projects. By the way dreamer - Get the Founrtain. Had mine at 85 yesterday over 3 ft. whitecaps and I could have balanced a quarter on the front deck it was so smooth.

twanger

Beak-Great avatar...The 42 is what I want, nothing fancy for power. I am trying to move the Envision, and move up, but it is slow going. Next time I almost break 50mph, I will think of you balancing your quarter at 85.

gerritm

Beak I had a 1/2 dollar balanced on my deck couple of weekends back in 3-4' out on the bay at 80 plus. Get the Fountain. I have the same problem with the wet area underneath the step. I am thinking it is coming from the anchor locker door where the grab hole is. There is a drain in the bottom and I think it goes along the stringers to the back bilge or else there seems to be a couple of poor caulk areas around the deck rail where it attaches to the deck. I never get much water, but always a little on the floor under the step on the rubber matting.

THEKID29FEVER

I have the same prob I really noticed when i took a hose and scrubed the cockpit it seamed all the water drained to the bilge under the step in the cuddy.. why is that?
btw I have a 98 29 fountain