Water hiding under the aft cabin floor 1983 3607

[safeguard]

I have identified a leak coming from my port exhaust. The leak is a small stream of lake water continously flowing about 1/8" wide. It was identified last season and i requested repairs that are happening now. The question is this. That water never made it to my bilge pump. This model has no aft pump, nearest is engine room and it's dry. At cabin smells like someone died. I pulled all the carpet, plywood floor is dry. Where might this water be hiding. How do i drain it, best way to deal with the odor.

Thanks so much in advance

[km1125]

Just forward of the aft cabin berth, there are three hatches in the floor. In these hatches (I don't recall specifically which ones) there are rubber "stoppers" put in the stringers to stop water from coming from the aft cabin and into the engine room. Yes, there is not a bilge pump in the aft cabin. I always thought of adding one back there somewhere, but never did.

I think those stoppers are put in place to stop ENGINE ROOM bilge water from getting into the aft cabin where there is no pump. This would only happen as the boat was in a bow-up condition, such as getting on plane. Once the boat is level, the water should drain forward into the engine room and be removed by the engine room bilge pump, at the forward end of the engine room.

You can pull those stoppers out so that the water can drain forward, but once it's all dried out you'd want to put them back in. You'll probably have to do some scrubbing or spray that aft bilge area with some "mold killer" type substance to get rid of the smell.

[safeguard]

All 3 of those hatches are bone dry, no water in any of them. I did remove the rubber stoppers hoping something would run out, but nothing. It's on the hard now, i have asked the maintenance mechanics to tip it forward and backwards a few times when on the trailer to see if water shows up. Are there any isolated areas that will not or may not drain. With carpet pulled before vinyl plank goes in, i can drill through plywood sole and stick my endoscope and look around.

[bud37]

In this case a good check for critters may be in order, muskrats like those exhaust pipes as an entry and chew from the inside to out, so I would check for damage and evidence of nesting considering the smell you mentioned.

Sometimes the first tell is a small leak, there could be further damage as well, you have to see inside the hoses to be sure.

[km1125]

I can't recall exactly, but I do think there are scuppers in all the stringers so that water should end up in the center bilge under the aft berth. If the boat is sitting level that area should be higher than the engine bilge so the water should run forward.

You also might want to remove the "seat" in the tub. That covers the port side exhaust hose and water could have collected there. I'm assuming you've already pulled up the removable panel under the "make-up table" and opened that hatch in the aft port locker where the potable pump is at.

[safeguard]

In this case a good check for critters may be in order, muskrats like those exhaust pipes as an entry and chew from the inside to out, so I would check for damage and evidence of nesting considering the smell you mentioned.

Sometimes the first tell is a small leak, there could be further damage as well, you have to see inside the hoses to be sure.

Thanks for the reply.
This is not rodent or critter damage, I've had an endoscope in all accessible orfices, exhaust hose is in good shape with nothing visible. Exhaust rubber flappers still look new. I'm guessing there is likely 100 gallons of rotten water sitting somewhere.

[safeguard]

I can't recall exactly, but I do think there are scuppers in all the stringers so that water should end up in the center bilge under the aft berth. If the boat is sitting level that area should be higher than the engine bilge so the water should run forward.

You also might want to remove the "seat" in the tub. That covers the port side exhaust hose and water could have collected there. I'm assuming you've already pulled up the removable panel under the "make-up table" and opened that hatch in the aft port locker where the potable pump is at.

Thanks for the reply.

I've scoped the space under the aft berth, the area under the 3 tanks (2 55 gallon fresh water tanks and 30 gallon black tank) and the water heater. All are dry, I've looked in the access hatch under the desk (make up table), i can see a wet trail with my endoscope camera but can not see its destination. I did have the same problem last season with the leak and also undertook updating the toilets to Vacuflush, including replacing all sanitation hoses, and fresh water to the new toilets. we were in all Access ways at that time (including under the tub) while pulling the old hose and installing replacement (original 1983) ( we did the upgrade ourselves), At that time is when we found the water leak at the rear exhaust through hull. I think I'll drill a few half inch holes in the sole and see if the endoscope sees anything wet. (They'll be covered by the new vinyl plank flooring), I'll also look under the tub again.
Any thoughts on flooding that space with something to kill any mold knowing leak will be stopped and no more lake water will be coming in?

[km1125]

I don't envy you in replacing those sanitation hoses!! I did the fwd ones before I sold the boat but never took on the aft ones. They did not look like they were going to be fun!

I'm trying to remember how many compartments there were beneath the sole. I thought there were five and each one had at least one access point. There's the starboard exhaust run and there were three access points for that (in closet, middle cabinet and aft stbd cabinet), then there's another compartment with the access just forward and to the stbd of the berth, then the center one that can be accessed either under the berth or the access for the shower sump, then to the port side there's another compartment with an access just to the port side of the berth (this one has the port strut bolts) then the port side exhaust, with access via the tub seat, the baseplate of the head, the one under the table and the one in the aft port cabinet. I don't think there are any other compartments

I would double-check that from the access hatch where you get to the port strut bolts that you can access all the way over to the stringer that separates the port side exhaust. For some reason I think there might be another stringer between that access and the portside exhaust, maybe to help support the walls/floor of the aft head?

And I'm not sure I'd fill any compartment with a "mold killer" but might stick a hose in there and try and spray everything down.

Oh, and you might check out the 'projects' folder here and search for "3607". I did a few projects on mine and documented them there and might give you some ideas.

[safeguard]

Source of the post I don't envy you in replacing those sanitation hoses!! I did the fwd ones before I sold the boat but never took on the aft ones. They did not look like they were going to be fun!

I'm trying to remember how many compartments there were beneath the sole. I thought there were five and each one had at least one access point. There's the starboard exhaust run and there were three access points for that (in closet, middle cabinet and aft stbd cabinet), then there's another compartment with the access just forward and to the stbd of the berth, then the center one that can be accessed either under the berth or the access for the shower sump, then to the port side there's another compartment with an access just to the port side of the berth (this one has the port strut bolts) then the port side exhaust, with access via the tub seat, the baseplate of the head, the one under the table and the one in the aft port cabinet. I don't think there are any other compartments

I would double-check that from the access hatch where you get to the port strut bolts that you can access all the way over to the stringer that separates the port side exhaust. For some reason I think there might be another stringer between that access and the portside exhaust, maybe to help support the walls/floor of the aft head?

And I'm not sure I'd fill any compartment with a "mold killer" but might stick a hose in there and try and spray everything down.

Oh, and you might check out the 'projects' folder here and search for "3607". I did a few projects on mine and documented them there and might give you some ideas.

Thanks for the information. I will take a goood look, I'll open a few inspection holes in the floor and see whats there.