3607 my first 3 months - thanks and new questions

[stutting]

Hi everyone! I have been so aided by the discussions in the forums over the past 3 months getting to know my 1989 3607. Thank you! A quick list of those things I learned: 1. Lots of "hidden" panels - under the steps leading into the boat you will find the fuel tank selector for each motor. Covers in the cut out / book shelf areas expose opening for fuel tank connectors. 2. Standing water can be the cause of a "stink" - I pumped out over a 100 gallons between the front shower area and the front bilge, along with the aft bilge area. My wife now doesn't think the boat stinks...as much...it's still a boat:). 3. The need for a good checklist before you use the boat is a must. Still a WIP.

Now for my questions I can't seem to find answers to: Does the front bed make into a full bed or is each angle considered it's own bed? I have messed with trying to position the step cover but can't seem to make it work without another triangle cushion - which perhaps I am missing.

I seem to be having gas air issues - sometime the engine won't start (after replacing filters and fuel pumps), that went away this weekend after reading on the forum - to remove the gas cap - any advice on cleaning the air vent system? I have shot compressed air from the outside.

I just lost the blower motors for the engine compartment - and don't see a fuse for the "blower" motors on the main fuse panel. Where is the fuse? Any good recommendation for replacement of the blower motors if they failed? How bad is it if you leave them on for a few days - I think I did that:)

If the engines quit - there is a noise letting you know the engine is off when the key is on. Yet you can not use the upstairs depth finder / other gauges unless the key is on giving power to the dash - and if on - the noise is on until the motor starts. Been fighting one engine vs another not running so wasn't sure if there was a way to stop the noise and keep the key on? I would much rather have 2 running engines:) Sorry for the multiple questions - not looking for one person to answer all - just glad to be part of the community! I will say after boating for 30 years - from runabouts to houseboats - I am amazed at the craftsmanship and design of the 3607 - every 3607 owner I bet uses that sturdy wood column as a make shift "fireman's pull" going down to the galley!!! Thanks from Iowa - Kevin

[tomschauer]

First the water in the bilge. Did you find where its coming from? That's a lot of water! If you found and stopped the source, flush it out with a lot of fresh water and some citrus cleaner, the smell should go away.

Cant help with the bed.

For the vent remove the cover and clean the screens. If they are clean, get a plastic or fiberglass fish tape and run it though the vent line.

For the blowers, if you don't have a fuse in the main, look for another panel on the bridge. My boat has one under the seat in front of them helm. This is just a guess. Blowers use a lot of juice and will drain your batteries pretty quickly if the charger isn't on or the engines running, but shouldn't fail if you left them on a few days unless they were on the way out anyway.

No way to stop the alarm with the key on other than to disconnect the buzzer and you don't want to do that. You could move the power feed to the depth finder to an auxiliary switch so you could use that with the key off, but not sure why you need a depth finder if the engines aren't running?

Best wishes!

[RobGunn]

On my 1990 3607 the vent blowers are powered by the House battery's (not engine) so if the house batteries are dead or near dead then no blower run. Im not sure about any fuse but I would assume it has one for the blower. Check your 12V power panel and see what is on it. last year I had a issue with my blowers not coming on but found that the switch on the panel was not working correctly.

[SkyeToo]

Hi - I have a 1989 3607. Wonderful boat. All the wood down below is gorgeous.

The V-berth. To my knowledge there is no triangular piece to make 1 large space. I use it as 2 separate beds. (Though my smaller 26' sailboat did have a panel for the triangle - long ago)
The bilge - there may be a problem with the shower sumps overflowing. I replaced both fore and aft with newer auto-switched sumps that have covers to minimize spillage. Amarine 750 gph only $45 on Amazon.
The blowers - not sure about that but as Scurvy Dog correctly pointed out - check the 12v breaker panel. And of course batteries need to be operational.
Asl be certain that you have at least one fuel fume detector working correctly. I replaced the upper helm with a brand new one last season. Can't be too careful with all that.

I have a question - anyone out there have a Raymarine 6000 autohelm? I cannot find the fluxgate compass with the other parts under the lower helm wheel. Anyone??

[stutting]

Great feedback! I will get to the boat hopefully tomorrow (8/6).
Reply: "If you found and stopped the source, flush it out with a lot of fresh water and some citrus cleaner, the smell should go away..." - I thought perhaps I bought the boat with the water so now that its "dry" I am keeping a close eye on it. I did notice a "bit" of water in the forward area by the shower pan thingy. By the way - what the heck is that? I would love to understand how all the bilges pull and discharge the water vs the fresh water. Also, does any of the water beside the bilge go directly to "sea water"? I do like the toilets pulling from seawater (Mississippi here). I have yet to fill up with fresh as I want to understand the routing of the fresh water vs grey / black before I go searching for drips. Nothing in the manual - anyone have a good resource on the line layout? My just need to draw up with a flashlight and snooping...

[km1125]

I have an '83 3607... here's my responses:

There is a breaker in the electrical panel for the bilge blowers. It is in the row of breakers that has all the blowers (the fwd and aft head blowers too). You may also have fuses down by the blowers, but I don't think that's stock.

You could make a triangular 'fill' panel for the V berth, but there wasn't one with the boat. You can't fill in that entire area because the door will not close or open if you do, so you could only make a very small fill panel that wouldn't be much use. I always thought that your feet go aft and the heads go to the bow, but when I actually saw a layout they have the pillows aft so your feet would go towards the bow. We don't sleep up there but I have had guests up there before. I also mounted a smaller (15") LCD set on the port side bulkhead for them.

You can check the "projects" forum for a diagram of the water system. I put a couple diagrams there when I redid all mine with PEX some years ago. If you have specific questions on the water system I can address them, as I've been through that whole thing.

On the engine noise: I think what you're describing is the engine alarm, which gets set off if the engine oil pressure drops below 5PSI, the engine temp gets over 195F or the transmission temp gets over temp (I forgot what that temp was). That's a good alarm to have because it does also warn you of a stalled engine. I would rewire your other devices (depth, plotter, etc) to the DC feed for either the salon or bridge so you could have them on without the engine key on. That's how most electronics are setup rather than requiring one of the keys to be on.

And I would not use those columns as a "firemans' pull" going up and down to the galley. Those are designed for vertical loads and you could easily break out the bottom by pulling sideways on them. They are only 2x2 teak boards, with I think two screws holding them in place.

EDIT: Couldn't find a link to that thread with the plumbing, but here's a rough graphic that shows the path. The hot and cold lines are paralleled to each location.

carver_3607_rough_plumbing.jpg

[km1125]

Source of the post
...
A quick list of those things I learned: 1. Lots of "hidden" panels - under the steps leading into the boat you will find the fuel tank selector for each motor. Covers in the cut out / book shelf areas expose opening for fuel tank connectors.
...

Also, there's a thread in the "projects" forum about those steps. The second step up is actually hollow too. When I was replacing my steps carpet I took that second step off and hinged it just like the bottom step. Not sure exactly what I'm going to do with it, but I'm thinking I might move the battery switch up there and convert to two separate ones for each engine. EDIT: here's a link to that one: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=3327


On the cutouts... At the back of that starboard bookshelf area (and the two on the port side) there are also two panels that you can unscrew with four screws each. You have to take the shelf out first (four screws, two on each end), then there are the two panels covered in black 'carpet'. When you take them off you can get to the fuel fill hose and the fuel vent hose and on the port side the aft head blower.

[stutting]

HOLY @$%$^$! The breaker (not fuses - I am learning) is labeled bilge - like you stated - in the "exhaust fans". I mistaken that as a fan for a "bilge" area - as the other two label FWD-head-AFT head are in the off position. When testing the head exhaust fans - the aft - trips the breaker. I am guessing that is why they have been off. Your post saved me potential hours of troubleshooting! Now I am off to find why I am getting "some" water in the forward area below the weird pan /shower thingy and off to clean out the gas vents....

[km1125]

Source of the post HOLY @$%$^$! The breaker (not fuses - I am learning) is labeled bilge - like you stated - in the "exhaust fans". I mistaken that as a fan for a "bilge" area - as the other two label FWD-head-AFT head are in the off position. When testing the head exhaust fans - the aft - trips the breaker. I am guessing that is why they have been off. Your post saved me potential hours of troubleshooting! Now I am off to find why I am getting "some" water in the forward area below the weird pan /shower thingy and off to clean out the gas vents....

So they work now?

That aft head exhaust fan is likely frozen up. You can pull it out and pull it apart and clean it up to buy several years, or just replace it. It's a 3" flange-mounted fan.

[stutting]

The engine/bilge blowers work now that the breaker is in place. I searched for the water diagram and could not find it. Does the shower sumps push this "gray water" to the holding tanks or discharges out the bottom of the boat?