I found that the hose from the bathtub to the shower sump on my 1990 3607 had torn and all the water was draining into the bilge that sits in front of the master berth. This water did not drain anywhere even though there are drain holes at the forward and aft ends of the bilge compartment. The forward drain hole looks like it's supposed to drain into the engine room bilge and the aft drain hole looks like it should drain underneath the master berth to the rear bilge in the stern. I probed the holes with a coat hanger and it seems as though they don't drain anywhere. I hit solid stops in each hole. Does anyone know if there is some kind of channel in the bulkheads at each end of the shower sump bilge? Is there a Tee junction that drains to the sides that might be blocked? I just bought this boat this summer and I've been fighting the musty smells in the aft stateroom all season. The water can't just sit there and not drain anywhere. What if the shower sump fails and overflows? You could flood the whole bilge and not realize the water was there until you felt the water in the carpeting. I hope someone can shed some light on this. Bill
The limber holes need to be open so that water can flow to a low point where it will be picked up by the bilge pump. Often they get clogged with debris, but also they are often closed during spraying of either paint, glass or gel coat. The problem with opening them is that you may expose material that can wick moisture. Seal the edges when you're done.
engine room bilges are often sealed from the rrest of the boat to prevent oil or fuel that may leak in the ER from making it all over the boat. this is very important on gas boats so that gas or gas vapors dont' make it where you have non ignition protected equipment. but that bilge area shoudl drain aft into the aft most bilge... can you look into the aft bilge and see if something is cloggign the limber hole? not sure what you mean about "channels in the bulkheads", there should be holes for wires and hoses to go thru, usually near the top.
Thanks for the info guys. After closer inspection, I found that the rear limber hole does drain into the bilge area beneath the master berth. Unfortunately, that bilge area does not seem to have a way to drain into the aft bilge pump area. Looking for a limber hole under the master berth is made very difficult because of all the equipment under there such as fresh water tanks, rear waste tank, water heater, etc. I think I'm going to just vacuum the water out, hose it down and vacuum again. I think that if my shower sump doesn't leak, the bilge should stay dry. After haul-out next month, I'll get a little more intimate with the bilge and see what can be done to improve future drainage.
The water drains to a compartment containing the waterheater and can't drain from there. There has to be a limber hole there as well. It's time to pull off the mattrass for a closer look so you can clear that hole. The time may come when you have to access that compartment to change the heating element or something else. Might as well figure it out now. When you clear it out address any mold or mildew and finally clean it with a citrus bilge cleaner. Sleeping there will be a lot healthier and more pleasant. It doesn't sound like a place where vac-ing it out on a regular basis is an option. Again, look for the limber hole that will direct the water to the bilge pump and make sure it's clear.
NYCAP123 -Thanks for the advice. You're right about digging in and finding the limber hole. I'll do that in a couple of weeks when the boating season ends and she's hauled out for storage. In the mean time, I will wash the bilge out with bilge cleaner and vacuum out the water and try to let it air dry with all the access hatches open and a fan going. I was planning on replacing the waste tank drain hose with a non-permeable pvc standpipe at the end of the season, and I'll have to pull the mattress and the plywood underneath the berth at that time. As far as I can guess, that bilge should remain dry as long as the shower sump doesn't overflow, or one of the hoses leaks, which was the case until I replaced the hose last week.
I had the same problem with my 3607. And you are right, the water will rise till it hits the carpeting. I installed another bilge pump under the hatch at the foot of the bed, that runs into the sump and then out. The only thing I would recommend is that you check the sump on a regular basis. the area should be dry.
dlross9150 - Thanks. I thought about putting another pump there, but that would still allow some water to sit there and get funky smelling. If I can find or make a limber hole to the aft bilge pump area, it should accomplish the same thing. The aft bilge looks to be 8-12" lower and the water should run down there. Unfortunately, the aft bilge is also under the master berth, and any water in there could stagnate and start to smell. It's a constant battle.
