water damage, cabin deck, carpet etc.

[wantadayoff]

OK, here is my story. I have a 1991 235 fiesta vee. Noticed that the carpet was soggy the other week when I went to clean up the boat for the winter. Cabin floor is soft now. Seems that whenever any water gets into the bilge of the boat, it fills the bilge, forward and aft equally so that the boat theoretically will set in the water equally should a lot of water be taken on via storm event, or other event that causes a deluge of water to go where it should not go. Problem is, the aft bilge pump, and the forward bilge pump require a certain amount of water to work effectively. Water builds up in the bottom of the boat until this happens. The cabin floor is such that a very small space exists under it, between it and the hull of the boat, so that when a certain amount of water gets into the boat, the bottom of the cabin floor is in contact with a puddle of water. I am guessing that this boat was made for trailering, and as such, is drained after every use. Does anybody have a 235 or another 'trailerable type boat' that this is an issue with; and if you do, any suggestions on how to solve this problem? I am thinking, when the cabin floor is apart, filling the space with something to avoid water getting in there???? I don't know. Any input is helpfull?

[Talon]

Wow - that sucks.

I would be tempted to fill the void, but I'd make sure I still left a means of water getting fore and aft to equalize the boat. Our last boat had a PVC pipe that connect the two bilges (middle was not setup to have take on water).  Maybe try something like that in the foam...

[merwin10]

Yep!!! On the 290 the step down to the cabin has a driain that drain goes directly into the bilge via a plastic hose. Yes the bilge fills up because becuse the bilge low water switch is to high. On the 290 the bilge pump sits on a 3/4" bump in the bilge. The pump needs about a inch water to activate so now you have a 1 3/4" of water in the bilge. The idea here is that the pump needed to be attached to something so that it stayed in place. So Rinked molded in a 3/4" piece of plywood so that they would have something to screw to. Remember the other side of bilge is the bottom of the boat don't want any holes there.

The fix, go the boat store and get a electonic float switch ( see
http://www.waterwitchinc.com/bilge_switchsheet.html ) this type of switch sits on the bottom of the bilge and detects as little as a 1/4" of water. So we mounted it just below acceptable water level. NOT ON THE BOTTOM because it will turn the pump on and the water may be below the suction hence you will burn the pump out. Remember that 3/4" bump! Next you have to mount the bilge pump lower we unscrewed ours and mounted it in the deepest bilge water and epoxy it to the bilge so it would not move. Yea this is not the best because if you need to replace it you will need to grind the epoxy off, but hey it needs to be mounted and holes thru the bottom just is not a option. We ran another 12 v source to the switch and then tied it into the panel switch wire. There are three wire to a bilge pump negative, positive and switch. The switch wire goes up to the console and is tied to the bilge pump switch so when you push the button the pump pumps manually.

It works perfectly now no more water! Oh you remember the hose from the step that went into the bilge we fixed that also. Tied it into the shower pump that is under the step. When the plastic box fills up the shower pump comes on and pumps the box dry. No more water in the bilge.

Mike -

[Ronnie]

A friend of mine just got a 25'Formula & it has an electronic bilge(Switchless) it cycles on for a few seconds ,every few minutes & if it detects water it stays on ???

[wantadayoff]

Thanks all for your input. I think that when I have the sole off, because that will need to be replaced at this time, it is soft and obviously does not have the integrety that it should,  I am going to figure a way to mount a pump under that part of the boat. Don't know at this point if that is feasible as the profile of said pump will need to be pretty low, and then there is the need to attach bilge hose to the thru-hull fitting. The step drain that you mentioned merwin10 is another issue. The boat is older, and as such, does not have a shower sump like the newer models, infact, the head does not even have a shower, just a sink and a pump out typeIII msd. So, another option will be to somehow contain water in a sump from that step, (which of course will have to be installed). I am thinking that if the space under the cabin sole is very small, filling with something may be a better solution. I will update when I find out more this spring, which on this night of a threatned north-easter enroute to this local seems very far away right now!

[merwin10]

wantadayoff,

A north easter is just the type of weather you need to plan your project. As for the pump under the sole if that is not possible you need to think out of the box. You might consider a puppy pump from jabsco with a flat shoe strainer. You must use a strainer for this pump because it is positive displacment style, hence what goes in must come out. You mount the shoe strainer under the sole at the lowest point and mount the pump where it fits connect the two with the proper hose, the output of the pump goes to your now bilge pump overboard. A electronic water switch mounted beside the shoe strainer would turn the puppy pump on automagicly. The low profile shoe strainers are available with as little as one inch of height. If you really want to get fancy you could also put a check valve before the flat shoe strainer. This prevents the water that is in the hose from washing back into the blige when the pump shuts off. This is not needed but will extend the life of the pump, since it is self priming and has 4 foot of lift, however it is rubber impeller design and any time a impeller runs without water there is a possiblity of damage.

As for the step use a sump shower pump, see below.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Puppy pump = http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... 0001/81772

Electronic bilge switch =
http://www.bilgeswitch.com/bilge_switchsheet.html

flat strainers =
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... 10001/6461

Sump shower pump =
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... ctId=22214

By no way am I endorcing West marine it is just the easiest way to show you what I am talking about.

"Where there is the will there is a way"

Mike -

[wantadayoff]

Thanks Mike. You have given me a lot of options to consider. I will update, maybe post some pictures of the fix.........when things warm up outside a bit!

[merwin10]

Just trying to be helpful. Share what we have been through!

Mike -