Wet spot on floor in my 84 245 sundancer

[PirateMike]

Sure could use some advise on tracking down source of a recurring wet spot that develops on floor between head and galley. Checked head drain and does not appear to be obstructed. Somewhat worried about area being saturated and the effects. Any help would be certainly appreciated.

 

[kevinnice]

you could rule out the head waste being the problem by eating a really hot curry and drinking a six pack followed by a bottle of tequila. then use the head. wait for the wet patch to appear and smell it. you'll know immediately if theres a leak from there.

 

[Nehalennia]

Do you have a sump pump from the head's shower drain? Is that the "head drain" you mentioned?
If there is, you should have a float switch that triggers the bilge pump in the sump. Check the sump base for cracks, the hoses for leaks and test the float switch to see if the pump works. Also check the pump for clogs with hair, residue, etc.

Best of luck.

 

[grande85]

the sump pump under the step never fully drains it cant pump the last 3 ft up hill so i used to pump as much as it would take then use a sponge to drain the balance i didnt have a shower in the head so the only water it would get was wheb the door was open in the rain or spills.

 

[PirateMike]

Thanks for the advice, think I'll pass on the tequila and hot curry idea

 

[Lazy Daze]

Can you verify for us if it is rainwater, or not?

 

[PirateMike]

Going to Boat in couple of days. Rain in forecast, will explore further then. Thanks

 

[mkroulik]

I had the same problem with my 250 DA. I determined it was rain water. I assume you have shore power where ever the boat is. Your step down pump should have a float switch on it. ALWAYS leave the switch on for the step down pump since there is already another switch in the float. What happened with mine was water would drain down into the well when it rained and if that pump wasn't on it would eventually fill to the point that the floor would start getting wet. Since I now leave it on, I haven't had that problem. Hope that is the case for you. Leaving the switch in the on position is a pretty cheap fix.

Mike

 

[hbass]

could be from the A/C unit. We found a tube that was drained condensation that was not running to any bilge...caused carpet wet spot with prolonged a/c use

 

[KC_Sundancer]

I had a similiar problem with my 85 270DA. Traced it back to the big sliders. It was tough to find because there would be wet spots and not a traceable path back to the windows.

This is a common problem with the "Express Cruisers" of the 80's. The windows do not offer great structural support and start leaking between the frame and deck. Rough water conditions, jumping on, walking, etc. on the deck causes the old sealant to eventually break loose and start leaking.

In my case I went all out with both side cabin windows removed, completely disassembled, seals replaced, windows polished and rebedded and then reinstalled using 3M 5200 to bond and seal them. This is expected to last much longer than the sealants used in the 80's.

If this is the issue, pulling the entire assembly, cleaning old sealant and reinstalling would probably be sufficient. Get help when reinstalling as the windows are a bit awkward. It's easiest to have two people on the outside installing while someone on the inside works the fasteners. Also use caution with clean-up after reinstalling. Once this stuff starts to set it's tough to remove - make sure the "bead" is nice and clean ASAP.

For me it's been two years now with wet weather, rough water conditions and no problems.

Note: you can still get the slider seals if needed from Taylor Made, they will even send samples to be sure your ordering the proper one.

You may want to follow my thread titled "1985 SRV270DA Restoration" as I continue to post my projects over the past few years. I have alot to share that may help with other common issues.

Good Luck Eh !

 

[PirateMike]

Just back from boat, have determined that the source of the wet spot is rainwater. Goin to rectify the situation as soon as I can. Appreciate the suggestions as they were helpful in tracking down the problems, one with the forward hatch drain and also the seals on the sliding windows are letting water in. Thanks again CSR

 

[tablerockdave]

I know this post is alittle old but I just joined. I bought my 1985 210CC knowing it had rot problems below deck (thankfully the transom was OK). I removed and replaced nearly all of the plywood from the engine bulkhead to the cabin door because of rot and discovered that under the gas tank was a sheet of plywood filled with foam underneath which was completely satuarted due to weather exposure. I was also seeing wet spots developing in the carpet of the cabin floor. When I removed the aft wall of the step bilge I could see water seeping from under the forward cabin floor. Not wanting to tear that part out I found that there were a number of holes in the plywood which were covered with a hard rock-like floor filler that were used to pump foam into the forward area. I opened up two these holes and used a powereful wet vac to suck out about 8 - 10 gal of water and them allowed it dry for a couple weeks befor sealing it back up. These old 80's vintage boats did not have good provisions for seepage drains in the foam filled cavities. Maybe something to check if all else fails and the problem still exists.