Water in bilge

Dec 5, 2015
121
Oday 272LE Louisville, KY
For the last week, I have been getting water in my bilge in my 272 around the shower grate area. It is not coming in around the keel bolts but it appears to be water trapped between the floor and the bilge in the head area. I do not use my head and the intake seacock for the head is bone dry and is always shut off. I have replaced the port gaskets but they still leak some but I capture the drips in a pan. I just completed a bulkhead reinforcement project and the bulkhead is bone dry. Has any one else encountered this?
 
Jan 7, 2011
5,930
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Nope, but my 322 had water in the bilge, and it was driving me nuts. Was very concerned it was coming in from the keel bolts. Before I went out of town, I closed all through hulls, ran both water tanks dry, AND TIGHTNED THE STUFFING BOX. I had noticed that the stuffing box was dripping more that I wanted while under power.

Came back, and bilge was dry. Opened through hulls, no water in the bilge. Filled water tanks, no water in the bilge. Now convinced that the stuffing box was the culprit.

Greg
 

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
7,090
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
Is it fresh or salt water? (Yes, you can taste it to find out.)
 
Jan 7, 2011
5,930
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I think both the OP (and Me) are on freshwater, so no hints provided by the water.

Greg
 
Dec 5, 2015
121
Oday 272LE Louisville, KY
Thanks Greg, but I repacked my stuffing box last season. I can barely feel moisture around the bottom of the shaft when the boat is just sitting at the dock and very few drips while motoring in gear. I saw a little water run down into the bilge when I shifted my weight to the starboard side. I am on the Ohio river (fresh water).
 
Jan 7, 2011
5,930
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Do you notice it more after a rain? That could indicate something tops side is leaky...
Anchor locker, port lights, stanchion bases, slider hatch, (the list goes on and on).

I assume the 272 mast is deck stepped?

Greg
 
Aug 2, 2018
96
Beneteau Oceanis 40cc Little River, SC
For the last week, I have been getting water in my bilge in my 272 around the shower grate area. It is not coming in around the keel bolts but it appears to be water trapped between the floor and the bilge in the head area. I do not use my head and the intake seacock for the head is bone dry and is always shut off. I have replaced the port gaskets but they still leak some but I capture the drips in a pan. I just completed a bulkhead reinforcement project and the bulkhead is bone dry. Has any one else encountered this?
We also had a problem with a constant drip that drains into the bilge. It turns out it was the condensation that built up from our air conditioner running 24/7
It has been so humid lately that there is a lot lot lot condensation
Cara
 

JRT

.
Feb 14, 2017
2,059
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
I'd look at deck fittings and penetrations, don't forget the rub rail.
 
Aug 4, 2018
56
Pearson Yachts 39-II Punta Gorda, FL
We also had a problem with a constant drip that drains into the bilge. It turns out it was the condensation that built up from our air conditioner running 24/7
It has been so humid lately that there is a lot lot lot condensation
Cara
Quite a bit of humidity here too, Cara. I plumbed the air conditioning condensate drip pan to the shower gray-water sump tank which has its own small overboard discharge electric pump. Then adding an inexpensive central home air conditioning float switch triggering a timed on relay circuit http://a.co/d/etAR9AN the condensate never goes into the bilge and gets automatically pumped out as it fills the sump.
 
Aug 2, 2018
96
Beneteau Oceanis 40cc Little River, SC
Quite a bit of humidity here too, Cara. I plumbed the air conditioning condensate drip pan to the shower gray-water sump tank which has its own small overboard discharge electric pump. Then adding an inexpensive central home air conditioning float switch triggering a timed on relay circuit http://a.co/d/etAR9AN the condensate never goes into the bilge and gets automatically pumped out as it fills the sump.
Pretty dang smart!