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Cause of water on saloon floor?

Gazza
Guest Contributor
I have a 2011 Sundancer 255 and this season the saloon floor became damp , then the following day distinctly wet after use. As the water appears salty I have to assume it's coming up from outside the hull through a sea cock / bilge..etc. Has anyone experienced this and can someone tell me if there is a forward bilge under the galley floor that perhaps isn't draining?
Any thoughts would be welcome
Thank you
11 REPLIES 11

billy2
Guest Contributor
Check the pump in the shower sump, it collects water from A/c and galley sink and head sink,

Vermont_Sundanc
Guest Contributor
We have a 2003 340 SD. Older design but the gaskets in the port cabin windows were not sealing when window was closed. Water came in, collected on shelf under window and folllowed its way to the floor. Might not be your situation but thought I'd throw it out there.

curtis1
Guest Contributor
I had similar issue. 2004 280 sun dancer. Window over electrical panel leaked and drained down to floor. It seeps under the steps under the garbage can where the bilge pump for shower drain and ac condenser drains. What's weird is those drain into a box not into the hull. But, the floor drains into the hull. There's no way for it to drain out. I opened up the box and set the bilge pump at the bottom of hull to drain. I pulled the box to unplug what I assumed would be a drain hole but there is not one. Should there be?

Gazza
Guest Contributor
Thank you Billy, but even without using the shower , head sink, or galley sink the water actually got worse. Plus I think it's salt water.

Gazza
Guest Contributor
Thanks Curtis and Vermont, I'm going to get a hose and check all the window seals asap as this seems a common thread. Will update

Louis
Guest Contributor
We just experienced the same thing on our 2007 240 Sundancer and it was the hook you connect the winch onto when you hook it onto the trailer. We disassembled the V-berth and removed the fresh water tank and there was a couple of gallons of water under it. We removed the hook and recaulked using 3M 4200 and so far, the cabin has been dry.

RonH
Guest Contributor
2003 320 Sundancer - Check your Shower Bilge pumps. Mine overflowed and it spilled over in the storage compartment and the other bilge was also dead. So eventually the whole storage compartment filled up all the way back to the Fresh Water tank.

I never shower on the boat but found out (I think) the A/C condensation also dumps into the shower bilge.

curtis1
Guest Contributor
My space under the steps is too small for any storage, it houses the garbage can. You can see the bottom of the hull though when you remove the garbage can. This is where the plastic housing box contains the bilge and float. The condensation line from ac and the bathroom floor drain go into this housing box which sits on the bottom of the hull. there is a third line which is the bilge out the side of the boat. Why is there no drainage hole in the back of this compartment to the bilge area? It is a sealed compartment which holds water if any drains from the Salon floor. There no bilge pump outside of the 12 " x 12" enclosed housing so if any of those 3 hoses leaked or the floor gets wet the water will just sit in that area. Ideas?

270SDASE
Guest Contributor
I have a 270 Sundance SE w/o an AC unit, so the only thing that drains into the bathroom sump is the bathroom drain. The sump bilge works fine, but water is collecting in the bilge area outside the plastic sump. The water is very fowl smelling - very acidic and NOT like a head leak. I’ve sucked out the water several times with a shopvac, but more always collects after a couple days. Where can the water for this sealed bilge be coming from? And why does it smell so skunky?

billy2
Guest Contributor
The galley sink also drains in the shower sump, I had to replace the bilge pump in mine, the float had gone bad. I also noticed that the lid didn’t seal well, so I changed the seal. Billy

Callies_Choice
Guest Contributor
I think I can help. There is a rubber duck type check valve in the clear discharge tube from the pump. The elastomer is sensitive to cleaners and especially bleach. Over time it becomes soft no longer seals. I have replaced mine on a 260 and again on my 280. I contacted Rule and they sent me a replacement no charge. What happens is that the holding tank actually backs up into the sump and overflows into the bilge. Change the check valve and your problem will be solved.