www.iFourWinns.com

Sorry for the weird subject line. I couldn't think of any other way to describe it. I was messing around on my boat tonight, just checking all the weird hatches and covers.

I pull out the mattress pad from the center of the captain's bed (mid-berth), and unscrewed the bigger of two round screw on hatch type covers. Underneath, I could see the gas tank, and what looks like a long cylinder shaped hole going right through it. It had about an inch of nasty looking water in the bottom. Am I looking at bilge water?

What the heck is this hatch for and what is the cylinder hole for? I don't have the manual handy but I am dying to know what this is for.

Thanks,

Jay

I noticed the same thing on mine last spring.Not sure how the water gets in there. I just cleaned it out with a wet vac. I havent checked it again.

Got any pictures of it?

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I am trying to recall from memory what the tank looks like.. The access hatches are just that, for access to the tanks. If there is any water in the bottom of the center hatch it's bilge water, maybe from the shower sump, or could have just been regular bilge water that ran forward. In my experience, mine was nasty water from the shower sump, one of the barbs on the sump housing cracked off and the hose was just laying in the bilge. I emailed ITT (Jabsco,Rule,Marinco Group) and they sent me a new sump box free of charge and when I reconnected the hoses, I ran a bead of black RTV around the barbs to ensure no leakage.

The hole through the tank (if on the bottom) could be to allow water to run through so it can drain, if it's on the top, it could be a stiffening rib.

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Brett DiMichele

Do you think this could be what you are describing?

The arrow points to a plastic cap on the end of a tube that runs from the cabin to the engine bilge area. I have always thought that it was a way of draining any water that should (heaven forbid) get into the cabin and allow it back to the bilge, where it could be pumped out. I have never looked to see if it was visible from the cover under the bed. If this has nothing to do with what you are describing can someone let me know if what I am assuming is correct?

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Regards
Beyond the Blue

"If we improve with age I'm now excellent"


Ex 1998 238 Vista 5.0Gi SX DP
Lexus RX300

Beyond,

It's interesting they put a drain tube into your cabin like that, because I sure as heck would never want to see any water in there!

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Brett DiMichele

is it a chase-way for running wires/cables/tubes?

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

If it is, it's definitely a design cock up because it's the last thing that empties when water gets in the bilge. The bilge can be bone dry (which it usually is) but if I remove that plug I can guarantee there will be water in that tube.

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Regards
Beyond the Blue

"If we improve with age I'm now excellent"


Ex 1998 238 Vista 5.0Gi SX DP
Lexus RX300

That Drain looks exactly like the one our 245 sundowner had in the cabin, it is just that a drain from the cabin to the bilge.

Our current vista, the floor in the cabin has a cover/access to the sump pump, should any water ever get in the cabin it would drain through/around the access cover.

When we first got our vista, the bilge was awfully dirty/slimy. I spent an entire weekend, pulled all accesses and put a hose and brush to flush out bilge to get it cleaned up.

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
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