www.iFourWinns.com

Cheers all....hope everyone are enjoying their summers.....have another questions for all forum folks.......on my 328 vista I have a major leak every time it rains under the dash board at drivers side...I have watched the water when it rains and cannot for the life of me figure where the water is coming from...I get no water in the cabin...the water leaks under the main part of the dash.....only when it rains and it seeps on a regular basis and stops when it stops raining...would love any suggestions, ideas, or solutions would be greatly appreciated....

Windshield where it meets the foredeck. My Sundowner leaks there too and was the cause of a fried brand new Kenwood deck (still mad bout that one).

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1996 205 Sundowner DLX
5.0FL Volvo SX Cobra
Tow Veh: 2012 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X

It may just seem to come in under the dash. I have noticed that a small amount of rain water comes in around the covers and runs along the bottom of the starbourd window (which is designed for that) but when it gets to the little channel to drain out under the window it somtimes flowes into the boat and gathers at the helm floor. I always pull my driver carper when I leave the marina for the week. I have gotten to the boat to many times to find the rug wet and takes hours to dry. It seems to do it more durring heavy rain events when the channel is overwhelmed with water. Just a thought.

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Current Boat - '04 328 Vista "Be As You Are"

Previous Boats
'04 268 Vista
'97 238 Vista
'94 210 Marada
'88 175 Sunbird

I own a 328 and meet the same problem.
I agree with erie cruiser. The water seems to come from under the dashboard but i have noticed that the "little channel" may "overflow" and leaks near the driver seat. Then the water comes on the floor.
It is much more obvious if you have a port list.

Paynefree, I take the opportunity to ask you what is your motor and what kind of prop pitch do you have?

I don't have a 328 but I notice a lot of rain water running down the bimini support tubes. I get a lot of rain in my cockpit that run down the tubes and from there it goes along the windshield channel on the bottom. I haven't been able to figure out how to prevent this yet.

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--2002 3880 Regal Flybridge | Twin Merc 8.1HO **Seven**
--2003 AB 13 VST Console Inflatable | Tohatsu 40hp TLDI **Phish'n ski**
--310 Mercury Inflatable | 1982 9.9 Johnson

I keep my boat in a covered slip, but it did get out into a lengthy rain a few weeks ago. I noticed a drip coming from the connection point of the tube grab rail (that I use to get up on the bow while going up the stairs) and the metal frame around the window. A picture below is of the general area.



The next picture, from below show the actual connection point. If you go outside the window, this joint is covered by the rubber gasket that runs around the window frame, and at this particular point it covers a large bolt that connects to the aforementioned grab tube to the frame.



I have not done anything to correct it yet, but my inclination is to pull out the bolt, and either silicone the whole area and/or teflon tape the bolt to see if the entry area is the rubber gasket surrounding the window frame. Perhaps with age the rubber gasket or weather proofing has shrunk and the gap is where water is gathering.

Unfortunately the drip it produces, is directly above the sliding door to below-decks. If I leave the door open, it drips on the stairs. So the night I stayed out in the rain, I placed a foil dish with a rag in it (to prevent the drip-drip-drip sound keeping us awake at night). In the morning, I carefully slid the door open, as to not knock the dish on my head, and discovered well over a litre of water. That large amount indicates the water running down the Eisenglass on the port side was being driven behind the rubber gasket and through the bolt. Or maybe I will not go out on rainy days!

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Ernie Follis
It'll Do II
Four Winns 348 (2005)

If you keep the screen door closed as well, it will keep the water out of the cabin. I suffered the same fate as you, the first night aboard my 318. No canvas up, and real late when I got to bed in a pouring rain...and all I could hear was drip drip drip on the steps!

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Hi All,
I just repaired a leak on our 338 Vista 2007 that caused water to pool at the helm floor when it rained. We though for the life of us that is was either the deck fittings or the windshield. We had tightened all the deck fittings and sealed around the entire windshield and rubber insulation. After running water on the entire deck and windshield in slow methodical fashion we could not localize the leak; and I do mean a huge mess whenever it rained. I had a sneaking suspision it had to be the folding radar arch. Sure enough my husband sprayed the arch and I could visibly see the water pouring through the hinged arch, behind the starboard seat into the cupholders then down to the helm floor where it resided. It then would run doon onto the cockpit floor just below the helm. The rugs would be sopping wet. I would stuff towels at the helm floor then have to do extra laundry that evening. This was becoming a part time job! At this sitethere is a thread about a radar arch leaking. Another boater kindly posted his pictures and upon following his directions our boat is bone dry after a hugh rain this weekend.
If you have the hinged arch please take a look at that thread.
Good Luck.
Marie

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Cocktails & Dreams
Merrick, NY