www.iFourWinns.com

Hi all
I know there are a few of these types of post already , but thought I could narrow my issue down with a new post as I progress on my very steep learning curve for my boat

Recent Heavy rains overnight, and a little water (fresh) in the forward storage well under the v cushion and up around its rim where the triangular cover fits on , but also the carpet just behind it is also quite wet
I guess my main suspect after reading all the threads would also be the anchor locker well, but how would that make the carpet wet outside of that locker?
I had dried it before I took the picture

thanks in advance!

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Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

I had that annoying little problem as well. Seems like the anchor locker is a poor design with the bottom being lower that the hole to drain it. I removed all of my rode and squeezed a tube of sealant into the bottom. It was difficult to get to as I recall and hard to clean out the debris to make it stick. That seems to have solved my problem but I'm very cautious about water getting into that locker. I always try to avoid the area when washing my boat but water always seems to find its way in.

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2008 Vista 278 Volvo Penta 8.1 Gi 375 hp
1999 Horizon 220 5.7 GSi

Thanks...! v useful

any idea how that could have made the front of the carpet wet though ahead of that locker- seems odd!

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Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

The bottom of my anchor locker is ahead of what you are showing in the photo unless I'm not understanding you correctly. I do recall an old thread on this so you might do a search as I'm pretty sure that is where I found my solution. I notice from your other post you're moored in the elements and I was at the time I had this problem. I think that rain can be a pretty big factor finding it's way into the boat. I'm on a lift under shelter now so it's not as big an issue for me now.

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2008 Vista 278 Volvo Penta 8.1 Gi 375 hp
1999 Horizon 220 5.7 GSi

I haven't been to the boat today to check...need to find exactly where the anchor locker actually is I guess ! LOL , I assumed it was the compartment right at the bow on the starboard side of the actual Windlass ?
Yes I'm pretty much in the elements, though here in Spain, we allegedly get 300+ days a year sunshine unlike when I was back in the UK ..
I put the Full Camper cover on when I knew rain was coming this week, and it did a great job in a pretty torrential downpour !
After April , we are pretty rain free till October ish

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Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

There are a bunch of threads on this stupid design... Before I bought my boat the marina attempted to fix. That didn't work. I tried but its really hard to reach down there even with my long arms. It seemed to work last year but this spring I got a ton of water in the forward bilge so back to the drawing board. I think the angle while on the trailer made more water intrusion than while in the water because there is less run off in the bow from being bow high.
I think from the other posts the only solution is to build up the bottom to where the drains are then seal it. If I recall someone used Styrofoam to build it up then fiberglass it. I was thinking some pvc board(since I have it lying around) and silicone it in with an angle towards the drain.

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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

had a quick look at the anchor chain/rope locker on my vista 248
it is indeed on the bow deck to the right of the electric windlass under a hinged small flap .
So let me get this right...rain falls, and enters that space, which then has drains , and sometimes leaks that get in the cabin?
wouldn't it be a LOT easier to actually SEAL the lifting flap, so rain doesn't get in at all, or am I missing something obvious here?
It would be pretty easy surely to seal the flap , as it has none at all currently ?

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Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

The anchor line (rope) gets saturated with water and then retrieved and piled up in the anchor locker. You will have water in the compartment whether rain enters through that door or not. The compartment should be watertight to the rest of the boat.

You might try taping a cover (plastic sheet or ???) over the top deck access door to see if it makes any difference.

If you have the mirror on the front wall of the cabin like my 268, you might try removing it by lifting it straight up about 2 inches. There is an access hatch (at least on my 268) that you can unscrew and remove to get at the anchor locker compartment. It looks like this: http://www.westmarine.com/buy/barton-ma ... --15770654 With the boat in the water it might be harder to check the drains for the anchor locker. Some others have had a leak in the rear wall of the compartment where it joins the boat hull. You might also check the hatch in the rear wall for leaks. You might make sure you don't have any insects in the anchor locker before opening that hatch.

One tip to try to trace down leaks is to use those light blue paper towels. They change color when they get wet. Placing them in hard to reach places may help trace the source of the leak.

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Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon

Thanks ..

Will have to take all the rope/chain out and pour water down it I think...blue towel trick is useful, as is the fact its behind the mirror...good tip !!!
I did see that cover from the locker side , didn't know it could be accessed from inside, but I suppose it makes sense otherwise why put it there !

Curious about the insects...what kind of creatures have lurked in yours then ?

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Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

That wet carpet makes me think you may have another issue at hand. I had a simular issue in a previous boat, a water mark would show up on the carpet just outside a storage bin in the vee birth area. After months of searching and removing pieces of the cabin liner one at a time when it rained, I finally say a puddle of water at a seam where the deck met the hull. What was happening is the water would puddle and after it got high enough in the seam would over flow and siphon down. It turned out to be two screws in the rub rail. I removed the section of rub rail, hit it with silicone, cleaned up the excess with Acetone, never seen the stain again. Over the years I have found out to always look directly up stream of the leak and remember, water does'nt run up hill and will follow the path of least resistance. Hope this helps, good luck.

Thanks Byron..useful info, dont think I'm gonna know for sure until I start using a hose to track it down

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Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

Bill, we are in Minnesota and all of our boating is fresh water. The insects I noticed were very small. Not sure what they were, but they were maybe a millimeter or 1/32 inch long. Depending on whether you are on fresh or salt water, you might see spiders flies, wasps, orany number of very small insects. You just might want to look closely in the anchor locker before opening the port into the cabin (if needed). The moist environment from a wet anchor rope can be very attractive to these unwanted "guests".

Good luck tracing the source of the leak.

_________________
Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon

Thanks Surface...will make sure to look closely before unleashing whatever may be there into the cabin

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Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive