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Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
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Author:  Mrdino [ Mon Aug 22, 2016 3:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
Second owner of a 2013 V275 just can’t seem to see why my front bilge is getting water in it. After reading numerous threads on the anchor locker, I put red food coloring with 10 gallons of water in the anchor locker, no red water in the bilge. Water system leak, I put blue food coloring in the water tank and waited a week and ran all fixtures, nope. I use the shop vac to vacuum the water out of the bilge and no red or blue. So now I am looking at the giant frameless windows on the top and side or the windshield as the possible culprit. Is it best to dry the bilge and wash the boat with someone down there waiting for water to seep in? Any other trouble shooting ideas would be greatly appreciated. The boat is kept under cover so it’s not rain water. Just not too many other places it could be coming from.
Rear bilge is dry as a bone and as far as I know, no water from running the boat would circulate forward of the firewall. The water heater heater is at the stern. I bought one of those remote cameras for my phone so that may be helpful.
Author:  Thalasso [ Mon Aug 22, 2016 4:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
Any sea strainers in there? If so put some food coloring in the bowl
Author:  Mrdino [ Mon Aug 22, 2016 5:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
Only thru hull is aft for the heat/AC unit. No leaks there
Author:  Bliss36 [ Mon Aug 22, 2016 5:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
My front bilge was getting water in it and after chasing it most of a season I discovered it was coming in through the bow tow eye. With my wife driving I watched as every little wave or wake would cause water to come in and run down. I pulled it out, resealed it with 5200, and have had a dry bilge for years since. Might be worth looking into
Author:  byron [ Mon Aug 22, 2016 6:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
I have a 2015 V275. When you say front bilge, exactly where are you looking to see the water? I have a couple ideas but don't want to comment with out more info.
Author:  Mrdino [ Mon Aug 22, 2016 7:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
Bliss36 wrote:
My front bilge was getting water in it and after chasing it most of a season I discovered it was coming in through the bow tow eye. With my wife driving I watched as every little wave or wake would cause water to come in and run down. I pulled it out, resealed it with 5200, and have had a dry bilge for years since. Might be worth looking into



Awesome, I will test this weekend. Had not thought of that. Thanks
Author:  Mrdino [ Mon Aug 22, 2016 7:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
byron wrote:
I have a 2015 V275. When you say front bilge, exactly where are you looking to see the water? I have a couple ideas but don't want to comment with out more info.



The floor of the closet next to the stairs lifts up revealing the shower sump and mid-cabin bilge pump right behind it. That's where I get about 1-2 gallons of accumulation. Thanks !
Author:  byron [ Mon Aug 22, 2016 8:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
Sounds like the same as my 2015. First of all, the fresh water pump and its filter is under the floor board in front of the head door it is held in place by two screws. Check it out for any leaks, as I had one leak on one of the unions on mine. I don't want to get into it on how I found the pump location.
I also had a leak in the same bilge as you. That pump in the box on my boat serves as a collection box for the shower and the galley sink above the refrigerator. What was happening on my boat was that the box was gummed up with debris from the galley sink and causing the switch in the box to come on late. The box has a 1/4" hole on the front of it which was spewing out water ever time the box filled up. The hole must serve as vent. The box cover has four snap connectors on the side,which are not to accessable. If you can snap off the two on the left the cover will come off. Once you get the cover off you will see the pump switch and screen seperator. I had to clean everything up reassemble and all has been good. Watch the orinentation of the cover as you remove it. They must run the shower and galley sink into the same box in case they have to rig the boat with a grey water tank for certain juristictions. By the way the a.c. also goes into this box. Send a post if this helps.
Author:  Mrdino [ Tue Aug 23, 2016 10:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
byron wrote:
Sounds like the same as my 2015. First of all, the fresh water pump and its filter is under the floor board in front of the head door it is held in place by two screws. Check it out for any leaks, as I had one leak on one of the unions on mine. I don't want to get into it on how I found the pump location.
I also had a leak in the same bilge as you. That pump in the box on my boat serves as a collection box for the shower and the galley sink above the refrigerator. What was happening on my boat was that the box was gummed up with debris from the galley sink and causing the switch in the box to come on late. The box has a 1/4" hole on the front of it which was spewing out water ever time the box filled up. The hole must serve as vent. The box cover has four snap connectors on the side,which are not to accessable. If you can snap off the two on the left the cover will come off. Once you get the cover off you will see the pump switch and screen seperator. I had to clean everything up reassemble and all has been good. Watch the orinentation of the cover as you remove it. They must run the shower and galley sink into the same box in case they have to rig the boat with a grey water tank for certain juristictions. By the way the a.c. also goes into this box. Send a post if this helps.


When I noticed the galley sink drain into the shower sump, we stopped using it. I hate that, why did they just not drain it over the side like the sink in the head or the aft outside sink. And we don't shower on the boat so it's really only the AC condensation going in there. I am thinking about adding a thru hull this winter for the galley sink drain. I am really banking on the bow eye being the problem at this point. That would explain a lot. It has to be that or leaks around the giant frameless windows. or theres a hole in the bottom of the boat 8)
Author:  byron [ Tue Aug 23, 2016 6:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
How do you access the bow eye to get a visual? I cant imagine how you could even test the bow windows either for leaks. Please keep this forum posted on your progress, since most later model boats have simular construction. If its a hole in the hull, it might be easier to let it go down.
Author:  Mrdino [ Wed Aug 24, 2016 9:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
At the bow in the vee berth, there are screws that allow you to remove the seat and there is a large access hole to the bow there. I did that when I thought the anchor locker was the issue. I saw the bolts for the tow eye but didn't pay attention to it.

I have a pic but cannot get it to attach here. Send me an e-mail address and I will send to you. Not sure that's the issue but it makes total sense to be the problem with the symptom I have.

Regards,
Gary
Author:  jimradzicki [ Thu May 04, 2017 11:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
I am having the same issue with a 2012 V275. Mechanic and I have checked all areas in this thread. My pump is moving about 1 Gal of water every 5-10 mins. All suggestions welcome.
Author:  Mrdino [ Thu May 04, 2017 8:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
It's still early in the season but I am hopeful I solved my issue. So my boat had a drain in the channel under the anchor locker door. This drain simple dumped all the water into the anchor locker (nice design 4W). That seemed to be the main issue. I did 3 things to fix. 1) I installed a new thru hull right next to the horn on the upper starboard side and connected the Anchor door drain to the thru hull (Sea Ray does this). When I wash the boat now, the water is diverted overboard instead into the anchor locker. 2) I poured about 3/4 inch of epoxy into the bottom of the anchor locker. Basically I raised the floor to the height of the lowest locker drain. Then I coated the anchor locker floor with the rubber sealant you see on TV. (Screen door boat ad). 3) I ran clear sealant around all the anchor plates and deck hardware on the bow. I think water was getting in there as well. I have only washed the boat once this year but afterward, bilge was dry. Good Luck !
Author:  Graham R [ Fri May 05, 2017 4:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Vista 275 front bilge water mystery
Mrdino wrote:
2) I poured about 3/4 inch of epoxy into the bottom of the anchor locker. Basically I raised the floor to the height of the lowest locker drain. Then I coated the anchor locker floor with the rubber sealant you see on TV. (Screen door boat ad). !


It's astonishing that FW still haven't realised that anchor locker drains need to be at the lowest point to be of any use ( they weren't on my 1999, 2004 and 2009 boats, the latter 2 having two drains, both above the lowest point). I guess they drill the holes from the outside, from inside the lockers would be better (hardly rocket science !)
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