water collecting in forword bildge

[Bubblehead]

I have a 2004 3070 offshore center console, I always have water in the Forward bilge. This even happens when it is tied to the pier and it has not rained. Maybe two or three gallons. I am trying to find out if it is fresh or salt. I am also looking for the water heater which is hiding better than Jimmy Hoffa. I am tracking if it is Freshwater from a leaking water heater or Salt from a cracked penetration. It gets pilled for the winter in eight weeks. Does anyone have a hint as to where the water heater is.

[aftershock]

Bubblehead, Let me know if you find the answer I am still trying to find where the water is
coming from.

[ckeller]

After Shock I certainly will keep you informed. Here is what I have to date. The manual forward bilge pump will discharge for approx. 24 seconds everyday (rain or shine my hull penetrations are not below the water line). I have shut down my fresh water pump and the next day it only pumps for approx. 8 seconds. A mechanic at the marina who I talk to all the time seems to think that something on the boat was not reconnected after winterization, (I have only owned the boat for about a month and I am going bow to stern repairing all of the things found on the surveyors report). I am trying to find the hot water heater to check all of the hoses and fittings for tightness. The actual fresh water tank is in the stern. I have about eight weeks and the boat gets pulled for winter and I can tear into it removing the micro wave, frig and after berth walls and overhead.

[3070user]

I have a 2001 3070 Offshore and have the same problem, water collecting in the forward bilge. I fixed several thru-hulls at the stern and the two on both sides that drain the under helm storage locker. These were plastic and had cracked internally and would let water in when I slowed down. Thought for sure this was the problem but still have water that collects. Boat sits on a lift so it is not in the water other than when I use it. Water does not seem collect from rain while on the lift or during cleaning so I don't believe its coming from the deck drains. I can view most of the other thru-hulls internally and they don't seem to be leaking but the hoses disappear from sight so it is possible that one or more had a puncture. Seems to be a fairly common problem with the Pursuits but sure would like to resolve it as I would like to maintain a "dry" bilge.

[Bubblehead]

I have finally found my problem with this issue and it is a compound problem, I was originally getting water in my forward bilge. I would get to the boat and hit the forward bilge pump switch, it would pump sometimes for two minutes. This was PROBLEM ONE....I should have never had a pump work for two minutes, the float in the AUTOMATIC switch was laden with crap and it was not activating the bilge pump as it should. After I replaced the pump it never pumped for more than 15 seconds. It is pumping automatically much more often now.

Problem two when the boat went into the slip I started to replace all the pumps which I had found rusted from a failure of the last owner to check his repair folks work. I pulled the fish tank pump, salt water wash down pump, fresh water pump and bait well pumps. I scrubbed all of the bilges under the replaced pumps at the end of the day, I had actually no water in the aft bilges after all the scrubbing. The boat has a natural slight down angle forward causing ALL of my water to the forward bilge. It was not until I had a second person helping me with maintenance walk aft with me that the aft bilge pump actually came on. So all this time ever drop of rain or salt water was collecting in the forward bilge. I had no leaking hoses or fittings. We also tried to close the access to the bilge and the water then came in the side holes once again to the forward bilge.

[aftershock]

I finally found problem with water issue in forward bilge. Its seems to be coming in through live well its where the inner liner attaches to the frame. The caulking doesn't seem to make a water tight seal anymore. I can take water hose and run it around upper seal and see water coming in the forward bilge. Just trying to reseal it is a pain you cant see it have to use a mirror and work upside down.

[catnapper]

3070 2001 offshore. I have read all your comments about forward bilge with standing water, the actual bilge pump sets up about an inch so none of the water ever gets pumped out totally. With the boat's on the lift or just sitting in the water no water accumulates but the forward bilge as soon as we start running, the fresh water comes in ( cuz we're in a freshwater lake ) we cannot figure out where the water is coming in!

We are going to check her brand new hoses from our scuppers. Then we'll try plugging the forward bilge holes like you have described to try to contain the water. Bought this boat 5 years ago and we cannot figure out where the water is coming in after everything we've tried to block and move and fix and change .

Any more ideas

Catnapper