Wellcraft Boat Owners Forum

I just picked up a 1997 eclipse 2400 open bow with a small cuddy under the starboard front bow area. For those who don't know it's a very small, child only/storage only type cuddy. After a couple uses I noticed the carpet was wet in the cuddy area. Besides the bilge area it is the lowest area. There is also a pass through drain made from pvc at the back of the cuddy that I assume leads into the bilge area eventually. I have not found the exact exit point yet. I don't have standing water but enough to make the entire carpet floor wet. Water in a boat freaks me out and I can not figure out where it is coming from. The bilge pump and bilge area stays dry as a bone and the pump never kicks on. I have researched this alot and have read some things but can't narrow it down to any of these: bad sealing where bow meets hull (never in rough enough water to get water up that high but I will reseal/caulk this fall; possibly from rain but I haven't had any rain between the last two times we took it out and I keep it covered; leak from a speedometer hose which I'm not sure how to check that; and, bad through hull fitting which is where I'm at. My initial thought is since I have only noticed the water on the starboard side the floor drain which leads to a through hull exit on the side of the boat is leaking. I shoved a snake camera up the exit and didn't see any cracks but that doesn't mean anything. It has a good seal at the hull but then the thick flexible rubber hose runs under some things that I can't gain access too and is attached to the back floor drain by the bench seat. Maybe there is a crack or the hose isnt connected good to the drain and water runs out of the hose? I have no clue so just looking for some thoughts and things to check. Also I have no clue how to gain access to the floor drain to check the hose and connection. Any help would be appreciated. Last time I had the boat out the bilge area was dry until a got it on an incline and took the drain plug out, then about a gallon or two of water drained. I put a fan in the cuddy area and dried it out so now I wait.

I had a similar problem in a Rinker that I owned. Took me a long time to find it. There was a cracked thruhull fitting for the scupper in the cabin step. I am not suggesting that its the same fitting but plastic thru hull fitting will get brittle and fail. It was above water line but everytome the boat rocked to Starboard side I would pick up a little moisture. I did not figure it out until I removed the floor to repair the damage due to the water. Had to remove the bathroom wall to access the broken fitting.

Cpl. gal. of water trapped somewhere would probably show up like your problem, if your boat sets on trailer, low point could be forward, but should drain back in water, unless maybe loaded front heavy? might be rain water getting in somewhere, do you have a forward bilge pump ? maybe with water cleared out now you'll be dryer