32 Open - Forward Bilge

[Miss K]

Does anyone know the best way to get to the forward bigles under the cabin area? I have some water that collected in there from my a/c not draining properly and need to drain it out (it is starting to smell). Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!

[irishrogue]

there is no way to access that area short of cutting access panels in the floor of the cabin. perhaps pour some bilge cleaner in the forward bilge via the step access and let it roll around for a bit. then wet vac the whole forward bilge and scrub the reachable portion under the step. are you sure that is where the smell is coming from? check the water sitting in the shower sump box....

[Miss K]

Thanks for the reply. I can see the water that collected when I follow the pvc pipe (a/c drain) that goes from the bilge under the step up to the bow area. The smell doesn't actually start circulating until the a/c kicks on. I don't think the a/c drain has ever worked, I blew out and cleaned the drain hose/pipe, but when the a/c runs the pan just fills and not drains. I think the extra weight up front puts the a/c even to the sump area. Anyway, I think I am going to install one of those mermaid condensators to drain the pan out with the raw water output. I will shop vac/drill pump that extra water out of the forward bilge areas.

[irishrogue]

i believe you have a problem with your AC unit. The A/C drip pan is only there to collect condensation - the unit should not be continually filling the drip pan....you probably have a leak...my drip pan collects so little water that it just dries up on its own and never even runs down the drain into the bilge....

[Fish All]

Bet you have same issue as my 2001 32 Open, the limber holes between the forward bilge and the area under the "table mount" were glassed over at factory--ie the bulkheads had a 3-4in hole in the wood, but there was one sheet of cloth/glass covering it(???)
I had to put in 2 access plates, one all the way forward on cabin floor and another in the little step just before the A/C grill---then stick a drill then a dremmel tool in there and open up the holes. The whole fwd area would fill with A/C condensate.
Incredible but true.