Hello, I was wondering if it is normal to get significant standing water in my storage compartments in my 2019 Bennington 22 GSR? It has Ultra Legs, no lift, and stays at the dock all season. Water intrusion has happened from the day of purchase. I have the Bennington footrest / cooler that never gets water, just the Bennington seats. Most compartments have had standing water in plastic bottom. If you get routine water, do you just remove everything each day to avoid mold and mildew? Do you raise the seats to vent moisture. Thanks.
Do you get water in compartments?
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Vikingstaff
Moderator
We get standing water in some of the seat compartments on occasion if we have a big rain storm. It kind of depends how it’s angled on our Sea Legs and where the water “runs to”. This last time we had some water in our starboard front seat, but none of the others. Frankly both sides in the front are the areas we get it when we do. Middle bench and swingback seat are always fine.
That said, it’s maybe just slight standing water to, at most, an inch. We open up the seats and let it dry out for a few hours, and it’s gone. Not a concern for us since we are lakeside at our own dock. Nothing stays in them when we are not boating, so we don’t really have to worry about anything getting moldy or mildew or anything.
big shooter
Well-Known Member
Absolutely. Pet peeve of mine. Seems like a waterproof seat compartment shouldn't be too hard to do, small lip molded into the seat would do it.
Anyway a couple of things to check from my experience:
1. are your drains on the top of the seat lined up? In the groove on the top of the seat compartment there is a drain hole. That needs to line up with the part below or it actually funnels water into the compartment. I had to put a small stainless screw in some of them to keep them lined up.
2. are there drain holes in the bottom of the seat compartments to let water out if it gets in? Mine did not have any so I drilled some. Before I did that after a rain storm (if the cover wasn't on) it was not unusual to have 3-4 inches of water in some seats. At least with the holes most will drain out. I very carefully drilled 1/2 inch holes in the sides of the compartments as low as possible on the stern side. The boat naturally floats higher in the bow so when it rains water won't wash into the holes.
Other than that it is vigilance. If the mooring cover is on I don't get water in the seats. If it rains without the cover I take everything out, dry the compartment and let the life jackets air dry before putting them back in. In the sun it only takes 1/2 hour or so.
Last year my boat was delivered from the marina and there was water and mold in all the compartments. So if you don't take care of it it will be an issue.
Anyway a couple of things to check from my experience:
1. are your drains on the top of the seat lined up? In the groove on the top of the seat compartment there is a drain hole. That needs to line up with the part below or it actually funnels water into the compartment. I had to put a small stainless screw in some of them to keep them lined up.
2. are there drain holes in the bottom of the seat compartments to let water out if it gets in? Mine did not have any so I drilled some. Before I did that after a rain storm (if the cover wasn't on) it was not unusual to have 3-4 inches of water in some seats. At least with the holes most will drain out. I very carefully drilled 1/2 inch holes in the sides of the compartments as low as possible on the stern side. The boat naturally floats higher in the bow so when it rains water won't wash into the holes.
Other than that it is vigilance. If the mooring cover is on I don't get water in the seats. If it rains without the cover I take everything out, dry the compartment and let the life jackets air dry before putting them back in. In the sun it only takes 1/2 hour or so.
Last year my boat was delivered from the marina and there was water and mold in all the compartments. So if you don't take care of it it will be an issue.
Thanks for the feedback. I didn’t know about the drains at the top of the seats and will have to check that out. Dealer has not been helpful up to this point. I get water in the compartments including the glove box even with my cover on. Very frustrating.
BigKahuna
Well-Known Member
You guys are talking about water under the seats and in storage compartments. Doesn't it bug you that the water is getting in there in the 1st place? I guess I have been lucky over the years with our mooring covers! I always had them tight with the support poles as high as they would go and spray waterproofed so the water runs off. I know they aren't totally waterproof but I never had any water under any of my seats in the 2 pontoon boats we have owned since 2008. Even our bowrider before that didn't leak. You guys have got to figure out how the water is getting in past the cover in the first place!
Agree that finding how the water is getting in is a the right direction. I believe the cover is at fault. It has let water in from day one when new. Support poles are always tight. I have not sprayed waterproofing in cover, but feel that shouldn’t be necessary with an expensive boat that was new when this started. The breathable cover is not water resistant enough in my case and then when water passes the cover, it is not being directed away from compartments. Maybe be the cover has been stretched out…
Vikingstaff
Moderator
I wonder how much floor plan and the type of mooring cover one has impacts this situation?
In our case, a 2017 Swingback, there are two areas that will allow water in during Moderate+ rain regardless of how well the cover is secured.
1) The rear aft deck area allows in some water due to the way it snaps around the swingback seat and the gaps along the floor (So boat angle if on a lift or sea legs, or strong winds with rain, can lead to water going through those areas.
2) The second area is the way the mooring cover velcros and ties up around the front binimi frame supports on our electric power bimini support arms. It is a pretty loose fit against the seating back and helm railing in those two areas - even with side clips secured and the tie strings drown as tight as they’ll go. So that area is the #1 culprit because even light winds with low to moderate rain can find water getting in the front of the boat. I believe it runs along the underside of the cover and the railings and seat tops and then settles into the front seat (and sometimes side bench) storage areas on our layout.
All of that said, the amount is fairly minimal for us, and dries out somewhat fast. But, it’s a boat, and designed to get wet and dry out afterwards, so not worth loosing sleep over for us. We also have the benefit of living lakeside next to the boat in the summer, so we can always air it out to dry of following every rain event. If we were not near it regularly, I could see mold eventually becoming an issue on the underside of some flip up seats, and being more concerned in that circumstance.
In our case, a 2017 Swingback, there are two areas that will allow water in during Moderate+ rain regardless of how well the cover is secured.
1) The rear aft deck area allows in some water due to the way it snaps around the swingback seat and the gaps along the floor (So boat angle if on a lift or sea legs, or strong winds with rain, can lead to water going through those areas.
2) The second area is the way the mooring cover velcros and ties up around the front binimi frame supports on our electric power bimini support arms. It is a pretty loose fit against the seating back and helm railing in those two areas - even with side clips secured and the tie strings drown as tight as they’ll go. So that area is the #1 culprit because even light winds with low to moderate rain can find water getting in the front of the boat. I believe it runs along the underside of the cover and the railings and seat tops and then settles into the front seat (and sometimes side bench) storage areas on our layout.
All of that said, the amount is fairly minimal for us, and dries out somewhat fast. But, it’s a boat, and designed to get wet and dry out afterwards, so not worth loosing sleep over for us. We also have the benefit of living lakeside next to the boat in the summer, so we can always air it out to dry of following every rain event. If we were not near it regularly, I could see mold eventually becoming an issue on the underside of some flip up seats, and being more concerned in that circumstance.
Dewzee1
Well-Known Member
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I have 2021 24 LSB with two captains chairs + front benches. My pontoon stays on a covered lift but we get plenty of blowing rain on Lake Martin. All of our under seat storage compartments stay dry. I do wipe off the seat surfaces if we get rained on while out in the boat. My drain holes appear to remain lined up as previously noted by another member. Under my helm storage used to be wet due to a cupholder drain hose was disconnected. Once i fixed that issue all is dry. Good Luck 
big shooter
Well-Known Member
do you cover it on the lift or just rely on the "lift cover"? When I have my mooring cover on it is not usually a problem. I also think the drain holes fixed a lot of my problem, not all of it, but most. I will have to recheck the drain holes in the compartments that still get water.I have 2021 24 LSB with two captains chairs + front benches. My pontoon stays on a covered lift but we get plenty of blowing rain on Lake Martin. All of our under seat storage compartments stay dry. I do wipe off the seat surfaces if we get rained on while out in the boat. My drain holes appear to remain lined up as previously noted by another member. Under my helm storage used to be wet due to a cupholder drain hose was disconnected. Once i fixed that issue all is dry. Good Luck
Seems like a simple design change with a 1/2 inch lip like a cooler, would solve all the issue. I wonder if Bennington designs the seat compartments or do they get them from another manufacturer
I wonder if my drains are correct. Not sure how they should look.Absolutely. Pet peeve of mine. Seems like a waterproof seat compartment shouldn't be too hard to do, small lip molded into the seat would do it.
Anyway a couple of things to check from my experience:
1. are your drains on the top of the seat lined up? In the groove on the top of the seat compartment there is a drain hole. That needs to line up with the part below or it actually funnels water into the compartment. I had to put a small stainless screw in some of them to keep them lined up.
2. are there drain holes in the bottom of the seat compartments to let water out if it gets in? Mine did not have any so I drilled some. Before I did that after a rain storm (if the cover wasn't on) it was not unusual to have 3-4 inches of water in some seats. At least with the holes most will drain out. I very carefully drilled 1/2 inch holes in the sides of the compartments as low as possible on the stern side. The boat naturally floats higher in the bow so when it rains water won't wash into the holes.
Other than that it is vigilance. If the mooring cover is on I don't get water in the seats. If it rains without the cover I take everything out, dry the compartment and let the life jackets air dry before putting them back in. In the sun it only takes 1/2 hour or so.
Last year my boat was delivered from the marina and there was water and mold in all the compartments. So if you don't take care of it it will be an issue.
Dewzee1
Well-Known Member
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I don't use any cover during the season March - October on my covered boat lift on Lake Martin, Alabama. All of my storage compartments with cushion seats above are essentially dry.
big shooter
Well-Known Member
that does not look right to me. It should be a clear hole down. What it is is there is a drain that goes up the back of the seat compartment (separate piece), that has a hole that should align with the hole in the seat compartment(they sit on top of each other) when aligned the water will just run down the drain and not in the seat compartment. Now you have water running in the groove, going in the seat hole and hitting a piece of plastic, water will then just run into your seat compartment. You can see in my picture above how the holes are more aligned then yours but still not correct. I was able to temporarily put a pencil in them to align them and then put a sheetmetal screw to hold the two pieces together.
Yours appear more out of whack then that, so you can try pushing/pulling the seat compartment to see if you can spot a slight hole in the drain. If so you may be able to put a screwdriver or something in the small hole to get the two holes aligned. Dont drill the hole out.
sorry if that is confusing, I am not at my boat but hope to be in a day or two I can take a better picture. Try muscling it around and let us know if you see the other hole.
another thread here
Water always in compartments
Everytime it rains my compartments end up with a bunch of water in them. I normally keep my boat covered but everytime I get caught out everything is soaked. What's the fix for this? Drill a hole through the bottom and through the wood?
club.benningtonmarine.com
Thanks Big Shooter. I was wondering about drilling it out but will avoid that. My dealer has been very supportive and I can't say enough about their commitment to make this right. I sent a ton a pictures and they are responding. They also indicated that I should treat my Sunbrella Fabric with Sunbrella Restore Fabric Protector & Repellent or 303 Fabric Guard. 
big shooter
Well-Known Member
Drilling it might be okay but first you need to know exactly what is under there, I have no idea since you can't see it. You should be able to align the holes without drilling
What is the "part below" you are referencing here? I'm familiar with the hole in the top of the seat compartment in the channel (you have pictured above) but not the part below. Are you referring to a drain tube - like the one under the helm? I have no such tube or any other parts below that hole.
We've had a lot of rain in the northeast lately and I'm consistently getting 2"-3" in the stern portion of the large port side bench seat compartment on our LSRC. I wonder if I'm missing a part and the drain holes are sending the water directly into the compartment.
Jack M
Moderator
I know this is a concern of a few others but ,I currently have my 4th Bennington and none of them have had any water in the seating compartments.
Jack M
Moderator
No lift, in a slip all season , I have not used any additional waterproofing yet .In the past I have used 303 ,I'll probably apply it later this season or early next .
LaurencetheAdventurer
Well-Known Member
This is my third season - I do treat my cover with a waterproofing - never had any water in the seat compartments and we get some CRAZY monsoons. Now, the water does travel down from the front deck into the center storage compartment. Must have had 50 gallons after one particular rain. Had the dealer rewire the bilge pump direct to a battery - no issue since. I have read somewhere that a few had issues with water getting into their when cruising the Benny in choppy water - they did not have the under-shield. One reported water came in from the front corner cooler drain hole, it did not have the drain tube properly installed so it was just an open hole.