View Full Version : Captain Were Taking On Water!!!!!
jimsbuddy
07-26-2007, 04:34 PM
Hello all,
Well we just got back from an awesome week at timothy lake... another great vacation with myfamily and out of town family...only one issue... by the 4th day I had water in the boat... infact lots of water, it filled the bottom ( below the floor) and my tackle box was floating... we did beach the boat on the sand/gravel banks every night but im not sure if that was an issue... in the past Ive taken the boat out for 4-8hrs at a time and had minimal water when I pulled the plug... not sure if it was the 4 lard @$$ in the boat acceleratng the minimal leaks the boat has or if there is a new leak. I did find a couple of spots where the pain was bubbeling and peeling off, there is one scrape on the center ridge of the hull, but Im not sure where the water is comming from. I have no bildge pump. couple of questions
1) should I install a pump and pump it ever night on a week stay in the water???
2) is there an easy way to test the boat for leaks???
3) should I fill the boat on the trailer and see where it leaks out???
thx
Chrome Bumper
07-26-2007, 04:55 PM
You can spray soapy water on one side and blow compressed air on suspected spots on the other, it takes a guy on the hose, a guy with the soap and a guy standing around waving his arms to do it right. The leak will make bubbles, just like patching an innertube.
Filling the boat with too much water on the trailer could damage the boat or trailer.
Look around where the rollers contact the trailer too, this is a high load area when you hit a bump or climb in the boat.
jimsbuddy
07-26-2007, 05:05 PM
You can spray soapy water on one side and blow compressed air on Filling the boat with too much water on the trailer could damage the boat or trailer.
Yup I know what-cha mean there 8lbs pr gallon, and I dumped 25gal today at the lake... so If I filled the bottom again here at home, that would be lots of weight, dont know if I would even put jack stands under it to help support... I dont think that will.
Look around where the rollers contact the trailer too, this is a high load area when you hit a bump or climb in the boat. How did you know that I have a trailer that has rollers..... Yes Im wanting a new trailer with running boards....
If it is an inboard or inboard/outboard, check all of the hoses. Or, raise the motor cowling while the engine is running although some hoses will only leak under higher rpms. If you have any through hull fittings below the water line, check them for tightness.
stupenny5
07-26-2007, 07:15 PM
On some boats when on plane. Have some one pull the plug and they drain.
jimsbuddy
07-26-2007, 10:10 PM
thx Jim, its an outboard... yamaha 50 so I dont think its motor related... On some boats when on plane. Have some one pull the plug and they drain. Penny, I dont follow you
big fishy
07-27-2007, 12:47 PM
If you have any through hull fittings below the water line, check them for tightness.[/quote]
Had a live-well drain line that would not leak on plane but would leak on level.
Doc_Rhen
07-28-2007, 01:19 AM
What penny is saying is that you can pull the plug when you are on plane and the water in the bottom of the boat will run out. I do this in my 12' Gregor after it has been sitting on the bank and several big boats have come by and put waves over the transom. Of course with the Gregor, the plug is removed inside the hull, not by reaching over the back where you may put it at the bottom of the lake or river.
jimsbuddy
07-28-2007, 07:24 AM
thanks for the thoughts... NO my plug comes in from the outside, so it would be a bit tough... I dont have a live well, only hole that Im suppose to have is the bottom plug hole... even the depth finder is wired thru a drain hole in the transum area. May have to try Chromes idea...
fishkisser
07-28-2007, 08:10 AM
Definitely sounds like a hull fracture ... check the bubbly areas first ... If your floor is pretty tight I have actually used compressed air under the floor and sprayed soapy water on outside of hull to locate before ... Hope you find er ... Barney
fishncliff
07-29-2007, 04:26 AM
I recently had the same problem. Water would seep in while on plane and disappear when stopped.
I leveled the boat on the trailer in the driveway. Put about 10 inches of water in the boat and wa-laa, a 3 inch crack in the hull, just slightly behind the right pedastal.I also had a small hole in the deck behind the left pedastal, that drained the water into the hull.
Upon pulling the threaded hull plug, a lot of water came out.
jimsbuddy
07-29-2007, 08:04 AM
Yea Fish, Im thinking that will be my first plan of attack... fill the bottom or just clean out the boat floor like normal, but leave the plug in the back, and see how it leaks out.
fishncliff
07-30-2007, 04:25 PM
Worked great for me. Put the plug in and fill- er up.
If you find a crack and want to fix it, stop drill both ends of the crack first. That will stop the crack from migrating past the repair, whether it is metal or fiberglass.
I put a double layer of cloth and resin on the inside and 1 layer of cloth on the outside, finished with gel-coat. Held up real good in the beating we took in puget sound last weekend.
Ah another leak. The hull plug fitting deteriorated and we took on water in the hull. She was ridin a little low comin in. The hull plug was protruding at and angle when we got on the trailer.It just popped right out when I pulled on it.
No parts are available and the previous owner just glued the plug in. It unscrewed for me on the previous fix, but didn't seal when I reinstalled it.
No problen. The outer hole in the hull was approxiamately 1/2 inch. Took a reamer, cleaned the hole to the needed diameter and put a regular boat plug in it. No more leak.
Good luck with yours, I hope it is a simple fix.