Excessive Water?

[Wesley Cobb]

First -- request some education please. When one talks of water coming out of the bilge, where exactly is that water coming from? Is it in the hull itself? The engine compartment? Both? I ask -- out of ignorance -- because, my engine compartment and ski compartment are bone dry and I have only seen water come out of the bilge port a couple times over the years and none recently. However, once I get the boat out of the water and remove the stern drain plug, I get what I believe is an excessive amount of water coming out. Where is this water coming from??? How is it getting in the hull??? The drain plug gasket is intact and seats well. I always make certain the plug tight. Also, I have seen (twice) a large bilge symbol appear on the screen when power is applied. I looked through the owner's manual and cannot determine what this means. I can only assume it is bilge pump failure.

 

[haknslash]

The bilge on these boats runs from under the swim platform and clean out ports to under the engine compartment in one large cavity.

There are several threads to help you isolate where the water may be coming from. Could be your anchor locker drain and the known horrible manufacuring gap there. It could also be coming from the rub rail which covers the joint of the upper (deck) and lower (hull) halves. It could also come in from the hull drains. You can fill the bilge the water from a hose and then look outside the hull for any water leaks to help isolate potential leak points. This would also allow you a chance to test your bilge pump for normal operation as the water enters the engine compartment from the bilge.

like mentioned plenty of good info on the leak threads on here.

 

[slickstick]

The bilge on these boats runs from under the swim platform and clean out ports to under the engine compartment in one large cavity.

There are several threads to help you isolate where the water may be coming from. Could be your anchor locker drain and the known horrible manufacuring gap there. It could also be coming from the rub rail which covers the joint of the upper (deck) and lower (hull) halves. It could also come in from the hull drains. You can fill the bilge the water from a hose and then look outside the hull for any water leaks to help isolate potential leak points. This would also allow you a chance to test your bilge pump for normal operation as the water enters the engine compartment from the bilge.

like mentioned plenty of good info on the leak threads on here.

Mine seems to be hit or miss. Some days it's bone dry and others I get a good amount of water.

For the bilge test where do you recommend filling it from with the hose, the access panel between the clean out ports?

 

[Mike Clark]

I have mentioned this in previous post on this issue, check the three bolts that tighten the gasket on the exhaust ports. One on each side of the jets on the back of the boat. The rubber exit is black rubber with multiple splits in it. If the 3 bolts are loose, water comes into boat easily especially when just floating. I went from 3-4 gallons coming out the rear drain after pulling the boat to zero. Been that way now for 3 years. I check then 1-2 twice a season. Hope your is this simple

 

[slickstick]

I have mentioned this in previous post on this issue, check the three bolts that tighten the gasket on the exhaust ports. One on each side of the jets on the back of the boat. The rubber exit is black rubber with multiple splits in it. If the 3 bolts are loose, water comes into boat easily especially when just floating. I went from 3-4 gallons coming out the rear drain after pulling the boat to zero. Been that way now for 3 years. I check then 1-2 twice a season. Hope your is this simple

Any chance you could post a picture of what bolts you are talking about?

 

[Mike Clark]

Will be able to this weekend, boat is in storage

 

[tdonoughue]

Let's start at the beginning. That area down under the engine and swim deck is the bilge. It is optimally drained while the boat is out of the water by pulling out the bilge plug, which is at the back of the boat (on the transom) on the bottom. The bilge is equipped with a bilge pump (or two, but one from the factory), which senses water in the bilge and activates to pump the water out (and exits the starboard side--over by the 'pissers'). Yamaha saw fit to not put the bilge pump actually in the bottom part of the bilge, but between the engines (kind of an upper bilge area) with a hole through to the real bilge. That means that you can fill up a goodly amount of the bilge before the bilge pump comes on.

The bilge pump may sense the water via a float or by starting for a second and sensing electrical draw to see if the pump is spinning freely (no water). If it is spinning freely, it stops. If not, it has hit water and keeps pumping. Either way of sensing, when you accelerate in the boat, the bow comes up and any water in the bilge will collect aftward. So, frequently, you will see the bilge pump come on during acceleration--simply because that is when the water gets pushed back toward the pump, raising the level and triggering the pump.

Now, when you find you have water (and what is excessive may be a matter of opinion, but many of us think boats are supposed to be dry, thank you), usually the first thing you want to do is feel the temperature of the water in the bilge. Warm water indicates it is coming from the engine somewhere (hose disconnected or split, or one of the bolts referred to above). Cool water indicates it came in through the hull. Most frequently it is cool in your situation (though not always).

@haknslash gave you a rundown of the common water coming in through the hull. They are right there are lots of detailed threads here chasing leaks. Unfortunately there is no magic bullet. It takes some hunting, usually.