Leaking somewhere in transom area

[synackattack]

I have a leak that I can hear (trickling water sound) when I back the boat in the water. I backed the boat in as shown below and let it sit for 5 minutes. After I pulled it out and took out the drain plug it drained water for over a minute. It isn't the scupper, I have replaced that with stainless and checked that there are no leaks around it. I have a video where I tried to put my phone down in the area between the cleanout ports, but it isn't very good. I can try to upload it to youtube if that will help.

Any ideas what could be leaking with the engine off in this scenario?

 

[jmargo]

Fill it again and leave the drain plug in to check for it leaking back out.

 

[Dave burke]

It would be helpful to see the video. Hard to know based on what you’ve described.

One thing you could try is run some water into the engine compartment and see if you have any leaks.

 

[synackattack]

I just filled up that area as much as I could with a hose, jacked the nose of it up high, and it's holding the water. I don't see any drips at all coming out of it.
I'll upload the video, give me a few.

 

[synackattack]

All this is really giving me is the sound, I can't place where it's coming from.

 

[jmargo]

Next is to check all the holes that sit below the water line. Exhaust ports and the cooling water lines. Can you put it back in the water and just leave it attached to the trailer ?

 

[synackattack]

I'll have to take it back to the ramp to do that. It's hard to get around in that small opening. I'm a novice at best at messing with engines, so I'll have to try to figure out which ones are which.

I'm not sure what I can do to make it easier to see the hoses and where they are connected. That aluminum looking can in the middle makes it almost impossible.

Is there anything that I can remove to make it easier?

 

[Dave burke]

strange… I listened to the video and can definitely hear some water sounds. In addition to what @jmargo is saying, you could try these things:

- run one engine at a time and see if you get the sound regardless. I would hope it only come from one

- when you’re running them, look in the engine compartment and the rear transom area and see if you can see any water leaking from any fittings

 

[Yambers]

The water has to be coming in from a higher point, then draining down, so just filling it with water and looking for leaks probably wont work since all water will drain to the lowest point. You would have to hang it from its nose to find the leak.. With that said, check all gaskets, shine lights through to see if you can see it from the other side, look for small air bubbles, etc. Isn't that also the point where they join the top and bottom half of the boat together?

 

[Scottintexas]

many people have leaks at the rub rail, it looks like yours is underwater,

does it have this same amount of water when it sits tied at the dock?

I'd take my cleanout tray off while both attached to the trailer and then tied to the dock to get a better view,


.

 

[dgfreeze]

Have you inspected your intermediate bearings? If it's not them, definitely take the cleanout tray out, and use a flashlight. There isn't a heckuva lot below waterline... intermediate bearings, cleanouts, scupper, exhaust, steering cables, bucket cables...maybe the rubrail... probably more, but I can't think of what off the top of my head.

 

[synackattack]

The rubrail was in the water. That makes me think of the reason for this test. Last time I was out, while driving the bilge seemed to kick on quite a bit. When we were sitting flat, it didn't kick on at all. Makes me think the leak is there. Not sure how to see that, but that gives me something to focus on.

I'm going to take the gopro and link it to my phone and see if I can get a better view down there.

The cleanout tray seems to be held down by more than just the screws around the edge of it. I see around the cleanout ports there is silicone or something (yellow gel) and a hose clamp around the whole thing. Am I good to undo the clamp and pry that up? Will I have to re-silicone around those ports afterwards, or will the hose clamps suffice?

 

[VitaminSea]

The cleanout tray seems to be held down by more than just the screws around the edge of it. I see around the cleanout ports there is silicone or something (yellow gel) and a hose clamp around the whole thing. Am I good to undo the clamp and pry that up? Will I have to re-silicone around those ports afterwards, or will the hose clamps suffice?

Yes, remove the dozen or so screws around the perimeter, through the access hatch, you will have to lose up I believe 3 hose clamps. 1 for each of the clean out tubes, and then one for the drain line (I am assuming your clean out tray has this). Using a razor blade, or some other tool, you might want to score/cut the silicone. The tray should come out now.

Remove the silicone residue to assist with reseating the tray. Reattach/retighten the hose clamps you loosened. Also, when reinstalling the screws it has been suggested to avoid using a power tool, as you don’t want to strip out the fiberglass here. Lastly, when you are DONE with your work, reseal with silicone around the edge of the tray (this keeps the water out of the bilge should you have a clean out plug blow out).

 

[synackattack]

Found the leak. It’s pouring in what looks like the center holes where the rub rail attaches.
Should I just unscrew, fill those holes with silicone and screw back in or should I use something stronger like 5200?

 

[synackattack]

Keep in mind my wife really wants to go out tomorrow. So a quick fix for today followed by real fix would be ideal.

 

[jmargo]

Pic ? Is the rub rail below the water line ?

 

[Scottintexas]

not sure exactly where your leak is,

for a quick fix,
1. household silicone
2. a piece of soft rubber gasket like a bicycle innertube cut to fit
3. flex seal tape

I hesitate to use 5200 or something long lasting,


.

 

[Scottintexas]

to me the biggest issue is not the leak but knowing you have one and what it is,

my boat leaks a lot while ballasted for surfing, either the rub rail or the rear cleat, my bilge will kick on often when we stop,
I know to expect it and what to be aware of,

if you know it's leaking and it's above the water line I wouldn't be nearly as concerned as if my scupper or other thru hull or intermediate bearing was leaking,

.

 

[synackattack]

I didn't get a pic of it leaking, but here is where mine is coming in. This is pointed directly at the middle of the transom rub rail. The rub rail was in the water because I left the boat on the trailer while checking this. Before I dipped the rub rail in, I stopped with it above the water line, and there were no leaks. I circled the 2 center screws that hold the rub rail cap where I felt the water coming in.

 

[crazy4life]

I have a leak that I can hear (trickling water sound) when I back the boat in the water. I backed the boat in as shown below and let it sit for 5 minutes. After I pulled it out and took out the drain plug it drained water for over a minute. It isn't the scupper, I have replaced that with stainless and checked that there are no leaks around it. I have a video where I tried to put my phone down in the area between the cleanout ports, but it isn't very good. I can try to upload it to youtube if that will help.

Any ideas what could be leaking with the engine off in this scenario?

View attachment 149193

Why is boat so low in the water? Water is over the back of the boat. My boat sits at least 6 inches higher then that.