Taking on water

[kevinmoeller]

New to the site and boating. When taking boat out after being in the water for three days had a significant amount of water out of drain plug. 5 minutes straight of string stream. Now this was after a downpour the night before. I run the bilge pump on the boat consistently, however it only runs when on plane. I notice no water or a tiny amount in the engine compartment or ski locker. This morning the engine compartment had about an inch and ski locker about 4 inches. That seems like not much water for as long as it drained. Can anyone help me here? I’m fairly handy, have already done significant work, including replacing both reverse cables, installing new seats etc. Trying to understand this issue. Thanks.

 

[Gym]

Welcome to the forum Kevin. Not exactly sure where to start here as you were boating and had a downpour. You mentioned you turned the bilge pump on but was it on the entire time the boat was in the water?

What I would do is, while on the trailer, remove all compartment plugs then jack the bow up fairly high and remove the bilge plug. This will allow all water from all compartments to drain out. Next inspect your scupper valve. This is the deck drain outlet located at the rear of the boat. It will have a black rubber flapper in it. These are below the water line when the boat is in the water. Because they are made from plastic they tend to crack, letting a little water in or, in the worst case they break allowing a lot of water in. If yours is plastic inspect this asap. You will also want to remove the clean out tray to access the bilge side of this valve. Grab the threaded part of the scupper valve and see if it moves. Several members have had it break off in their hands. This should be replaced with a stainless steel valve if not done already.

Another way to check for leaks while on the trailer and bilge plug in put about 5 gallons of water in the engine compartment. With the bow jacked up go to the back of the boat and look for any water dripping out.

Hopefully your only issue was the down pour but don't take any chances.

 

[kevinmoeller]

Gym thanks, I need to figure this out. It is strange that when on plane I can run the bilge and it pumps out significant water, however running it before taking off it pumps almost nothing. Consistently there is very little to no water in the engine compartment or ski locker. I’m believing the scupper valve must be my issue.

 

[zipper]

@kevinmoeller Was your boat covered during the rainstorm? Was it in the water or on the trailer. As you are approaching plane and on plane, the angle of your hull and your forward momentum cause the water in the bilge to run aft from the area under the ski locker, the lowest part of the boat off plane, to the bilge pump. Here is what I found out about deck drainage, while slipped, and how to correct it on my 07.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/rain...w-floor-while-on-the-water.14264/#post-246353

 

[itsdgm]

Welcome to the site. Are you sure the water isn’t coming from an engine? That would also explain why the bilge pumps out while running on plane.

Either way, you stated that you had replaced some cables. Did you use sealant on the through hull connections?
As stated above, check the scupper drain.

Good luck, keep us posted.

Ps. Another thing to check would by your Cleanout plugs. Do you notice a lot of water on top of the plugs? It’s possible that some is overflowing in the tubes and into the bilge. At least mine are Rebuilding the Cleanout plugs is number one priority on my to do list.

 

[kevinmoeller]

This is great information thanks to everyone for helping out. We really love this boat. We bought it two years ago and have invested in a new stereo w/all JL speakers and amp, seadek, as well as all new seats. I did rebuild the cleanout plugs as well as change both reverse gate cables. I do not leave the boat in the water, except when we are using it. We do not cover it. We rent a slip nightly and the boat may stay in for two to three nights at the most. My real concern is the amount of water that I seem to be draining out of the plug after it has been in the water for a couple days. It isn’t as bad when I’ve had a chance to run the bilge pump while at speed before loading it on the trailer. As I said last weekend was an exception as we got about three inches of rain Saturday evening as we were docking. I am really trying to figure out where all the water that is coming out of the drain plug is being held. On a typical weekend when we pull the boat out the drain plug may run for a minute or two and that is with no visible water in the ski locker or engine compartment. This past weekend with a very small amount, maybe an inch, in the engine compartment and maybe 3 inches in the ski locker the drain plug ran for quite a while at a very steady stream. Again this was after the heavy rain. I’m concerned as to where this water is on an everyday basis and especially with the heavy rain as it isn’t showing up in the ski locker or the engine compartment, but it is somewhere and seems to be somewhat significant, as to the volume out of the drain plug. The water also seems to only be pumping out by the bilge when on plane. If I am sitting idle the bilge will not pump much out. This could be my imagination running wild. As I said we are new to boating. Simply trying to make sure we aren’t doing anything really wrong here. Thanks to everyone for all the advice. I’m open to any and all suggestions.

 

[zipper]

@kevinmoeller When these boats are built, there are basically two pieces, the outer hull and the inside cockpit sole (floor) bow, joined together at the rubrail. This leaves a good sized drainage void between the two. While at rest on the trailer or on the water the lowest part of the boat, with the most water will be under the ski locker away from the bilge pump. You will see water below the drain hole for the ski locker when you pull its drain plug. I have found there to be about 4-5 gallons of water in there that the bilge pump will not get. And the only way to drain it is to pull the boat and the main plug, and crank up the jack stand all the way up on a block of wood. I use a short piece of 6x6. I cover my boat but rainwater will get by the bow cover at the windshield. In my boat this water will pool on the bow floor forward of the ski locker, wet carpet, until it reaches the "gutter" system around the ski locker hatch. Even after I replaced the ski locker hatch gasket, I still had rain water draining into the locker then thru the drain hole and into the bilge below. I found it necessary to change the angle of the deck, with a ballast bag on the swim platform, in order to get this deck water to flow aft and into the gutter system around both the ski locker and fuel tank hatch and out the scupper drain at the engine hatch. I only use the ballast while parked at the slip. I have had dry bow carpet since. Pour a bucket of water in the bow and watch where it goes. Put two people on the swim platform and watch it flow aft. There are several internal compartment drain plugs in the boat, the ski locker, the fuel tank compartment located on the forward wall of the engine bay under the hatch and two more in the three sections of the engine support system under the engines. The third section is where the bilge pump is mounted. If you do not pull the fuel compartment plug from time to time it is possible for that to have water in it, from a leaky gasket. Mine did at some point. When I pulled the hatch the water line, stain, was visible. I always have water in the bilge that the pump will not get due to its location. If it is rain water entering your boat, that is whats happening. If you have a hull leak around a thru hull fitting letting fresh or salt water in then that will be a different way of ingress to the bilge. Hope this helps, I have been there.

 

[kevinmoeller]

That helps very much. I believe the scuppers need to all be replaced. That should lessen the issue. Good to know I have a solution to minimize it and that it is not a big deal. Thanks to everyone.

 

[Jgorm]

Fix the bildge pump and have fun. Boats leak.

 

[Zonie]

@kevinmoeller, My boat behaves similarly. I don't get that much water but there's always some there when I pull the drain plug. When you park it, make sure your bow jack is all the way up.

In your posts you stated a couple times that you "run" the pump at different times, on plane, at idle, etc. I believe the stock pump should be left on at all times when the boat is in the water. It doesn't run constantly. It's on a timer and comes on for just a few seconds every 5 minutes or so. If there is water present, it continues running until there is no more water to pump out. Also I tend to get a lot more water when towing/tubing than I do when cruising.