Water coming in, from where?

[Stan M]

Tube usually, mostly. Don't believe there is a check valve on it since it is so high up.

Thanks...that begs the question. Has anyone tried replacing that tube with some kind of check valve? Seems like that would solve a lot of the water intrusion issues, without dealing with the hatch riser or having to even seal it.

 

[HangOutdoors]

I would have to look tomorrow to see if mine does have it or not.

 

[Daren and Heather]

@JPow My 2020 AR210 used to pour water out of the drain plug for about 5 full minutes just like yours, every time I pulled it out of the water. It ended up being nothing more than the seal on the plastic hatch for the bilge access. I took off that hatch. FYI - I discovered that it takes a WHILE before the bilge kicks in, I measured and poured about a whole 5 gallon bucket of water before the bilge kicked in and started pumping out. See, I was worried also that my bilge pump wasn’t working, but it was - it just doesn’t kick on until you’ve got about 5 gallons of water in there. And 5 gallons of water takes about 5 minutes to drain out of the little drain hole.

Here’s the good news. I resealed the plastic hatch when I put it back on, really good, and guess what? Now after a full day of boating when I pull the drain plug, it’s usually almost bone dry! This has been for a year now. I hope your problem is as simple as that!

 

[HawaiiBreeze]

Wow. Hot topic. Observation and elimination of the obvious and simple is the first order of business and move deeper only when eliminated for sure.

Based on the OP's stated observations - No water coming in at rest and water coming in while getting on plane is a double edge sword. Boats at rest may slowly leak and spread the water throughout the bottom of the hull and upon start up and acceleration to plane the water flows to the back and appears through the bilge cut-out like rising water. During no wake same thing, boat is basically level and water is spread throughout the hull.

In my case the water in the engine compartment/bilge was discovered by hitting the bilge switch upon start up from being at rest for a few hours. I got the shock of my life when gallons poured out through the bilge exit when it was expected to be empty. Back on shore running it on the hose and checking everything (love those camera phones) I saw no leaks. By chance I just decided to check the drain plugs...there was just the smallest amount of turn left til they bottomed out hard against the O-Ring Seal. Problem solved.

Word to the wise don't let your GF do your plugs!

Just take your time and be methodical in the investigation. You will find it.

FYI my 2017's bilge pump is manual and will only turn on when the battery switch is ON and you manually hit the bilge switch. Its the base model though and Yamaha may have equipped the bigger boats differently.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Thanks...that begs the question. Has anyone tried replacing that tube with some kind of check valve? Seems like that would solve a lot of the water intrusion issues, without dealing with the hatch riser or having to even seal it.

Yes a couple of people have put check valves in the drain line. I would imagine any check valve in that line would stop what must be a geyser from the drain line. I was going to do the same on my boat, but unlike other models my boat has two large channels, one on either side of the clean out trays so I just eliminated that drain. I also installed the hatch riser, sealed the tray, as well as chasing down a couple of other small leaks and now my bilge is bone dry.

 

[drewkaree]

Thanks...that begs the question. Has anyone tried replacing that tube with some kind of check valve? Seems like that would solve a lot of the water intrusion issues, without dealing with the hatch riser or having to even seal it.

I have done this very thing. I've come to the conclusion that, while it brings water into the boat unnecessarily, it's not the actual problem. The water leaves out the same drain fitting, so the real problem is that all the water that it lets in, that DOESN'T drain out through the drain, gets into the bilge via other means, which is the actual problem. The cleanout tray usually isn't sealed well in that area, so whatever doesn't drain out there, gets under the tray and into the bilge, constantly dumping in the entire time you're out on the water.

There's also passby of the cleanout plugs - again, once it reaches the top of that cleanout tray drain, it should be gone, but nope. Seal the tray, add the riser, seal the riser as well, and it will eliminate a lot of potential water.

 

[jpdaley1026]

I had the same thing happen to me at the end of last yr and the beginning of this yr. Couldnt figure out where it was coming from. Was ok @ idle, but once I got going, then slowed down, Bilge pump would come on, and stay on for a while. Always had water coming out after pulling drain plug. I even installed a riser for the access panel, thought it might be from the water build up from the clean out plug. I removed the clean out tray to look around and couldnt find anything loose or obvious. I removed all of the old caulk /sealant from clean out tray, used acetone to clean up around the whole area, then applied new sealant , boat side and tray side, and a little in every screw hole, and no more water, dry as a bone. I was really worried it might have been the intermediate seal, had just got done adding some grease, and thought I added too much. Great feeling to have finally found the issue, and such an easy fix.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Was washing the boat yesterday… got a little water in the bilge…drat! Its only when I use a hose, going to have to check the tower mounts on the deck next. I do get some water in past the doors to the storage pods, will have to put some weather stripping on those doors as well the lockable glove box.

But after a few recent outings zero water has come out. Which I’m good with!

 

[drewkaree]

I had the same thing happen to me at the end of last yr and the beginning of this yr. Couldnt figure out where it was coming from. Was ok @ idle, but once I got going, then slowed down, Bilge pump would come on, and stay on for a while. Always had water coming out after pulling drain plug. I even installed a riser for the access panel, thought it might be from the water build up from the clean out plug. I removed the clean out tray to look around and couldnt find anything loose or obvious. I removed all of the old caulk /sealant from clean out tray, used acetone to clean up around the whole area, then applied new sealant , boat side and tray side, and a little in every screw hole, and no more water, dry as a bone. I was really worried it might have been the intermediate seal, had just got done adding some grease, and thought I added too much. Great feeling to have finally found the issue, and such an easy fix.

I have a thread here, as do plenty of other folks, that show the crap job Yamaha does, of sealing the cleanout tray. I know it's production type work, but there's no way to tell if they did a passable job on this area without completely removing it, and that's just a lot more work than many folks are willing/able to address.

Here's how mine looked, and others were even worse! @Julian and @Babin Farms just caulked around the tray, which I've come to agree with them that it's a sufficient fix

@Babin Farms I tried that DAP peel n seal today on the lower edge of my riser for the cleanout hatch, and I felt like it dried way too quickly, although it really is nice when it comes to removal! Perhaps applying it in our spring temps will give you more open time to work it, dunno, but it feels much cleaner when removing, vs silicone or other sealant

 

[tdonoughue]

I put a thin peel-and-stick piece of weatherstripping around mine. Seems to work...

 

[drewkaree]

I put a thin peel-and-stick piece of weatherstripping around mine. Seems to work...

I did that too, but at least on my model/year, they made the tray taper or bend or something, and it simply doesn't work directly in the middle, on either side. It either flexed, or the bend causes a gap, ever so slightly. I'm certain that a thicker piece would be sufficient, but I don't know what the right thickness would be. Whatever the next size up might be enough, or 2 sizes for certain.

Neoprene was the material that mine was, and it seems to keep water from seeping through if it can be sealed off well

 

[Coult45]

Was washing the boat yesterday… got a little water in the bilge…drat! Its only when I use a hose, going to have to check the tower mounts on the deck next. I do get some water in past the doors to the storage pods, will have to put some weather stripping on those doors as well the lockable glove box.

But after a few recent outings zero water has come out. Which I’m good with!

Interested to see if your continued search turns up anything conclusive. The only time I get anything significant to pump out is after a heavy rain.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Interested to see if your continued search turns up anything conclusive. The only time I get anything significant to pump out is after a heavy rain.

That’s ironic…. Same here. This year at a fishing tournament we had a very hard wind driven rain that resulted in our tackle bags and such being soaked and they were inside the storage pods. enough water got past the doors and must have soaked the floor in there and the tackle bags wicked the water off the floor. I’ve been wanting to add dry deck to the compartments to keep that from happening. The doors on the storage pods are starboard I think and I’m not sure if adhesive backed weather stripping will stick. If you look at the vertical side opposite the hinge, there is a bit of weather stripping that is in a small groove. Wish they’d have done that on the upper horizontal and that would help with keeping the water out.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I did that too, but at least on my model/year, they made the tray taper or bend or something, and it simply doesn't work directly in the middle, on either side. It either flexed, or the bend causes a gap, ever so slightly. I'm certain that a thicker piece would be sufficient, but I don't know what the right thickness would be. Whatever the next size up might be enough, or 2 sizes for certain.

Neoprene was the material that mine was, and it seems to keep water from seeping through if it can be sealed off well

I tried the weather stripping and it allowed water to pass through albeit at a much slower rate than if there was nothing there. It was not neoprene, perhaps that is the ticket.

It’s interesting that there is sealant below the clean out tray from the factory, the shop manual shows applying the sealant after the tray is installed. I’ve been using silicone on the outside, but that removable caulking sounds like the way to go! I’ve sorta have a system and I get the tray off and back on in about a hour…but it’s a pita with all the scraping and cleaning.

I want to get back in there and attach a 1/2” radiator flush fitting to the suction side of my raw water wash down system so I can flush that tiny bit of remaining lake water out with the hose, or with air during the shoulder seasons when overnight lows are below freezing.

The majority of the screws have been upsized as the oem screws strip out, once that happens with the larger screws I’ll be epoxying the holes shut and redoing them. I’m thinking when that happens I might just glue / epoxy some threaded pieces of aluminum underneath and use threaded screws going forward. Once I’ve done that I’m sure I wont need to get back in there any more lol!

 

[lazergeek]

I did that too, but at least on my model/year, they made the tray taper or bend or something, and it simply doesn't work directly in the middle, on either side. It either flexed, or the bend causes a gap, ever so slightly. I'm certain that a thicker piece would be sufficient, but I don't know what the right thickness would be. Whatever the next size up might be enough, or 2 sizes for certain.

Neoprene was the material that mine was, and it seems to keep water from seeping through if it can be sealed off well

I used this weatherstripping on my 2021 model and it has been working great. No more leaks for that area https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085WLTJYF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I used this weatherstripping on my 2021 model and it has been working great. No more leaks for that area https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085WLTJYF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Im not doubting your statement, I just wondered if you tested it with a hose? When I tested the other weatherstripping with a house and mild flow I found it was leaking past it. That was some reticulated foam I bought at ace, not like this stuff.

 

[lazergeek]

Im not doubting your statement, I just wondered if you tested it with a hose? When I tested the other weatherstripping with a house and mild flow I found it was leaking past it. That was some reticulated foam I bought at ace, not like this stuff.

Yep Confirmed with a hose, no leaks. I also used the same stuff instead of silicone when I installed my JPB Riser too.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Yep Confirmed with a hose, no leaks. I also used the same stuff instead of silicone when I installed my JPB Riser too.

Thats great to hear! I’ll definitely give it a go! Which thickness did you use?

 

[lazergeek]

Thats great to hear! I’ll definitely give it a go! Which thickness did you use?

1/8 x 1" I choose that because I was getting in the rear bilge way to often and got tired of silicone

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

1/8 x 1" I choose that because I was getting in the rear bilge way to often and got tired of silicone

Right on…. I want to add a flush hose set up for the raw water wash down but I’m kinda done for this season of getting back in there again…. But, I may work up enough enthusiasm to do it once more to put that weather stripping on there..