Boat docked at slip- little water getting in bilge????

[kulle]

Hey all- first time taking my boat on vacation and the rental property has a slip. 2009 Tahoe q5i- I/o, docked and tied up boat and noticed every few mins bilge spotting out some water. Stuck head in engine compartment and heard trickling of water- didn’t seem to be from drain plug but above it. I had out drive fully up. Pretty new boat and not many hours - decided to put out drive down in water and it stopped? Is this a rookie mistake and normal behavior?? Can’t imagine it’s a bellow leak or it would leak regardless. But once in water it stopped

 

[tpenfield]

Certainly warrants further investigation. It should not leak regardless of the outdrive position.

 

[kulle]

Any thoughts or anyone experience similar?

 

[Rick Stephens]

Drive position would seem to indicate a bellows crack or hole of some sort. Bet the leak starts again as lowering the drive would just allow the bellows to hold more water before it starts leaking back into the bilge again.

11 year old boat that isn't used much has about the highest opportunity to have parts start failing. Hardest thing on boats is using them for few hours a year and sitting parked the rest of the time.

 

[kulle]

I’ll check it while drive down. Don’t know what to do - planning to go tubing with family. I replaced bellows on old boat!

 

[Rick Stephens]

Little crack - go boating. May have to put it on trailer when not in use or risk sinking if left slipped. Get back from trip you know what needs doing.

 

[kulle]

Copy that. For the record been sitting dockside for over hour smoking a nice cigar and no bilge action! I just want ONE easy fix, been through hell with old boat and fixed it but sold it for this newer one lol. You all on here are a big help but this is another weird one. Leaks slightly when up doesn’t when does.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I just want ONE easy fix,

then rent a boat...... boat ownership is hard work, and you must keep up with the maintenance, that includes pulling the drive every year.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Also note that if this is a new to you boat, you needed to do ALL the maintenance items before taking it on vacation. You must assume that the previous owner, who you already said was tired enough of this boat that it hardly got used, never did any of the maintenance in the last many years. It gets really expensive to do the maintenance as things break.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I'd be worried about leaving it in the water if it was having to pump the bilge every few minutes. If the battery runs down and you aren't around, you boat will be on the bottom...

 

[kulle]

So the bilge pump was not running when the drive was down...any way, I found the issue...small tear in shift boot bellows. Guess I'll be doing another transom repair .."sigh", but least I know all the bellows will be new.

 

[Lou C]

While you hate to miss boating time sometimes its better to go through everything in the off season, to make sure its ready for the next one. I have found that if you can store the boat with the drive down the bellows can last as long as 10 years but at that point the rubber is getting stiffer and small cracks are starting to form in the folds. I have pulled the drive each season always check for water in the bellows and smooth operation of the gimble bearing & ujoints. That's why my 32 year old OMC Cobra still shifts well and has not been troublesome even with the hardest use you can put an I/O boat to.....moored in salt water....6 months each season....

 

[kulle]

While you hate to miss boating time sometimes its better to go through everything in the off season, to make sure its ready for the next one. I have found that if you can store the boat with the drive down the bellows can last as long as 10 years but at that point the rubber is getting stiffer and small cracks are starting to form in the folds. I have pulled the drive each season always check for water in the bellows and smooth operation of the gimble bearing & ujoints. That's why my 32 year old OMC Cobra still shifts well and has not been troublesome even with the hardest use you can put an I/O boat to.....moored in salt water....6 months each season....
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That's a sharp looking boat! I do now- pull the drive and check and store with drive down. I didn't pull the drive yet, but was able to feel the crack. So just waiting for the parts to arrive, might do next spring.

 

[Lou C]

Thanks! It's 32 years old!
Might want to check your driveshaft bellows sooner rather than later, don't want water sitting in it over the winter.

 

[isaacs]

My 18 year old boat (bought new) just had its first bellows job a few months ago; I was pretty impressed it lasted that long. It lives in my driveway and is always parked with the drive facing North out of the sun. Not sure if that makes any difference. Shift cable bellows is always the first to go.