boat Leak please help

[badbowtie]

I have a 85 wellcraft elite 210 260hp alpha 1 out drive. That is taking in water in the rear somewere around the out drive. I found a hole in the rear right above the inlet water hose two the right of it in the metal plate that is mounted on the inside of the transom. It is only about 1/8 inch in diameter that i could see water coming in the one day so I just put some silicone over the hole and it quite. But water is still coming in somewere else and am not real sure from were at all. Is their any easy way to check to find the leak. It is very slow it does not come in at all if I am moving at all even no wake zones for hours. It leaks enough to run the bilge pump about 20 seconds every hour.
Thanks In advance.

 

[Neverhome]

Re: boat Leak please help

I would check your bellows for leaks. That much water coming in is not a good sign. One of the most common reasons that boats sink at the docks is bellows failure. If they are more than six years old they should be replaced,
Some will even suggest replacing them earlier than that. If it is the bellows it could be that when the outdrive is down while running, the rubber compresses and closes the hole. This is assuming you raise the outdrive when docked. I always keep my outdrive in the down position at the dock.

Neverhome