Inboard leaking water after hitting rocks/bottom

[cobra 3.0]

Well, I did it! I hit bottom! I was looking at some obscure triangle shaped object sticking out of the water at a distance and wasn't paying attention to my depth....bang, bang, bang!!! I wasn't going fast, nut managed to rip off the fin and buggered up the prop.<br /><br />I noticed right away I was taking on water. I have no hull damage that I can see. The only place it can be coming in is at the back of my OMC cobra 3.0. I see water coming at the back behind the engine on the boat, but cannot see from where! <br /><br />Any guesses as to where could it be coming from?

 

[Flames]

Re: Inboard leaking water after hitting rocks/bottom

Just a guess but it sounds like the leak is the same as the one I had on my cobra, sounds like the u-joint bellow has a rip in it.<br /><br />Good luck, Rudy

 

[mikecjn]

Re: Inboard leaking water after hitting rocks/bottom

I did the same trick last year coming in at low tide with my MerCruiser I/O (I am not sure how similiar it is to your drive). Hit a rock and took off half of one blade and 3/4 of my skeg.<br />Afterwards I was bringing in about 10 gallons an hour. After searching and searching all summer I finally found that it was coming in between the bell housing and transom. I don't know if it was the force from hitting the rock that broke the seal between the transom and the sterndrive or if it was just a coincidence. I resealed around it with 3M 5200 and it has been fine since.

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: Inboard leaking water after hitting rocks/bottom

Thanks for the info guys. I think it could be the transom plate, because my bellows was changed this year and looked fine when I took my outdrive off. The 10 gallons an hour sounds about right for my leak too...<br /><br />....time to take off the drive again and carefully reseal the transom mount.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Inboard leaking water after hitting rocks/bottom

Had one do the same thing, found some rocks and started leaking.Turns out that from the shock of the strike the transom gasket got loosened up just a bit,R and R motor, pull housing apart and regasket.