New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

[MiniDonkey]

We just purchased a 22' Osprey Expedition pilothouse with outboards. Once we got it home, we noticed lots of water up toward the front under the floorboards around the fuel tank. We've used a wetvac and have pulled out about 45 gallons so far.

Two questions: First is how in the world would so much water get up there? The hull is sound, no seacock or forward bilge. This leads to the second question. Our last boat had an aft and forward bilge, this one just has the one in back. Should we put one up front? should there be some way for water up front to drain to the back to be pumped out by the bilge?

I don't believe the boat has ever been sunk, it's clean we paid for a surveyor to look it over. He gave it a thumbs up.

 

[Maclin]

Re: New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

Maybe it was left out in the weather uncovered, or not covered very well. I would think the water should find it's way back into the bilge though, most boats have drain holes in each bulkhead (called limber holes) at the bottom and make a straight path to the bilge. Raising the bow should cause the water to head back there,

Boats should always be stored bow up and drain plug out in the event that water makes its way into the interior.

 

[Maclin]

Re: New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

and please excuse my manners....

Welcome aboard!

 

[MiniDonkey]

Re: New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

Thank you. Glad to find this forum. Our last boat we didn't need much help, it was fully loaded and other than the motor was great.

We are looking forward to this boat. We raised the bow as far up as we could, it was sitting on the trailer lights. We've looked everywhere and can't find a way for it to drain to the bilge. I thought Osprey pilothouse boats had a good reputation, but this situation makes me wonder what we've gotten into. I believe the last owner moored it as we had to buy a trailer for it. It's a totally enclosed pilothouse, so not sure how the water got there except maybe someone washed the inside and tried to clean out around the fuel tank? Just can't figure it out.

 

[doug glass]

Re: New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

how did the surveyor miss 45 gallons of water?????? anyway--it could have rained after that but thats alot of rain--should have some way to drain to rear bilge

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

Yeah, how did the surveyor miss that?

There isn't any possibility that this is some sort of ballast tank, is there?

 

[MiniDonkey]

Re: New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

I'm sorry, I don't know what a ballast tank is.

The only way we found the water was by opening a little round thing down inside one of the storage compartments in the cabin. I think you would really have to search for it. My husband did. Sorta wish we hadn't now

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

I don't think a boat like that would have a ballast tank.

However, they are used to add weight to give a boat more stability in certain conditions or to affect the performance in some other way.

There are sailboats that have ballast tanks that you fill with water to give the boat more weight down low so that it can handle the side loads from a sail without tipping over.

Wakeboard boats also have ballast tanks to add weight to the stern to make a larger wake.

 

[Maclin]

Re: New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

Does the boat have live wells? Those are plumbed compartments to hold live fish in, and water is circulated in them from the outside. If they are not completely plumbed, like say after a layup period then they could be a source of "leaking", but only if you had the boat in the water. You did not mention if you had ran it in the water in between the time you picked it up and then found the water.

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

I agree that the surveyor should have spotted that. Thats what they are paid for. Maybe the water wasn`t there when he inspected it. I would question both the surveyor and the former owner about this.

If the boat was kept in salt water it might help to taste the water to see if it's fresh on salty.

 

[Maclin]

Re: New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

Does the boat have any kind of sink or washout or head plumbed in up front?

 

[MiniDonkey]

Re: New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

There's nothing plumbed in, just the rear bilge, that's it. I guess we'll just continue to suck out as much as we can and then keep an eye on it.

It was moored in salt water in Washington. The water wasn't salty, more like plastic chemical taste.

Thanks for all your help, hope this was a fluke thing and we won't have issues down the road as we typically go 30-60 miles off shore.

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: New boat, questions about water around fuel tank

There's nothing plumbed in, just the rear bilge, that's it. I guess we'll just continue to suck out as much as we can and then keep an eye on it.

It was moored in salt water in Washington. The water wasn't salty, more like plastic chemical taste.

Thanks for all your help, hope this was a fluke thing and we won't have issues down the road as we typically go 30-60 miles off shore.

When you say bilge, do you mean bilge pump? It's a good sign that the water did not taste salty but I wouldn't just hope the problem goes away.

I recommend you call your surveyor and tell him what you found, you've paid good money for his/her services and this is something he/she should have spotted. The surveyor should at least come down and investigate to try and find a possible cause. It sounds like you bought the boat through a broker, give them a call, if they deal with Osprey's regularily they may have come across this before. You could also try getting in touch with the manufacturer.

Good luck, let us know if you find anything out.