swamped bilge--possible?

[Ccook]

after a few hours fishing with kicker, used the hamilton jet/ford 302 to get back to the dock--about 15 minutes.

discovered bilge full of water when I lifted the engine cowl.

drained the bilge and checked for leaks---could only find one intake hose going to the cooling reservoir that had a loose clamp---noticed it was dripping a bit----

is it possible for such a small leak to fill the bilge when the engine was not really pumping water for a long time?

going to take it out this weekend to see how things go since I tightened the clamp.

I sure hope that took care of the leak----whatyathink?

thx much.

 

[superbenk]

Re: swamped bilge--possible?

Sounds like too much water from such a small drip. Did you look for leaks around the transom where the outdrive connects to the engine? I've also had a pretty good amount of water build up when my drain seacock in my manifold was loose & leaking (though that was only when the motor was running & pumping water).

 

[rwidman]

Re: swamped bilge--possible?

after a few hours fishing with kicker, used the hamilton jet/ford 302 to get back to the dock--about 15 minutes.

discovered bilge full of water when I lifted the engine cowl.

drained the bilge and checked for leaks---could only find one intake hose going to the cooling reservoir that had a loose clamp---noticed it was dripping a bit----

is it possible for such a small leak to fill the bilge when the engine was not really pumping water for a long time?

going to take it out this weekend to see how things go since I tightened the clamp.

I sure hope that took care of the leak----whatyathink?

thx much.

I think "taking it out this weekend to see how things go" is a big mistake.

How about running the engine on muffs and looking for the leak? Or dunking it while still on the trailer (assuming it's a trailer boat) and running the engine to look for the leak?

If you "take it out" and find a leak, you have to get back in and on the trailer or out of the water before it sinks. And if the water gets high enough, you can damage parts even if the boat doesn't sink.

 

[Beefer]

Re: swamped bilge--possible?

I totally agree with rwidman. You could be putting yourself in a precarious situation.

I may be incorrect on this, but your raw water intake scoop is still scooping water without the engine on, as long as you're moving (that is if you have one). That clamp may have been loose enough to let water leak in while moving, as there's still pressure moving water into the cooling system. I'd do what rwidman suggested, and run it at the ramp on the trailer and check for leaks.

 

[blifsey]

Re: swamped bilge--possible?

Was engine running when you saw it dripping or had you shut engine down? A drip with engine shut down could be very different with engine running.

I'll 3rd (or 4th) the suggestion to run on muffs or check it out while on trailer at ramp. If the ramp is crowded on weekend go during week when you have time to really check it out with holding up others.

 

[5150abf]

Re: swamped bilge--possible?

Get a bilge pump in there, one with a float switch.

Find your leak for sure but you really need at least one bildge pump, I have a 500gph adn an 1100 gph pump, the big one is mounted slightly higher in the bilge and is hooked to an alarm so I know when it fires and I have a problem.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: swamped bilge--possible?

no muffs on a hamilton jet!

One thing interesting about a jet is that it picks up its cooling water from a high pressure section in the jet pump. (MOST do this at least, it could obviously be set up different) Anyway, if it dripped with the power off or even at idle, that drip might have been a fairly nice spray at faster speeds. (the water intake on a hamilton is 1.5 psi at idle, and 35+ psi at WOT.)

 

[Ccook]

Re: swamped bilge--possible?

thx guys: took it out and fished around the dock for 3 hours, checking engine compartment and bilge every few minutes. Ran the jet for several minutes at 3500 rpm---no leaks. I guess tightening that hose clamp did the job---I hope.

Didn't see any leaks around hoses or notice any leaks around transom seal.

Don't know what else to do, except perhaps hooking up another "automatic" bilge pump---Obviously doesn't do much good to have one that only turns on with a dash switch since it might be too late if the bilge really fills up and you don't know it until you get water above the floor covering.

If true that the intake hose is getting water when I am moving with the kicker and the inboard is not running, then I guess it would be possible to accumulate lots of water trolling around for several hours even at a snail's pace---definitely going to keep my eyes on the situation.


thanks again for all your responses---really.