Taking water on....sometimes

[QBhoy]

Hi all
ill keep it brief and hoping the collective might think of something I haven’t.
Merc Alpha 1 drive and 5.0 Mpi
occasionaly last year I suspected the boat was taking on water. I’d run the bilge pump each visit to check before lifting the hatch for the usual pre run checks. Sometimes the pump could run for a good 20 secs and likely pump out a good 4/5/6 gallons. Sometimes just a spurt and sometimes nothing and as I left it.

It doesnt seem to take any water in when I’m out in it and Mostly up on the plane. So I’m thinking it’s coming in when the boat is at rest and sitting deep in the water. It sits particularly deep at rest with the water line being over the top of the drive and almost all of the transom shield too.

I originally thought the bellows, but they are in great shape and as new. Also tried leaving the drive steered to the extreme left (port) to extend the bellows fully. Then tried leaving to the right. Centre and everything in between. There seems no rhyme or reason to the ingress of water and when it happens.

Now its its worth mentioning that the boat is a bow rider and is in Scotland. It rains a lot and I originally put it down to rain getting in forward of the windscreen where the bow cover doesn’t seal. It does come in here for sure..but this happens when it hasn’t been raining too.

Other thoughts were it must be the steering arm section or the transom seal it’s self...but why doesn’t it leak all the time.
The leaking stopped towards the end of the season...but having had the boat in the water for a week to check before I do all the servicing and to see if I need to pull the drive again...it’s started leaking again, in the same random way. One day next to notnhing and the next a few gallons. I also worry that perhaps the days there was next to nothing coming out...perhaps the float switch on the pump has already pumped it out just before. Perhaps it’s been triggered all the time when I’m not there ?

any ideas on what else ? I’ve checked all round the engine at the sides but haven’t yet squeezed down for a long term look. Where would the obvious place be to look. It’s not a nice place to get to or be for any length of time as you can imagine. When the drive was pulled end of last year...no sign of water in the bellows

 

[alldodge]

Look at the top steering pin on the transom assembly

 

[scoflaw]

I had a similar leak on my last boat and after replacing the pin seal the leak continued. It was a slipped boat and like yours it was worst at the beginning of the season. After chasing that leak for years, I concluded it was the transom seal and the scum in the marina was acting like "stop leak". I ran a bead of 4200 around the transom housing and sold the boat.

 

[harringtondav]

Double check your shift cable bellows. I had a small split between the corrugations that only leaked when the drive was trimmed up when moored. And it was a strong leak.

 

[rickasbury]

Even with the cover on you still have to have vents for the bilge correct? With the rain, could it be blowing in there when it storms?

 

[wellcraft-classic210]

I have seen the exhaust coupler leak intermittently -- I saw a drip at idle 1 day after repeated searching-- Cleaned up some rust/ re-positioned the coupler it sealed --

 

[QBhoy]

Guys. Thank you all so much for the replies and valued opinions. Really appreciated

ill have a look at the steering pin. That was on my hot list originally and the local merc guy suggests it too

ill also recheck the infamous gear cable bellow, but I’ve had a good look at it previously. I’ll drop look again though.

Yeah. There are 4 vents on the rear, but all sheltered from ingress. I’m pretty sure it’s not caused by rain or splashing. 99% sure it’s coming from seals or lack of them on the machinery.

Ill have a good look over the next week and get back.

Thanks again

 

[Rick Stephens]

Loose hydraulic manifold bolts?

 

[QBhoy]

Loose hydraulic manifold bolts?

Hi Rick.
Where abouts do you mean ? Haven’t thought about this at all.
Thanks.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Very bottom of the drive where the hydraulic hoses come out. Has a gasket and a couple screws. Usually a zinc over the top of it. Hard to see leak as it is all the way at the bottom of the keyhole.

Rick

 

[QBhoy]

Very bottom of the drive where the hydraulic hoses come out. Has a gasket and a couple screws. Usually a zinc over the top of it. Hard to see leak as it is all the way at the bottom of the keyhole.

Rick

Ah. Know exactly where you mean Rick. Hadn’t thought of this at all. Top man. The very reason I’m on this forum. I think it will be between that and the steering pin.
Much obliged Rick.

 

[andrewterri]

if your desperate and still can't find the leak you can always use flour. When this was happening to our old boat and i couldn't find it i came up with the idea of taking a handful of flour and throwing it on the transom under the drive housing on the inside of the boat. It is a mess and Im sure there is something better to use but i was at my wits end and it worked. Very easy to see where the leak is coming from. Mine was a hairline crack in the bellows that i couldn't see.

 

[QBhoy]

if your desperate and still can't find the leak you can always use flour. When this was happening to our old boat and i couldn't find it i came up with the idea of taking a handful of flour and throwing it on the transom under the drive housing on the inside of the boat. It is a mess and Im sure there is something better to use but i was at my wits end and it worked. Very easy to see where the leak is coming from. Mine was a hairline crack in the bellows that i couldn't see.

Good idea there. If it gets to that stage, I’ll try anything.
My big worry is that on the days there isn’t much in the bilge...perhaps it’s bevause the automatic float switch is just finished pumping it out before I got there Can’t sleep. Took it back out the water.

 

[andrewterri]

At least being out of the water it will give you a chance to check the hydraulic manifold bolts and the steering pin. You can also check the drain plug housing and bilge outlet and make sure nothing came loose. I have seen a older boat where the bilge outlet came loose which allowed water to enter as the boat rocked.

 

[QBhoy]

At least being out of the water it will give you a chance to check the hydraulic manifold bolts and the steering pin. You can also check the drain plug housing and bilge outlet and make sure nothing came loose. I have seen a older boat where the bilge outlet came loose which allowed water to enter as the boat rocked.

Thanks friend.

Im convinced it’s not the drain plug after going there first off last year.
The bilge outlet is above the water line and goose necked. Prettt sure it’s not that.
Slight chance being optimistic but doubtful is that stalled water trapped in the hull from previous rain fall is taking its time to drain back...but prettt confident its not that. There’s too much of it and it’s prettt random. The boat sits really low at the rear too with the unusual size of the engine in such a wee boat. Perhaps being part of the problem. The whole drive is well under the water line with only the very top of the transom shield assembly only slightly above. Even worse if I have a fair amount of fuel in it.

Other thoiggt was that the side exits exhausts we’re taking in water and leaking at the clamps inside but these are just above the water line 99% of the time and don’t show any sign of it.

 

[andrewterri]

Any signs of water around exhaust hose clamps coming off of manifolds? I would try to look behind the engine at the transom with a bright light and you should be able to see where the water has been coming in since it has been going on for awhile. I would think there would be water marks, hardened mineral deposits, something to give you an idea.

 

[QBhoy]

Any signs of water around exhaust hose clamps coming off of manifolds? I would try to look behind the engine at the transom with a bright light and you should be able to see where the water has been coming in since it has been going on for awhile. I would think there would be water marks, hardened mineral deposits, something to give you an idea.

Nothing at the manifolds Andrew. I’ve looked all the easy places. Next time down I’m going behind the engine for a proper look. Might need it back in the water probably. It’s not easy to get in or see behind it. Other suspect was the single point drain system valve. It’s not very clever I suspect but I’d think it would drain the engine down completely over a few days but it’s not doing that.

 

[QBhoy]

Unlesss the single point drain leaking might not drain the engine empty in the water. It could well be siphoning from the river it sits in bevause it sits that deep ? Probably not.

 

[andrewterri]

No, that drain would not be able to pull water past the impeller (which sits lower than single point drain) or through the engine to siphon. What helped me once I found where it was coming from was to have someone stand on the swim deck to sink the back end a little more and I was able to see water coming in. Of course i already knew where to look at that point.

 

[QBhoy]

No, that drain would not be able to pull water past the impeller (which sits lower than single point drain) or through the engine to siphon. What helped me once I found where it was coming from was to have someone stand on the swim deck to sink the back end a little more and I was able to see water coming in. Of course i already knew where to look at that point.

You’re right of course.
Another good idea. I’ll get a more serious effort at it within the week. Been too busy working on other people’s boata recently. Usual stuff this time of year. Mine always seems to come last !!
Thnaks again.