Took on water and don't know why.

[chambers1517]

I was pulling the kids on tubes yesterday and noticed the speedometer stopped working. After a while we stopped to swim and I noticed the bilge pump running. Looked in the engine compartment and there was about 5 inches of water. It pulled down to about 2 inches. I thought maybe a bellow. I kept looking in the compartment and had my wife raise and lower the drive and turn the wheel. nothing. I started the engine and looked for leaks but there was not any. I then thought maybe the hose to the speedometer was off but it was still on. I checked the hose at the drive and it was connected there also. I checked the pickup hole on the drive and it was clear. I don't know why the speedometer quit working. I thought maybe it got cut or came apart somewhere in the boat so I took it loose from the drive. We tubed a lot more and I kept a check on the water level and it never rose. What would cause a boat to take on a lot of water and then stop.

 

[sphelps]

Are you sure it was not in there before you launched it ?

 

[Alumarine]

Check the speedo hose all the way from the drive to the speedo.
It might be broken somewhere.

 

[poconojoe]

Are you sure it was not in there before you launched it ?

Maybe sphelps is on to something. Perhaps before you launched, the water was toward the bow and you didn't notice it.

 

[chambers1517]

Actually I had cleaned the boat. I had it parked on the driveway which is very steep and the plug was out. It set there several hours so I know it was dry. Pretty disturbing when you take on a lot of water. The boat normally doesn't leak a drop.

 

[NYBo]

Check the speedo hose all the way from the drive to the speedo.
It might be broken somewhere.

^^^This

 

[Chris1956]

It would take a very long time for water thru the pitot to fill the bilge as described. Does the speedo tube run thru the hull below the water line? What about any other thru-hull fittings? MerCruisers have three bellows to check for leaks. Do you have a washdown pump or some other thru-hull water pickup? Some V8 MerCruisers also have a thru-hull fitting for raw water supply to the engine circulating pump. You need to check 'em all for leaking. If you do not find anything, check the hull for cracks.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Sounds to me you answered your own question...
Speedo quit working and water appeared in boat.... Disconnected speedo hose and water stopped coming into the boat.....

Diagnose the speedo......

 

[smokeonthewater]

Only two bellows that can leak water... Shift and driveshaft.... Exhaust bellows can only make the exhaust louder....