Transom leak

[Todtc]

Every time I launch my Scout I immediately get a small amount of water in the bilge. I would estimate about two cups worth. It doesn't seem to get any worse throughout the day and it never reaches a point where the bilge pump turns on. I have not been able to get in the boat when it is launched to see where it is coming from. I am worried because I am berthing the boat for 4 months next week for the duck season. I have used marine sealant on all the old screw holes where previous owners had transducers and such installed but these holes are too small for the amount of immediate water I am seeing anyway. I have taken photos of the transom and am wondering what the green circular item is in photo #1. Is this a likely area of concern? Thank you!

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Transom leak

Do you have a live well hose that may be leaking??
Or maybe a hose that is to low and letting water in when the boat is at a steep angle?
Seams odd that would happen only at launch and then not leak a bit after that.

 

[Todtc]

Re: Transom leak

Good call. I checked the hose to the live well and all looks OK from what I can see. Most of the hose is snaked under the deck from the aerator to the live well. I think I'll just have to get someone to back me down the ramp and have a look as it enters the water.

Any idea what the green circular disk is on the transom??

 

[Mark42]

Re: Transom leak

I see it has a brass garboard drain. How tight are you making the brass plug? I usually tighten mine with a crescent wrench. If the plug is slightly corroded or the threads, it could be leaking. Clean and seal with Teflon tape once just to see if it is the cause.

No, I don't know what that green thing is.

 

[4JawChuck]

Re: Transom leak

I wet vacuumed my bilge once and let it sit for a week content thinking I had a perfectly dry boat. When I launched the boat there was about a half cup of water near the drain plug which made me think I had a leak.

Turns out when the boat is in the water it sits stern low which makes any amount of water run to the stern, obviously no matter how high I jack the trailer bow wheel I can't get all the water to run to the back.

I stopped worrying about it.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Transom leak

on the trailer, put your plug in, put water in the bilge, and lift your tongue way up and see where it leaks out.
Watch when you launch to see if you ship water over the transom and in through the stern deck plates or opening for cables.
A bad seal on a stern deck plate will let in water.

 

[Todtc]

Re: Transom leak

Thank you for the tip! I did as you suggested today and water was leaking from around the brass drain plug insert. I removed the insert, dried everything out and applied some marine sealant to the insert and screw threads on the three screws that hold the insert in place. Hopefully this will hold for another few years