Water in boat

[proby]

Why am I getting water in my boat. After running around for a couple of hours I Trailer the boat remove the plug and a couple gallons of water flow out the hole. While motoring I check the bilge and see no water. Engine not leaking. Gel coat? Maybe I should paint the hull?

 

[jimmbo]

First of all, what kind of Boat, and how long have you owned it?
Boats do sit the water, so there are lots of places for water get in. Outboard, Inboard, Stern Drive, or Jet Drive all have leakage points unique to them
Do you use it for water sports? What colour is the bilge. and how good is the lighting when you are checking?
Any hole, or fitting that goes thru the Hull is a potential leak, so is the seam where the hull, deck and cap are joined.
Any impact damage to the hull? Any repaired areas? Are there any cracks in the hull? Missing Fittings?
Do you have any live wells? Any under seat/cushion Cold Drink storage, where you put ice?

Painting the hull won't seal it, and will hide evidence of Damage.
Water is getting in. You are going to have to do some Detective work.

Someone will suggest filling the boat with water when on a trailer, with the reasoning that 'where the water got it in. it will drain out'. That might work, but it can overload a trailer very quickly in addition to putting stress on hull as the trailer supports aren't large/numerous enough for the extra weight.

 

[dingbat]

Jimmbo hit on most points but I’ll throw out one more.

You described the problem I had on my first boat (citation) to a tee. Long story short, turned out to be the seam behind the rub rail where the cap is bolted to the hull.

Must had been going on for a while. PO caulked the seam (underside) with silicon. I removed rub rail. Applied 5200 in joint and tighten the screws holding the two halves.

Reinstalled rub rail and the problem went away

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I may have a stupid answer, the reason you have water inside your boat because you have a leak somewhere. Painting the hull isn't going to seal a leak. The above suggestions will get you started looking for the leak. Do Not fill the bilge with water to find the leak.

 

[proby]

2000 Chaparral 1900 SS. 5.0 Volvo Penta, SX outdrive. Have filled the boat with water no leaks. Had a jet ski ram the port side of my boat in 2001. Damage was visible underwater line. SBPD took boat to inspect. Jet skiers fault. Repair needed and completed at Las Vegas fiberglass. The boat is old and so am I but am not ready to stop boating. Looking for info to repair. May go to fiberglass repair in Lake Havasu. Sad that I can't keep boat on the water.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

You were told twice here do not fill the boat with water to find a leak. It is structurally designed to have the water outside, not in a boat. With the trailer supporting an empty boat I have been told the pressure is 100 fold or more than the water press. beneath floating the boat. You may have created more damage than you already had.

 

[82rude]

Gimble housing assembly.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Unless you can see a large crack or hole in the fiberglass, you need to check every place where the boat has seals to keep out water, such as seals around the outdrive assembly, thru-hull fittings for bilge pump outlet and the like, and bellows on the outdrive itself.

Filling the boat with water is not only a not-so-smart thing to do because it soaks the inside of the boat, but you cannot get enough water inside the boat to match where the waterline would be when the boat is floating. You'd have to submerge the engine to really test all those seals...

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Before I knew any better I did put water in the bilge to find a leak. I crawled under the aluminum Lund and saw a few drips, then suddenly the water poured out of a seam. I created a leak.

 

[briangcc]

When was the last time the bellows were done on your outdrive?

I ask as mine were original for 10 years on the Four Winns in my signature. I knew it was time to replace them when...wait for it...I had water in my bilge that wasn't there previously. Have them checked. Beyond that....launch it again, open the engine compartment and start checking for leaks. If you don't see any, start the engine and repeat. Bet ya find it pretty quickly.