Taking on water

Dave

My 2001 Model 217 I/O Deck Boat is taking on about 3-4 gal of bilge water per day sitting at covered dock. No rain. What are the most common leak possibilities?[:@]

Ernest_T

Here are my guesses:  Loose drain plug, leak around the livewell intake or hose, leak around the livewell drain outlet, leak around the bilge outlet or hose.

I just realized you have an I/O.  Leaks around the stern drive are pretty common on older boats.  Check the bellows around the u-joint and  the cables coming through the transom for holes.

Dave

Thanks for the reply Ernest T.  I checked yesterday and there was no new water so hopfully it is not as bad as I thought. This boat is new to me and I don't understand all the mechanics of the bilge and water systems. I assume because the bilge outlet port is at waterline there must be a check valve or a loop in the discharge hose to prevent backflow. I have no idea how the livewell works. I have not used it and it appears dry but I will look into all the items you mentioned. Thanks again.

Ernest T wrote:

Here are my guesses:  Loose drain plug, leak around the livewell intake or hose, leak around the livewell drain outlet, leak around the bilge outlet or hose.

I just realized you have an I/O.  Leaks around the stern drive are pretty common on older boats.  Check the bellows around the u-joint and  the cables coming through the transom for holes.

Unknown

I would run new seal around the thru hull fittings and also check the seal on the motor mounts.  If this persists, please contact Terry Gipson at tgipson@nauticglobalgroup.com. 

smiley

Do not assume: my 2007, 195 has no vented loop or check valve, I had the back siphoning issue on a different boat, the 195 bilge comes out above the waterline so it is not an issue on this vessel.

I/O : I always suspect the seal around the I/O first, again past experience.

Under the you believe it category, you aren't leaving a hose from the dock in the boat are you? I know someone who sank their boat by forgetting to turn off the water after a washdown....I doubt that is your issue. Always check for the simple/stupid stuff first.

Ernest_T

I've got the same model boat (Hurricane decided to call it a 2100 last year, for unknown reasons), but mine is an outboard.  On mine the livewell intake and pump is on the starboard side of the transom, and the livewell drain outlet is on the port side of the transom.  There is a valve on both lines.  There are several connections between the lines, valves, and pump that could be potential sources of a leak, but I'd agree with others that the most likely source is somewhere around the where the drive unit and cables come through the transom.

Dave

Thanks to all that replied. After 4 weeks in the water I don't seem to have a leak problem. About 4 hours of cruising and the rest at dockside the only time I can pump out bilge water is after a heavy rain. My stern sticks out a foot from the covered dock so I think rain water is getting in through the battery access. Is there a float level switch that operates the bilge pump? Sometimes I have to leave the boat unattended for a few weeks.
Dave

smiley

On the 195, the hull has a "belly", by the time the float valve in the stern is kicked on there is a lot of water in the center of the hull/bilge. The rear deck, and foredeck through the anchor locker take on a of water, unbelievable amounts until you get used to the boat, I am not surprised a one foot extended out from the roof is taking alot of water throught thru battery access hatch, (gutter flow off the roof maybe huge and just in the wrong spot). I mentioned the battery hatch as a "scary  thing" to a rep at a boat show awhlie back, if you back hard into a "sea"or have a steep ramp you may take a ton of water in amazingly fast thru that hatch (or the anchor locker), these are day deckboats, an offshore vessel would have real water tight hatches, something I wish they would do in future.  You maybe a good example of why a day/deckboat should be water tight topside also.  Look at the roof drainage in relation to your boat.

smiley

On the 195, the hull has a "belly", by the time the float valve in the stern is kicked on there is a lot of water in the center of the hull/bilge. The rear deck, and foredeck through the anchor locker take on a of water, unbelievable amounts until you get used to the boat, I am not surprised a one foot extended out from the roof is taking alot of water throught thru battery access hatch, (gutter flow off the roof maybe huge and just in the wrong spot). I mentioned the battery hatch as a "scary  thing" to a rep at a boat show awhlie back, if you back hard into a "sea"or have a steep ramp you may take a ton of water in amazingly fast thru that hatch (or the anchor locker), these are day deckboats, an offshore vessel would have real water tight hatches, something I wish they would do in future.  You maybe a good example of why a day/deckboat should be water tight topside also.  Look at the roof drainage in relation to your boat.

obabob

My 2011 SS188 OB has an electronic float switch wired to and near the bilge pump that automatically turns pump on at 2" water level and off at 3/4".

fdcline

Although this is several months after your post (hope you found the cure already), I agree with Ernest in his reply. Having owned a couple and been around I/O units, i woulod suspect the boots, one around the drive shaft and the other around the shifting cable. Both require pulling the lower unit, and it is almost impossible to visually see them leaking from in the boat.

baxtr

As Smiley said above,  the battery hatch should be weatherstripped somehow to minimize water intrusion,  I just purchased a  202 I/O 2 weeks ago and day one I noticed this to be a problem, even coming in from a swim the water will run right down through the hatch and into the battery/trim pump pan....and that pan doesn't drain, obviously you don't want the possibility of trim pump oil or battery fluids getting into the bilge area to be pumped into the lake, but a sealed gasket like they have on the cooler/live well area would be sufficient enough to minimize the water.  My dealer says that he ordered up some vinyl gasket from Hurricane so he could affix some of it for me as soon as I get it in for my 20hr break in oil change.

j-aman@hotmail.com

Dave wrote:

My 2001 Model 217 I/O Deck Boat is taking on about 3-4 gal of bilge water per day sitting at covered dock. No rain. What are the most common leak possibilities?[:@]

Your i/o is possible the culprit the movement of the boat while docked is sucking water thru your wate pump inlet try you i/o in up out of water position

topcat

I had a leak at the hose clamp connection on the live well pump on my 237 SD. The pump is below the water line on the stern so if the hose gets loose you will take on water. Also the reason the hose worked itself loose was because the hose that runs from the forward livewell tank to the rear pump was cut to short when it was installed, requiring it to be stretched off the bottom of the bilge. Normal boat operation working the stretched hose run connection loose. You might also try shutting off the ball valves to isolate leaks in other portions of the hose.