Do all boats leak?

Ripfence · May 23, 2006

I have a new (one month old) 19.5' Nitro fish and ski. Sometimes I leave it in the water over night and in the morning (when there has been no rain) the boat will have water in the bilge. I usually have to run the pump for a couple of minutes to drain it. Is this normal? Should I have it checked out by the dealer?

crazy charlie · May 23, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

Not normal.The boat should not leak at all.Usually it is tough to tell because you hose it down after using it and it may rain at night so the bilge may have some water in it often but it should not leak .

Ripfence · May 23, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

Originally posted by crazy charlie: Not normal.The boat should not leak at all.Usually it is tough to tell because you hose it down after using it and it may rain at night so the bilge may have some water in it often but it should not leak .

I can rule out the rain and the hosing down, this must be a slow leak. I will get is scheduled for service.

QC · May 23, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

Could it be draining from a fish box? Ice chest? Anything other than the lake?

markvan · May 23, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

could be one of the hoses from your live well...

crazy charlie · May 23, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

start with a simple check of the drain plug.Go to the boat at night when it is very quiet and dark and poke your head down below with a flashlight....look and listen.Check all thru hull fittings.Be sure that there is a loop in your bilge pump discharge hose.

Ripfence · May 23, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

Originally posted by QC: Could it be draining from a fish box? Ice chest? Anything other than the lake?

I don't think so, at least not in this case. I hadn't used my live well yet and my built-in cooler only had a small amount of ice.

Ripfence · May 23, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

Originally posted by crazy charlie: start with a simple check of the drain plug.Go to the boat at night when it is very quiet and dark and poke your head down below with a flashlight....look and listen.Check all thru hull fittings.Be sure that there is a loop in your bilge pump discharge hose.

Good idea. The boat is under warrenty but it is a pain in the a$$ to remove it from the dry storage facility, trailer it and take it all the way to the nearest dealer.

phatmanmike · May 23, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

its a boat, you have a bilge, any moisture, water, bird pee, anything, will collect at the lowest point. get a bilge pump and go fishing!

Mr. Ross · May 23, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

Yep, hoses from the live well would be my bet. Two minutes of pumping, boat probably has a 1500 gph pump so you are removing 50 gallons of water. That is not a leak to ignore for sure. I am not familiar with that boat but you said fish and ski. Is that an inboard where a packing could be leaking?

tashasdaddy · May 23, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

i agree next time out of water check the stearn drain plug. they are adjustable with a wrench. they will conform the the size and leak.

Ripfence · May 25, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

Originally posted by Mr. Ross: Yep, hoses from the live well would be my bet. Two minutes of pumping, boat probably has a 1500 gph pump so you are removing 50 gallons of water. That is not a leak to ignore for sure. I am not familiar with that boat but you said fish and ski. Is that an inboard where a packing could be leaking?

My model has an outboard so I figure you are correct, it is probably the live well. I'll get in there with a flashlight and see what I can find. Thanks!

StratMan290FS · May 25, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

does your boat have the livewell drains ? Can you open the drains and run the boat then close the drains so you dont have standing water in the livewell ?

Ripfence · May 25, 2006

Re: Do all boats leak?

well, my live well has an active pump which drains the live well. There is also a plug in the bottom of the live well which doesn't seem to drain anything.

Originally posted by StratMan290FS: does your boat have the livewell drains ? Can you open the drains and run the boat then close the drains so you dont have standing water in the livewell ?

Do all boats leak?

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