Water coming in during rain; not being bilged

I recently purchased a used boat (v-drive ski/board type boat). We had had it inspected before purchase and went to take it out before buying. We had tested the bilge and it seemed to be working. I also have a new full cover (towable but won't pool water either). It was a downpour the day we took the boat out before our trip home. (We had it winterized before the trip home). The drain plug was out the entire way home and is still out.

It was raining most of our trip home and for a day and a half or so after we got home. I took the cover off to get back into it and do some prep before taking it in for storage and found a good amount of water in the ski locker as well as the areas underneath the bow seats pooling water (some other areas are damp but those are the two main areas). I mostly chalked that up to the rain the day we tested or perhaps the ride home.

The boat has an automatic bilge but a switch for it too. The water in the ski locker had pooled higher than the drain so I expected the bilge to at least get some of it when I turned it on. I can hear the pump starting but the water wasn't moving. So, I bailed it up out of the ski locker, used towels to suck up the water out of the bow area. It was pretty dry by the end of the day and then I put the cover back on.

After another day of rain the same areas were wet (pooled water under bow, some in the ski locker) so I'm wondering if I should be concerned about something.

My driveway is basically level, perhaps only very slightly sloped towards the bow. I initially didn't have the jack up very high but now have it jacked up as high as it will safely go in hopes that helps.

So I guess I have three main questions

- I know my cover is on correctly and I can't make out where water might be getting in. I called the manufacturer and he wasn't sure either (I sent him pics to be sure), he was going to send some additional water repellent in case for some reason my fabric wasn't treated correctly. Any other ideas on how the water might be coming in?

- Since it's winterized I can't take it to the water to test out the bilge. On a flat driveway is it normal for the bilge to not be pulling this water out? It's not like my locker is full, but the first day there was maybe an inch or two of water in the area by the drain.

- If it's not normal, what's the best way to start diagnosing?

Re: Water coming in during rain; not being bilged

assuming I'm reading it right it seems that you have a drain in the bottom of your ski locker but water is accumulating there higher than the drain? when there is water in the ski locker is there water in the bilge at the stern as well or is it dry? it could be that your ski locker drains to the bilge but there may be a pipe that lets the water transfer from the bilge in the front of the boat, under the fuel tank and out into the bilge at the back so your bilge pump can get it out...maybe that pipe is clogged....go into the bilge in the back and try to look and see if a pipe is coming though into that area and try to snake it from there.

and to test things out you can use a garden hose....stick a garden hose in your ski locker, turn it on and see if it starts coming out the back. put the plug in if you want to test your bilge pump.

Re: Water coming in during rain; not being bilged

Water at the front of the boat cannot get to back if the bow of the boat is lower than the stern. In wet weather you need to crank it up so the bow is higher than the stern. Some lockers have a check ball in them to prevent water from the bilge getting into the locker, but allows water in the locker to drain out to the bilge. That check ball may be stuck and sticking something up there may damage it so use caution here.

Re: Water coming in during rain; not being bilged

I agree, jack up the bow as high as you can. If the ski locker doesn't drain, look for an obstructed pipe leading to the bilge. If there is no pipe you have a problem and need to keep the rain out.