1981 Century Riveara,, Leak

got us our first boat. And i know nothing about boats so forgive any ignorance. The boat is taking on water from the back or from the motor. the boat was winterized and i am wondering if i am missing some plugs that may have been removed. its not a large leak and you can not see were it is coming from...just have to turn on bulge pump every 5 min....can not find a manual eather. any ideas??

Re: 1981 Century Riveara,, Leak

Welcome to iboats OKC. Since it's doubtful your problem is related to something specific to a Century brand boat, I'm going to move this to the general boating section so you get a quicker response.

Re: 1981 Century Riveara,, Leak

Not knowing anything about your boat, My first thought would be to change out the plug if you have one. They do go bad over time depending on the type, and i always replace mine every year.

Re: 1981 Century Riveara,, Leak

I am going to assume that your boat is an inboard, and if so, the water intrusion can be coming from several sources. First is the shaft log that seals the prop shaft to the hull. There is an adjustable fitting that will tighten up the packing material [flax and hemp is traditional] look for water dripping from the fitting. The next source could be the screws that retain the strut bearing which supports the prop shaft on the outside of the hull. The next source could be the rudder shaft packing[same situation as the shaft packing]. Also in question is where the exhaust tubes exit the hull at the transom, look for water trickling down the inside of the transom. Unfortunately your not done yet because potentially any connection or protrusion from inside the hull to the outside of the hull is suspect,ie, water intake, bilge pump mounting screws, hull drain plug fitting. Get the idea? A good place to start would be to feel if the water is warm or cold. Warm would indicate the water is coming from the engine. Do you get water only when the engine is running or just sitting? Lots of info I know so start your investigation and let us know what happens.

Re: 1981 Century Riveara,, Leak

If it's the same Riv model I used to drool over as a teen (in the eighties...I just loved those boats!) it's an I/O, and probably a Merc.

Assuming you've ruled out a hole in your hull or engine leak (does the boat leak only when running or anytime it's in the water?), that means you've got some checking to do where the outdrive mounts to the transom. There are large and small corrugated rubber tubes (bellows) which contain the drive shaft and shift cable, exhaust, as well as the smooth-walled cooling water hoses that pass through the transom.

All of these rubber parts degenerate over time and crack with age, movement, UV exposure, even animals like otters and beavers sometimes can chew on them.

Anyway, an 80s vintage boat will have been ready many times over to have all these parts changed out. Hopefully someone has kept up with some maintenance but it's obvious something is going a bit wrong.

You will have to contort your body pretty good to get your head down in that area on the inside to look for leaks coming in through the transom from any of those areas. It's possible the mounting hardware itself is leaking or you have leaks in several areas.

Not a surefire indication but external examination can give you some clue as to the condition of these parts. While on the trailer, raise the outdrive all the way and crank the wheel hard over. Get under the outdrive and look up inside where it connects to the hull. You should be able to see both bellows and the cooling lines. If anything looks aged or cracked, change it out or get it changed. This will require removing the outdrive and it can be a bit of a pain. However, we're talking a life and death issue for your boat until you get this sorted.

Here's a pic of an outdrive with one of the bellows visible inside the red box.



Here's a pic of a cracked shift cable bellows. That little tear right there will sink your boat at its mooring when the bilge pump finally overcomes your battery.



If you are getting it done professionally, have them check the drive shaft oil seals, gimbal torque and alignment.

Good luck, report back....and welcome to iboats!

You know by now that boat stands for Break Out Another Thousand, right...?

*Edit - seriously, though. If you are new to boating you'll want to get a handle on exactly the kind of maintenance your new baby requires - and the outdrive is a potential source of very expensive failure if not maintained. Find yourself a good marine mechanic (easier said than done sometimes) or, if you are a diy type, get the necessary engine and outdrive manuals and start reading. Also, head on over to the section of this forum specific to your power and outdrive package and look through some of the discussions to get a sense of what kinds of issues generally preoccupy owners of your type of engine/drivetrain.

Also, a boating safety or handling course is highly recommended for just general knowledge and competence.

Again, welcome!

Re: 1981 Century Riveara,, Leak

You don't say whether this is a new problem or one from the beginning. If it's the latter, do the easiest thing first. Put a hose in the bilge and fill it with water up to the point where water could start to be a problem with the engine components. If water is draining out of the hull you have found the problem