Help, mutiple questions

OK not sure if this should be in the section, and mods feel free to move it if need be. I have a new to me 1993 rinker fiesta vee 260. Had a mechanic go over it and he said it was in very good shape for its age. He rebuilt the carbs cause it had sat parked for the winter. He also found the recirculating pump meeded to be replaced. Anyways took the boat out for the first time and she ran great. It has the 350 engine with a bravo two outdrive. One probplem i noticed was the bilge pump kicked on more that I feel like it should (but i have never owned a boat this size before). The bilge would kick on every hours to 1 1/2 and discharge for about 20 seconds. I spoke to guys at the dock and they said that a boat its size and age they wouldnt be too concerned. I on the other hand worry that it might be taking on too much water. I looked and looked for a leak and cant find one. the bellows look good. The shift cable bellow will prob need to be replaced during winter but I couldnt find any cracks in it. The bilge that keeps kicking on is the cabin step pump mainly so I thought I might have a leak near the seacock???. It has that for the toliet. Anyways any help in tricks for finding the leak would be appreciated. I spend near an hour crawling around a very small engine compartment with no luck.

Re: Help, mutiple questions

Not clear as to where the water is accumulating. You said that the pump that came on was the cabin step pump. Is that separate from the bilge pump in the engine compartment? Can you see water around that pump? Please clarify.

Re: Help, mutiple questions

Every hour to 1.5 hours? you sure that isn't the urinal?

Re: Help, mutiple questions

REbars....yes there are 2 seperate pumps. Both come on a diferent times but it seems that the cabin pump come on many more times than the bilge.
WAter is accumulating in the bottom of the baot and of course depending on the angle in the water is to where the water pools more. The problem is I cant tell where it is originating from.


Lrider....I havent even used the bathroom on it no even filled the water tanks for the freshwater system.

Re: Help, mutiple questions

The advice I see frequently that makes the most sense is get the boat on the trailer and then put water into the bilge with a hose, bucket, whatever. Make sure the plug is in and the bilge pumps are disabled. The water should stay there.

Next go outside the boat and see if you can find water leaking out. If so you found the way it is getting in.

Re: Help, mutiple questions

Just one point to add to pinellas50's post - be carefull how much water you put in - water is 8 lbs per gallon, it doesn't take that much to overload the trailer. Just keep an eye on it and don't put in more than need be.

Re: Help, mutiple questions

The cabin step pump on my cruiser is the pump for when we use the shower in the head it's the pump that pumps that water out. There is a ball valve right by it so you can shut it off, I believe that ball valve though is for the lake water that you pump from the lake to flush the head. Maybe turn that valve off if you have it and see if maybe thats where the water is coming from. Just my .02

Re: Help, mutiple questions

thanks burton i will try that. Like i said I have never used the water system on the boat at all. Wanted to do all the basic's first. I know when that valve is cause it goes to the seacock. I think it is open but didnt see how that would have water coming in the boat with out the water pump being on.

Re: Help, mutiple questions

I believe it has nothing to do with the fresh water system only opens the valve so you can pump lake water to the head, if you're head uses lake water, some use fresh water. Good luck. I hate boat issues, I have a couple right now myself.

Re: Help, mutiple questions

Yeah mine uses lake water not freash to activate and flush the toliet. I will def close it and see if it makes a difference. Only thing is you would think that even open all the time it shouldnt allow the boat to take on water...but like I said earlier I have never owned a baot like this before. On the positive side after 1 trip out my wife was in love with it. WE stayed on it 2 nights and now shes hooked so now i just hope to get lucky and find the leak.

Re: Help, mutiple questions

Does the water come in when the boat is stationary, or just when under way? All you can do is look & listen for the leak. Try starting with the boat dry and then tie it to the dock for a couple of hours while you watch for the first sign of water with one person near each pump. You may need mirrors and lights to see behind the engine.

Re: Help, mutiple questions

If my math didn't fail me, the boat is leaking at a rate of more than 1.5 gallons per hour. That's certainly something to be concerned about.

Unless there is a hole in the fiberglass hull (highly unlikely) the water is entering through a boot, shift cable, through-hull fitting, exhaust system, or it's leaking from an intake hose.

Shut off all sea cocks. Dry off all hoses with rags and wrap them with dry towels high enough so the towels can't wick water up from the bilge.

Use a wet/dry vac to suck up every last bit of water in the bilge. At 1.5 gph you should see a fairly robust pinhole stream pouring in from somewhere.

In the meantime, make sure your batteries stay charged!