My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

[stevesoule1]

I have a 21' 1983 Four Winns Cuddy Cabin that takes on a lot of water at low tide. I can't figure it. New plug, no visible cracks or holes. I recently was at sea for four days. The last day, the tide went out and in about 2.5 hours she took on 70 -100 gallons of water. previous days she took on 10gal at most all day. It seems that there is a problem thats getting worse. Any ideas???

 

[Silvertip]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

Your boat floats the same at low tide as it does at high tide so there should be no relationship. There are several ways water can get in the boat but I would be looking at the bellows very carefully. No boat, except an ocean liner should take on 50 - 100 gallons of water in an outing.

 

[RWilson2526]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

I cant imagine what the tide has to do with it....is the boat still floating at low tide or is it resting on the bottom? were you anchored with stern to the current as the tide went out??.....try to give us some more info as to why the tide would have something to do with it.

 

[Chiliando]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

No Bilge pump? 70-100 gallons of water is crazy.

If no bilge pumps then that must be addressed. If you have a bilge pump, was it working?

If you trailer I would put on the trailer and put the plug in. Then I would pump water into the bilge and see where it escapes.

 

[stevesoule1]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

I had a bow and stern anchor set, and the current was coming from broadside starboard. She doesn't take on water at high tide. I know it sounds wierd. I have been on the water and around boats my entire life, and I'm almost 30. This one has me stumped. It is a mercruiser 350 5.7l alpha one gen 1 outdrive with new gaskets.

 

[stevesoule1]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

she never actually sank, but water crept into the cuddy while we were swimming. bilge works fine, but isnt auto. it took 15-20 min to pump her out, then after our 2 hr ride back to the dock, she leaked another 5-10 gal after pulling the plug on the trailer.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

my merc i/o took in about 1/2 gallon of water while cruising today on the lake, so I figure bellows are due, it was too little for the bilge pump to pick up.
Whats involved in replacing them?

 

[rbh]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

if you put a new plug in the stern, did you also put in the female part as well?and what did you seal it with?
I am not very familiar with the whole salt water thing but, if your taking on water when the tide goes out only, and you said it was when you where at anchor, could the water be over lapping some point on your boat were you could have a hole?
rob

 

[gss036]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

My first thought is a through hole fitting leaking bad on the side the water is pushing against. My next thought is why 2 anchors? Should only use 1 from the bow and let the stern flow with the water, you may be pulling the boat too deep into the water anchored at both ends.
Definitely something that is opening up under side pressure, you need to figure it out before you sink it. Install a pump with an automatic float built inside the pump, maybe cost you a hundred bucks , but sure beats a sinking.

 

[oops!]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

as tip said.....the tide has nothing to do with it.....that notion is just confusing you.....shake that off and look at the rest of the boat......with water intrusion even 1/4 of what you say.....you will see it coming in from somewhere....my guess is at the transom.....or a water hose is unplugged and you are pumping water into the boat.....


but any ways.....welcome to i boats....
we are allways here to help....please keep us advised on what is going on with the boat....we have some top experts here.....when enough of them see it,,,,,,and if you follow there step by step instructions....you will save big cash and lots of time.

cheers
oops

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

unless at low tide the outdrive is on the bottom, putting pressure on the outdrive, and the bellows, transom plate are leaking.

 

[dontask]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

When you pulled it back onto the trailer did you see water coming out of the hull any where before you pulled the plug? I had a Gradywhite cc and it was taking on water in 4 foot seas by rocking enough that water was coming into one of the fish locker drains that were installed to drain out the side of the boat. The drain hose was broken between the locker box and the side of the hull and the water was going straight into the inner hull. Quick easy fix.
Have you thought about putting 50 gallons of fresh water in the bilge area while it is on the trailer (with the drain plug installed) and see if it exits any where? This is of course after elimanating all those easy possible sources of water coming in .

 

[MudSkunk]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

if your parked in the same spot each time it happens and the water is shallow with a mud bottom, you may be getting stuck in the mud so the water level is rising higher up the hull as the mud or bottom is holding the hull down by suction. just a guess and prolly wrong.

 

[Capt Ron]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

First thing to do is stop using the boat and get it out of the water before it becomes an artificial reef. A leak will only get worse with time and if the boat sinks you could get charged with oil polution and fined vast amounts of money plus pay for the clean up.
Trying to keep the boat pumped out with a bilge pump would kill the batteries with this much water.

Remove as many floor hatches, engine covers, and access covers as possible to be able to see as many of the nooks and crannies you can. Concentrate on the engine spaces first and temporaily plug the limber holes so that the leaking water stays in the area of the leak. This will help in directing you to the possible location.

Stay on the boat for the falling tide, crawl through the bilges like a rat. With this much water the leak should be easy to find but there may be several leaks in different areas that are doggin you right now.

A couple of years ago one of my nieghbors had his boat tied up a the community dock. Several times I mentioned to him that the boat appeared to be listing but he always said that it was ok. During the week the list got worse and other people asked him about it. He decided to pull the boat in a few days, but the next day he showed up at my door in a blinding thunderstorm upset that his boat had sunk and could I come help him.

I reluctantly went with him but there was nothing we could do for the boat, the bow was still tied off to the dock but the stern was completely awash. We removed as much of the gear as we could get to and tied the stern to the dock. There was a lot of lightning so we left.

This guy was really distraught and as we pulled in my driveway said that his wife was going to kill him. He knew that the boat had a leak but he couldn't understand how a "little leak" could sink his boat...THAT'S WHAT LEAKS DO!!!
IT'S THEIR JOB!!!

He had to hire a crane to remove his boat...cost him BIG BUCKS. Not only that but he became the village idiot.
If he had just pulled it from the water when he became aware of the problem.

stevesoule1,
Make finding and repairing the leak(s) in your boat a top priority, the ONLY thing that you should be doing on that boat right now is making sure that it does not take on water. No fishing, riding, or parties.

Good Luck,
Capt Ron

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

I second Tashasdaddy's theory, IF tide is really a factor. Then I'd suspect the stern anchor rig.
BTW there are legit methods for using both a bow and stern anchor but you need to know the dynamics ... and the stern involved.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

Im going to start fixing my problem by inspecting and tightening the hoses to the heat exchanger on the raw water side , I know it was lake water.

 

[P 0 P E Y E]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

I would suggest you inspect your boat in an attempt to locate the leak.

This inspection should be performed before you perform any maintenance actions.

I had a boat that actually did sink with the tide. Every high tide the boat would be submerged, every low tide, she was high and dry. Had a very large hole where the plank was missing.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

missing plank was below the freeboard. as the boat was a beach ornament I presume

 

[P 0 P E Y E]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

Boat was a mud hen in the mud flats of long meadow creek

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: My Boat Sinks At Low Tide

POPEYE, what river is next to long meadow creek and how much is navigable, in a small cuddy, I often go up 84 to Boston, or 95, the mileage and time is exactly the same from my house either way to my daughters school