How do you "read" water leaking into boat?

[Gods Favor VIP 1800]

Is there any secret how to read where it is coming from if you spot a leak ?
Just because water is in the bottom of the boat does not tell you where it
got in. If you stand outside the boat and squirt a water hose around the hull
you might get lucky and see it . If it was from a seal or bellows leak would there
be some sort of "it has to be coming from that" Type of conclusion ??
I would hate to have to pull an outdrive unit only to find it was a leak in another
location caused by "mis-reading" the cause of the leak.
It is in reference to a 1988 VIP vision 3.0 Litre merc. Alpha 1 outdrive.

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Gods Favor VIP 1800

 

[v1_0]

Re: How do you "read" water leaking into boat?

Well... You could always go the other way around and fill the boat with water and see where it leaks out...

-V

ps: wrong forum for this, but I'm not picky.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: How do you "read" water leaking into boat?

Well, there is a small hole just above the input shaft on Mercs.....
If you see water seeping through that hole, your bellows is full of water....​

 

[Bondo]

Re: How do you "read" water leaking into boat?

Is there any secret how to read where it is coming from if you spot a leak ?

Ayuh,............... Just 2..............

Water Flows Downhill...................................................

Just like trying to find an Oil Leak,........
The highest Point you find the Culprit,......... That's your Leak..........

And the 2nd 1 is,.......

Ya Gotta Look.............................

 

[Gods Favor VIP 1800]

Re: How do you "read" water leaking into boat?

Thanks for all your inputs, I'll try all this stuff this week end and report back on monday, She'll either be high and dry or soaking wet . I can Imagine trying to get my wife to tell me where the water is coming in from. And I know if I try to
see for myself while she runs the hose it won't leak ! Go figure.

Gods Favor VIP 1800

 

[GaBoy]

Re: How do you "read" water leaking into boat?

To find my leaks I put water and some tide for cleaning in my bilge area with the drain plug in place. Then I raised the bow while on the trailer and watched for water running out and lo and behold there it was. One leak on trim tab screw on starboard side and the other leaks were on the trasom bracket at 7 and 5 o'clock where the anode caps are over the bolts.

 

[180shabah]

Re: How do you "read" water leaking into boat?

Sounds like the makings of a "memorable" weekend.

Good luck.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: How do you "read" water leaking into boat?

Well... You could always go the other way around and fill the boat with water and see where it leaks out... .

OK, got that done, now whats next ?

 

[backwater dawg]

Re: How do you "read" water leaking into boat?

Well-theres 2 things to look at--is the water clear like rain water or is it murky like in my case river water--I always had trouble figuring out where water in my bilde came from--but after a while if it did'nt rain--it was dry---years later same thing happened and the water was milky-riverlike-not clear--how about that-I had a leak in my drive gasket--good luck

 

[Gods Favor VIP 1800]

Re: How do you "read" water leaking into boat?

Well I'm going to shoot for the hull first and hope that is where it leaks in.
If not there then only 3 other places ( bell housing, bellows or outdrive.)
I have not yet looked in the foot! I wish I could read boats minds instead of
their water leaks.... LOL

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: How do you "read" water leaking into boat?

OK, got that done, now whats next ?

Bucket?.......

 

[Gods Favor VIP 1800]

Re: How do you "read" water leaking into boat?

Found hole where the water was coming in ! The darn Depth finder bracket.
The screws were loose and the rubber washers behind them were dry and hard
as a rock. I held the water hose over them and you could see the water trickle
in just at the bottom of the bilge. I replaced the screws with Stainless ones
made a new Viton rubber gasket and sealed the whole sha-bang up and now she's dry as bone.... Were setting up to go out next week end test it out.
Hopefully, no other leaking to report !!!

Gods Favor VIP 1800