New boat, water in the bilge

[Sandi_k]

OK, this is interesting to me, as a new boat owner. We took the bowrider out for its maiden voyage on Sunday. 3.5 hours on the water, just the two of us, no towing, no swamping the deck...and yet we had about 2Q of water in the bilge when we got home.

- How?
- Why?

If it didn't come in over the top deck, then something under the water line must be leaking, right? We're a little disconcerted by this, as we've had our jetskis for 10 years, and NEVER had water inside the hull unless it capsized....

Sandi

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How to keep my bilge dry

Re: How to keep my bilge dry

two quarts sounds like a lot under those circumstances, but as a maiden voyage, maybe there was water already in the hull that didn't drain? While it's not enough to worry about sinking, you want to find it.

Often water gets in while launching, especially with rollers on a relatively high and dry trailer. Watch your stern next launch.

On a new boat, I/O, possible leaking hose connections are a prime suspect, as are the bellows (light test that). On any boat, through-hulls and up under the rub rails (seal with silicone) are often the problem area.

Also I'm wondering why your bilge pump didn't kick on and get it, especially on acceleration? If it did come on, then you may have accumulated even more, which is not good.

You can put dry newspaper/paper towels or baby powder on the bilge surfaces to try to find the source.

I have a raw water wash down/live well on one seacock and if I am running with the seacock and hose connection or fill valve open, even with the pump off, I get water in just from the pressure--check that if you have it.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: How to keep my bilge dry

Re: How to keep my bilge dry

Seeing how it was the maiden voyage, I wouldn't make a decision until it is identified as a chronic issue.

Most bilge pumps will not activate until you have at least 3 inches of water and shut OFF when 2 inches remain.
That means 10-20 gallons in most boats. 2 Quarts is just barely enough to roll around and wet the hull.

But it still should not be there at all without a known cause.

 

[Sandi_k]

Re: How to keep my bilge dry

Re: How to keep my bilge dry

Seeing how it was the maiden voyage, I wouldn't make a decision until it is identified as a chronic issue.

Most bilge pumps will not activate until you have at least 3 inches of water and shut OFF when 2 inches remain.
That means 10-20 gallons in most boats. 2 Quarts is just barely enough to roll around and wet the hull.

But it still should not be there at all without a known cause.

So what steps would you take to identify the reason for intake? Would a hose help? Or do we need to have it back in the water with the cushions off, and wait for intrusion?

 

[QC]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

I moved this to a new thread, as it is specific to a new boat, and needs separate attention.

Sandi, you say no towing, but I don't think you mention swimming. Any swimming at all?

I am with UncleWillie, you need to get it bone dry. Bow raised in storage for a few days, and make sure there is no water trapped anywhere. Then run her again, recheck, if dry then original was fluke and due to either water already there or swimmers. If wet again, no swimmers, no other obvious sources, then we need to go through some steps.

With that said, there are some obvious places to check. The seal under the rubrail is one we usually all mention first. Believe it or not your speedo can cause this too. But I think you should start dry and check again.

 

[rbh]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

2Q of water is probably= 3.5 hours of spray accumulation.

You did have fun?

 

[Sandi_k]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

I moved this to a new thread, as it is specific to a new boat, and needs separate attention.

Sandi, you say no towing, but I don't think you mention swimming. Any swimming at all?

Nope - we motored up the Delta, docked, had lunch, and motored home. Swam once we got home and the boat was on the lift.

I am with UncleWillie, you need to get it bone dry. Bow raised in storage for a few days, and make sure there is no water trapped anywhere. Then run her again, recheck, if dry then original was fluke and due to either water already there or swimmers. If wet again, no swimmers, no other obvious sources, then we need to go through some steps.

OK. DH is working on re-installing the engine in his Kawasaki jetski, since next weekend is our big Club Meet. (I'm having PTSD flashbacks to his college years, where all-nighters before big deadlines were the norm...) < insert eyeroll here >

I'll see if I can get the canvas off, and dry it out this weekend while he's working on the Kawi.

With that said, there are some obvious places to check. The seal under the rubrail is one we usually all mention first. Believe it or not your speedo can cause this too. But I think you should start dry and check again.

OK, thanks. Interesting you say the rubrail - one of the screws in the rubrail was lost in transit on the trip home. It was replaced before we wet the hull, but perhaps we need to go around the rubrail and tighten all of the screws.

Sandi

 

[Sandi_k]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

2Q of water is probably= 3.5 hours of spray accumulation.

You did have fun?

Yes! We had fun! But since we were breaking it in, it was not a hugely aggressive run. And with only the two of us, we weren't riding low in the water.

We were surprised, since our jetskis are always bone dry. After 10 years of it, we never even bother taking out the plugs. And we swamp them, submarine them with heavy gas tanks at the front, and have a lot more carving and spray in general. So water in the hull of the boat was a puzzlement.

Sandi

 

[QC]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

Interesting you say the rubrail - one of the screws in the rubrail was lost in transit on the trip home. It was replaced before we wet the hull, but perhaps we need to go around the rubrail and tighten all of the screws.

While the screw could be an indicator of an issue I would inspect the rubrail from stem to stern and back again. Take your finger and run it along the bottom of the rubrail all the way around. If you find any gaps inspect further. One of the first places we often discuss. There are others, but this is one to check early, and easy on the lift/trailer.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

Glad you had fun on your first outing . . .

As far as the bilge water, it possibly could have been hiding out in the forward section of the boat and made its way aft once you used the boat . . . possibly. You should probably monitor with each use to see if you can ID a pattern or something. No cause for concern until you have a strong pattern, etc.

I'm still chasing a bilge water situation in my boat . . . might just be rain, might be the fresh water system, still isolating it.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

It's typical to have water in a new boat, or one that has been out of the water for several months, until the planks in the hull swell and seal the gaps. You should have oakum between the planks to seal them.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

2Q of water is probably= 3.5 hours of spray accumulation.

Not unless you are in a Bass Boat. 19ft bowriders don't take on that kind of water from spray

 

[oldjeep]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

It's typical to have water in a new boat, or one that has been out of the water for several months, until the planks in the hull swell and seal the gaps. You should have oakum between the planks to seal them.

Huh? Planks in the hull of a 19ft fiberglass bowrider

 

[Mel Taylor]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

It's typical to have water in a new boat, or one that has been out of the water for several months, until the planks in the hull swell and seal the gaps. You should have oakum between the planks to seal them.

WOW! I never knew that! Thanks for the info. Does it apply to my sixteen foot Blue Fin tinnie too?

 

[h2odick]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

It's typical to have water in a new boat, or one that has been out of the water for several months, until the planks in the hull swell and seal the gaps. You should have oakum between the planks to seal them.

lol! I love this guy's sense of humor! Really! I wish we lived closer!

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

Sandi,

Do you have an in floor ski locker? If so, those are notorious for trapping hull water.

I agree that the water was probably already there and worked it's way back as the bow rose to get on plane. That angle can be pretty aggressive.

However, once gone it should remain gone until you get back in the boat dripping wet from swimming, etc.

The other thing I would look for is drips on cooling hoses on the engine. They should be totally dry. I am assuming this is an inboard/outboard?

 

[Sandi_k]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

Sandi,

Do you have an in floor ski locker? If so, those are notorious for trapping hull water.

I don't understand how this would matter, since the only thing that has ever been in the ski locker was the canvas when we trailered the boat home from Southern California. When we got home and removed the canvas, it was dry.

Last Sunday, we stowed the canvas when we launched, and it was dry. It was wet when put the boat back on the trailer.

We did not swim, we did not ski, and nothing went in the floor locker while underway. So I don't see how a ski locker = water in this circumstance.

I agree that the water was probably already there and worked it's way back as the bow rose to get on plane. That angle can be pretty aggressive.

This might have been true, if it wasn't a brand new boat, and it's been trailered hundreds of miles.

However, once gone it should remain gone until you get back in the boat dripping wet from swimming, etc.

Again, brand new boat, and this has never happened. We did a break-in run for 3.5 hours last Sunday; we have another 6+ before the engine will be broken in.

The other thing I would look for is drips on cooling hoses on the engine. They should be totally dry. I am assuming this is an inboard/outboard?

We believe the water came from the BACK of the boat, and got into the ski locker when we throttled down when confronting big wakes. So the hose idea makes more sense to us. We will be looking at the hoses. (And yes, it's an I/O Monterey, 194 FS - see my sig).

We asked the dealer, and he also suggested the through-hull fittings, like the bellows, much like suggested by Home Cookin'. He suggested we might want to have an idea of where the leak is occurring before we take it in. Ugh.

Thanks.

Sandi

 

[Sandi_k]

Re: How to keep my bilge dry

Re: How to keep my bilge dry

Thank you - very thorough and succinct. I'd heard baby powder, but paper towels sound even better.

Can you elaborate a bit on how to "light test" the bellows?

Sandi

two quarts sounds like a lot under those circumstances, but as a maiden voyage, maybe there was water already in the hull that didn't drain? While it's not enough to worry about sinking, you want to find it.

Often water gets in while launching, especially with rollers on a relatively high and dry trailer. Watch your stern next launch.

On a new boat, I/O, possible leaking hose connections are a prime suspect, as are the bellows (light test that). On any boat, through-hulls and up under the rub rails (seal with silicone) are often the problem area.

Also I'm wondering why your bilge pump didn't kick on and get it, especially on acceleration? If it did come on, then you may have accumulated even more, which is not good.

You can put dry newspaper/paper towels or baby powder on the bilge surfaces to try to find the source.

I have a raw water wash down/live well on one seacock and if I am running with the seacock and hose connection or fill valve open, even with the pump off, I get water in just from the pressure--check that if you have it.

 

[Sandi_k]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

And again, thanks for all your support and brainstorming. Happily, DH is not freaking out yet. And having all your posts to pass along to him is giving him things to think about, instead of "I bought a brand-new boat so I wouldn't have issues!"

Which is what I have been expecting.

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: New boat, water in the bilge

I mentioned "Ski Locker" because it is sometimes difficult for water in the bow area to get around them. And, many ski lockers drain any trapped bow water THROUGH the locker. Drains at both ends. Take a look. One drain forward, one aft?

I very much doubt a bellows issue on a new boat.

Even a brand new boat could have gotten some rain water and it was probably WASHED by the dealer before delivery.