Please help - water issue

[RickyRick100]

Hey guys, I have a 21' Chris Craft Sea Hawk 215. I had my boat out of the water for about 3 weeks and just dropped it 2 days ago. I had a bout a 30 - 40 minute run from the marina to my dock. I had some minor tuneup work to the motor. The boat has been out back docked for 2 days and I went out there this evening and noticed there was about an inch or so of water in the small storage space when you first step down into the cuddy cabin. When you step down into the cuddy cabin and turn around there is a small area below where you step up on to the deck that is about 2 1/2 feet wide by 2 feet deep. I'm assuming this is a storage area. Not sure what else it can be. Sorry, I am new to boating and don't know all the terminology. Anyways, I pumped out about 3 gallons of water from this area. There is a small step in the cuddy cabin were the step lifts up in front of this space and there is a bilge pump down in the V of the hull. Totally works but water wasn't high enough to kick the bilge on. I decided while I had the small portable bilge pump to pump this water out as well. I pumped out another 7 or 8 gallons. Also, the inside top of the storage area which is the deck above when you step out was wet which I was surprised. I took off all 4 deck plates and it is bone dry. No water below the back deck plate below the motor. Bone dry and the bilge works fine. I had both side fishing rod boxes off and it is bone dry in there as well. I have no clue where this water is coming from and I'm very concerned... The hull is in GREAT shape. Any idea what this water is or where it's coming from? Is there an inner and outer hull??? Can water be trapped in between hulls? My neighbor said it's possible that if the gunnel molding is dry rotted or not caulked correctly that when I'm moving water can get up under the gunnel molding. I'm not convinced this is what it is. Should I be concerned??? Again, I am new to boating and learning as I go. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

[RickyRick100]

Re: Please help - water issue

Also, I did notice that the boat was moving a little slower on my way back from the marina. I have a 200 Evinrude. I'm starting to think that maybe there is more water trapped in the HULL and the extra weight is what was slowing me down. I'm just not sure.
BTW - all you boat guys know this but I was extremely surprised to find out yesterday from the mechanic that my motor has plastic carburetors. Plastic - is this right???

 

[emoney]

Re: Please help - water issue

It would probably help a lot to post pics of the area you're describing. Also, what year is your boat, in the event there's another owner with that exact boat logged on. Otherwise, you may be waiting a while for help. More info the merrier, so-to-speak.

I'm confused in your description of the 2 separate areas you're describing, however, are they connected in some way? In other words, is the front bilge pump supposed to handle this area? Are you 100% sure there wasn't water in there before you launched that could've came in during a rainy bit? If not, then it sounds like you have a through-hull leaking, and if the boat is to remain in the water, you definitely need to figure out where its at, otherwise you'll walk out to a "below the water" boat. If this water is in the center of your boat, there'd be an obvious wet trail if your neighhbor was correct, so let's assume he's not an narrow this down. Pics of the areas in concern, year of your boat/motor info/etc. What year is your motor? Plastic carbs would be a new one to me, but I'm not up on the new 4strokes. Are you sure he wasn't talking about the plastic box that fronts the carbs?

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Please help - water issue

The step into the cuddy of your boat is tied into the bilge area of the boat. The Bayliner Trophy's are designed that way as well, among others. It is intended to assist in removing water from the cuddy, should flooding happen. You open the lid (or it floats open) and water spills into the bilge to be pumped out via the mid or aft bilge pump. If there wasn't enough depth to kick it on, adjust your float.

Next step is to figure out where the water came in. With an O/B, at least you don't have to worry about bellows and outdrive purchase points. But...any other thru hull fitting and hatch is suspect until cleared. Rain water and boat washing accounts for a lot of water in the bilges. Check your floor fish boxes and look at the drains. Are they connected to discharge hoses or do they just drain into the bilge? If the rain/wash water pours into them and then into the bolge....

There are two separate portions of the hull. The actual hull itself which keeps the water out and the people in, and the insert, which is the inner gunwales, deck, cabin, etc.

Easiest way to find the leak is to drain and allow to dry. Launch the boat, tie it to the dock and start looking into hatches until you see water. If after 20 min or so all is clear, have someone drive the boat slowly while you look some more. With my experience with boats, my initial suspect for water intrusion (after rain/washing) would be the thru hull fitting and/or pump & hoses of the live well.

 

[RickyRick100]

Re: Please help - water issue

thanks emoney - Yes I should post as much info as I can. It's a 1988 Chris Craft 215 Sea Hawk. It was getting dark here on the east coast so no time for pix tonight. I am going to take the boat out tomorrow in the afternoon for an hour or so and see what happens. I will let the boat sit again over night and see if the small compartment fills with water again. I will post pictures for sure on Saturday if still having an issue. As far as the carbs, he said they were plastic and there was 6 of them. I said plastic cards and he said yes. I thought he was yanking my chain... Maybe he is...Thanks for your response.

 

[RickyRick100]

Re: Please help - water issue

Hello 431, it has rained quite a bit during the 3 weeks the boat was out of the water.This is what I was hoping it was but everything I checked was dry. I took out every deck plate on the deck (4) and took out 2 hull plates on the sides, took out the rod boxes on both sides, took out both fish boxes, checked both bait wells at the back of the boat and again it's all dry. All hoses attached and bilges are working fine. I will look again tomorrow while out on the water. As far as the cuddy, there is a small step that you step onto that lifts up (about 15" long x 6 " deep) and that is where the bilge and water is. Then there is a 2' x 2' floor board that you can step on and stand in the cuddy. This 2' x 2' floor board has a hole drilled into it about the size of a quarter which I believe is in case the cuddy gets flooded. Thanks for your response.

 

[RickyRick100]

Re: Please help - water issue

ok, the small storage area was bone dry this afternoon. Looks like a good sign. I ran the boat out to the main channel for a good 30 minutes and noticed that the storage area was filling with water again. It seems like the water was coming from above. So I took the foot rest panel off while the boat was moving and found out where the water is coming from but not sure why the water is in there in the first place. When the boat is moving it is running down from the top of the dash where the windshield is attached and the GPS and the compass are attached. The water is leaking down in between the foot rest panel and the backside of the wall form the cuddy from up above. There is nothing in this space but the wiring harness. When I stop the boat and turned off the motor the water stopped leaking. Of course the boat leveled out and wasn't pitched up in the front like when I'm moving. So started the engine up to head back to the dock and of course the water started leaking again filling the compartment. Got back to the dock and took the portable bilge and pumped out 7 gallons of water from the storage area. That's 10 gallons of water in 2 days with no rain. I once again pulled up all the deck plates, hatches, fish boxes, bait boxes, compartment up front where the anchor chain and rope sit and it's all BONE dry...Not a drop of water anywhere...Only thing I can think of is there is space or compartment area between the dash and the front of the cuddy that is filled with water. But if that's the case, that area would be the ceiling of the cuddy because that is where the water is coming from. Any help guys...Again, I'm new to boating and can use any help or advise I can get.

I will post pictures tomorrow.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Please help - water issue

Leaking Speedometer Tube!

The Speedometer is NOT Electric.
It is an Air/Water Pressure gauge re-labeled to indicate speed.
If it is not attached it will pump water like a super-soaker.

The faster you go the more water you will get!

 

[RickyRick100]

Re: Please help - water issue

Leaking Speedometer Tube!

The Speedometer is NOT Electric.
It is an Air/Water Pressure gauge re-labeled to indicate speed.
If it is not attached it will pump water like a super-soaker.

The faster you go the more water you will get!

Thanks UncleWillie, I will certainly look into that tomorrow. You are correct - faster I go - it is like a super-soaker.
Again, I'm a newbie so please bare with me and my questions.
1) I thought the pin that checks speed would be attached someplace at the stern of the boat. if this is the case, would water travel through that tube up into the top of the dash???
2) I'm going to pull out the foot rest panel and the back side wall of the cuddy tomorrow and see if I can see where it may be leaking or if it's even connected. Any advise on what I should be looking for?
3) is this an easy fix??? Meaning is it something I can do or does it entail major work.
4) is it expensive to repair?

Thanks again for your response. I really appreciate your help.

 

[coreybv]

Re: Please help - water issue

Yep, it's usually on the stern. When all is normal air pressure in the tube will prevent water from entering more than a little ways, but if the tube comes loose or breaks, it will flow freely.

When you look behind the dash, you're just looking for a small rubber tube. It will be either connected to the spedometer or, since it's leaking so fast, it might be hanging free.

Repair isn't expensive, just a new length of rubber tube from stern to dash. How difficult it is depends on how it's routed through the boat.

In a pinch, you can simply cut the tube back at the stern. You'll lose your speedometer until you fix it, but cutting the tube should allow you to get back to shore without pumping the boat full of water.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Please help - water issue

Thanks UncleWillie, I will certainly look into that tomorrow. You are correct - faster I go - it is like a super-soaker.
Again, I'm a newbie so please bare with me and my questions.
1) I thought the pin that checks speed would be attached someplace at the stern of the boat. if this is the case, would water travel through that tube up into the top of the dash???
2) I'm going to pull out the foot rest panel and the back side wall of the cuddy tomorrow and see if I can see where it may be leaking or if it's even connected. Any advise on what I should be looking for?
3) is this an easy fix??? Meaning is it something I can do or does it entail major work.
4) is it expensive to repair?
...

Your complaint is a textbook example of a disconnected speedometer sending tube.
I was expecting you to say that you already knew the speedometer didn't work!
Easy simple fix. It looks like aquarium air line tubing, only black.

You can replace the entire length of Speedometer Tubing on a 21 ft boat for less than $10.
The aft end will be integral to the drives lower unit, or a separate Pitot Tube on the Transom.

 

[RickyRick100]

Re: Please help - water issue

Hey guys, I got behind the instrument panel this morning and low and behold the rubber tubing was disconnected and dangling. BUT it wasn't disconnected from the speedometer - it was disconnected from the tachometer. I cannot reconnect to the tachometer because the nipple that the tubing slips over behind the tachometer is broken off...Original equipment so it's almost 25 years old. Gonna have to replace it. In the mean time I plugged the end of the tube with a screw and a clamp to stop the water from coming in. Sooooo, here's my question as I can't leave the dock today and do a test run due to rain - Is the water coming through this tube the same as it would be coming through the speedometer tube? All above posts gear towards the speedometer tube and not the tachometer tube. Also, any website recommendations for replacement tachometers??? Again, it's a 1988 Chris Craft 215 Sea Hawk. Thanks guys. Have a great weekend.

 

[coreybv]

Re: Please help - water issue

Are you completely sure about that? The tach should have wires connected to it, not a hollow tube.

 

[spdracr39]

Re: Please help - water issue

Um does the speedometer work because the tach don't use water. It has to be the speedo tube because its the only thing that carries water to the dash.

You can purchase replacement gauges that match from e b a y.

 

[RickyRick100]

Re: Please help - water issue

You guys are correct. It is not the tach tube and the tach tube does have wires going to it. The tach has a hole in the center where a nipple broke off and this is for a bracket to hold the tach in place. Same bracket is on the spedo. So I have 2 tubes running behind the instrument panel down the side to the stern of the boat. One is hooked up to the spedo and I'm assuming its hooked up to the pilot tube. The other one is the one I put a screw in to clog up that end but not sure where the other end of the tube is going as it is running down the side of the boat towards the stern as well...I need to take the fishing rod box out and see if I can follow it. Going out to do that now. I'm wondering if one is an old tube that was replaced but the wrong one is hooked up to the speedo. It's possible the one hooked up to the speedo is the one still leaking and the other one is a dead tube. I guess I won't know until I take the boat out. If I start the boat and idle, would water come out of the tube or does the boat have to actually be moving? I'm trying to attach pictures but not seeing how to attach to this reply. Thanks

 

[RickyRick100]

Re: Please help - water issue

Also, neither the Tach or the Speedo are working and again the speedo has one of the two tubes attached to it...

 

[coreybv]

Re: Please help - water issue

If I start the boat and idle, would water come out of the tube or does the boat have to actually be moving?

Remember, the speedometer is nothing like the one in your car. Your boat speedometer is actually just a simple air pressure guage. Water is forced into it by the forward movement of the boat, the water increases the pressure of the air in the tube, and the guage reads this pressure and is labeled to indicate a corresponding speed. When that tube breaks or comes loose from the speedo there is no air pressure to hold the water back so it just flows freely into your boat.

So, the short version is when you're sitting still, no water will come in. (If it does, then there's another issue to be addressed as well.)

As for the tach, it's pretty much a completely separate issue. It's 100% independent of anything to do with the speedo.

Do you have one of these on your stern?

 

[RickyRick100]

Re: Please help - water issue

OK, I have found and fixed the issue...The tube connected to the speedo was the wrong tube...I attached the tube that was leaking the water to the speedo and the speedo is working and the tube is not leaking...The disconnected tube is not leaking and I'm going to trace where the other end is going... Question, I started the motor and let it idle and the speedo needle is up at about 20 mph but I'm docked and in neutral...Not giving a correct reading...The tach is vibrating up and down but not giving a correct reading either...Plus I have a thicker cable (about 1 1/2 times the size of the tube) that has 3 pin prongs attached to it that looks like it should be connected to a female cable. I need to look behind the fishing rod box to see if it's there but I think that is to register the RPM...Also, the tube I connected to the speedo, should I be using something to attach it to the nipple or will pressure just keep the tube attached. Don't want to put this back together and the next time I take the boat out have the tube pop off...Thanks again guys.

 

[RickyRick100]

Re: Please help - water issue

Coreybv, yes there is a pilot tube attached to the stern of the boat. No water leaking in and speedo is working from the pressure but I believe it is giving me a false reading as it says I'm doing 20 mph and I'm docked. Does this tube need to be blown out to remove any excess air that may still be in the tube??? Also, should I attached the tube to the speedo with an adhesive or clamp or will pressure keep it on? thx.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Please help - water issue

Coreybv, yes there is a pilot tube attached to the stern of the boat. No water leaking in and speedo is working from the pressure but I believe it is giving me a false reading as it says I'm doing 20 mph and I'm docked. Does this tube need to be blown out to remove any excess air that may still be in the tube??? Also, should I attached the tube to the speedo with an adhesive or clamp or will pressure keep it on? thx.

Ayuh,.... Pitot tube speedos are notoriously inaccurate,...

It's air pressure powered, not water pressure powered,... There should be No water in it...

'n the tube is just a push-on fit...