water in bottom of boat

[shanej]

As you can tell, I'm very new to boating, so any help is soooo welcome. I have a 87 bayliner with a 85 force. The bottom of the boat, (the very bottom), fills up with about 3-4 inches of water when we are out on the lake. It is usually when we are going and then stop. There is a tube in the bottom that the water seems to kinda go out when we get going, but then if we stop, it comes back in. It seems like that is alot of water coming back in. There is a bilge pump switch on the dash by the steering wheel, when should I turn that on? And when should I turn that off. We read the whole manual on the boat, but it wasn't much help. We would like to take the boat back out, but are kinda leary...any answers would be great, Thanks so much, Shane

 

[cuzner]

Re: water in bottom of boat

Hey Shane, good news is you have an outboard engine, so I think the only issue here is removing the water in your bilge. Water collects in every boat, and should be removed. If you trailer your boat there is a drain plug located on the bottom of your transome(very botom of outside back end of boat, under your outboard) you should keep this off when your boat is not in the water(and always double check you remeber to put it back on before you put boat back in!!!!!!!!. Sounds like the water is running back and forth thru the drain tube in your floor between your floor locker near the front seats and your bilge in the stern when you speed up and slow down.Your bilge will only so much water in your bilge, but yes turn it on when there is enough water to pump out.<br /><br /> Jim

 

[budlin00]

Re: water in bottom of boat

how do you know for sure or not if you have a bilge pump? i'm also a new boat owner. i knew about the plug, but wasn't too entirely sure about the bilge pump. my water doesn't show up in my floor locker, but when I take the drain plug out, a good amount of water comes out. is it good to use the pump out in the water, or is it an only in the water operation?

 

[TELMANMN]

Re: water in bottom of boat

Bilge pumps can be used on the water or off. Just make sure water is being expelled. You will hear a increase of sound when water is not being expelled and then you turn it of, or you can look at the exhaust port to verify if water coming out.The water cools the pump so do not run if nothing is pumping. <br /> If room you can add a float switch that will come on automatically if water gets too high. Most Aluminum boats with rivets will over time have a few minor leaks. Also rain or water spray will cause water to accumulate. <br /> Almost sunk a 16' lonestar my friend had when he added a duck bill where the plug would go. Apparently it got stuck open and nearly sunk the boat as when stopped the water just kept coming in. <br /> If excessive water is coming in you can fill the hull with water on land to see if water leaks out. This will work for aluminum, wood or fiberglass.

 

[robpoe]

Re: water in bottom of boat

SOME water in the boat is pretty common, especially if you have kids or people getting in the boat (and jumping out, getting in, etc). After a lot of in and out by the kids, at the end of several hours, I usually end up with a couple inches of water in the bilge. <br /><br />However, you need to be sure it's not coming in from elsewhere. Inspect the hull, and perhaps even put a couple inches of water into the hull on the trailer (plug in). Crank the jack down to put the water to the front of the boat. <br /><br />On a boat as old as that I wouldn't put a lot of water (i.e. fill the hull). You would probably get the underside of the floor, and perhaps the float foam wet(ter). Also, water is HEAVY and trailers aren't really made to be full of both boat AND water...<br /><br />Is the boat covered when it sits outside?

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: water in bottom of boat

Water outside of boat - Heaven!<br />Water inside of boat - Hell!<br /><br />Not all boats collect water. And those that do need a system to get rid of it fast. Water inside boats causes rot, overtaxes motor and trailer, and slows performance.<br /><br />However you do it Shane, you need to sort out two things:<br />Where's it coming from? And how can I get rid of it?<br />There's nothing to stop you mopping it after you've got rid of most of it through the drain plug. If it keeps returning in volume, find the reason!

 

[Stumpys]

Re: water in bottom of boat

My boat is new, but I always have water in the bilge. Most of it is from when I'm going 60 mph and come to a sudden stop. It's amazing how much comes up over the transom!<br /><br />As telmanmn said... it's up to you to make sure it works, the switch works, and the exit hole or intake is not clogged. My automatic float switch works great, so I would suggest one.

 

[Braxton]

Re: water in bottom of boat

this may sound crazy but it mabe a leaking valve, i can open a port hole in the floor of my boat and turn a valve that allows water from the lake to fill my livewells. when full i just turn the valve and it stops filling, i have to pull the plug out to empty which is in the livewell itself. then it flows out the holes in the back of the boat next to my reqular plug. Just a thought.

 

[imported_scott_m]

Re: water in bottom of boat

I actually had a bronze thru hull on my fishing boat that was cracked. I was getting a couple of inches of water in the bilge and finally decided one day to go ahead and haul the boat out to replace the rubber hoses (were dry rotted and cracked - thought that was the sources of the leak). When I went to pull the hose off the thru hull (for the livewell), the entire bronze thru hull and seacock broke off in my hand! Thankfully I was not making that repair in the water! Anyway, a new thru hull, seacock and water lines and now the bilge stays dry with the exception of rainwater that gets down there. Float switches are pretty small and very easy to wire in...you really should add one and make sure your pump works.

 

[Purebreed]

Re: water in bottom of boat

One of the reason that you might be getting water is a built in cooler. Just a thought.

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: water in bottom of boat

Originally posted by shaneJ:<br /> There is a tube in the bottom that the water seems to kinda go out when we get going, but then if we stop, it comes back in. It seems like that is alot of water coming back in.

Ummm, is the plug in the boat?