Water streaming OUT of livewell thru hull intake

[southtexas]

Ran the boat all day (Everglades 200cc flatbottom w/yam 115 4str). Put it on lift and heard lots of water falling from stern of boat into canal. I hadn't pulled plug yet so stuck my head under to see. Water was streaming from the livewell intake thru hull. My livewell drain is on bow (2 livewell-bow and stern).

Noticed I have a pinhole leak in my livewell pump; but does water typically exit a boat from An intake? Didn't seem normal, but it's possible I just haven't noticed it before.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Water streaming OUT of livewell thru hull intake

The intake to the livewell pump has to be below the water line and if there is a leak at the pump the water can flood the boat. When you raised the boat the water simply ran out through the same hole it went it. If you don't have a bilge pump (preferably and automatic) I suggest you install one and use it. The problem would have been immediately obvious.

 

[southtexas]

Re: Water streaming OUT of livewell thru hull intake

Thankfully, I have a bilge pump! When the livewell pump is not switched on, water still flows to the livewells. I've been told that's normal (so you don't have to run the livewell pump on long trips).

However, the pinhole leak in the pump brings in a lot less water than was flowing out of the thru hull. Does it seem likely that there is not a good seal at the thru hull, allowing water into the lower bilge area, then flowing right back out when boat is taken out of water?

How would I test this theory? While boat is on lift and dry, fill up the bilge area with water and see where it comes out?

 

[dingbat]

Re: Water streaming OUT of livewell thru hull intake

The water running out your intake is probably nothing more than the water in the line running from the pump to the livewell draining back out of the system.

My livewell does it everytime unless I close the seacock on the intake before pulling the boat.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Water streaming OUT of livewell thru hull intake

If water is flooding the bilge area then there is a serious leak in the livewell pump or the lines going into and/or out of it. If you get a flow of water out the intake but there is no water in the bilge, then it's just water in the lines.

 

[reellife]

Re: Water streaming OUT of livewell thru hull intake

Thankfully, I have a bilge pump! When the livewell pump is not switched on, water still flows to the livewells. I've been told that's normal (so you don't have to run the livewell pump on long trips).

My Everglades 23 does the same, for safety consider installing a seacock between the hull and the livewell pump.

 

[109jb]

Re: Water streaming OUT of livewell thru hull intake

Could be no big deal. I had a boat that would do that. The livewell was partially below waterline and inside the tank at thee bottom was a tee. The tee was fed by the pump and one side went to the aerator, the other leg had a valve. The tanke also had the normal overflow thru hull. If the valve was for draining the livewell. If the valve was open, water would flow into the tank without the pump running. When the boat was pulled out a lot of water would cone out of the tank (about 4 or 5 gallons). If the valve was closed, water would still come out, but only the amount the hose could hold ( a cup or two).

 

[grego]

Re: Water streaming OUT of livewell thru hull intake

just a guess? a pin hole will take forever to make a diff. my livewells pump water into wells when pump is ON! and then through the overflow into the bottem of boat, to put fresh water in livewells to keep fish alive from there, the bilge"mine is auto" will pump out overflow in hull of boat If you have a bad seal in pump, the weight of boat will push water past the full livewell standoff and start filling the hold. Like not putting in the hull drain. As I said,"just a guess". You need to fix the pin hole before things get worse. If there is a bad seal ,with people onboard and coolers in water seal may leak but may not if you trailer boat and put water in hold of boat. "maybe a ONE! way leak" good luck and let me know.