Where should I start?

[Champ187elite]

Had a tournament last weekend, fished for about an 2 hours before I stated the big motor to try and run to a spot and the boat wouldn't get on plane, turns out I had an extreme amount of water in back. So I ran the bilge and got all of the water out of it. Didn't really know what was happening but somewhere water was coming in and I had to run the bilge every 15 minutes for the rest of the day. Want to try and figure out where the leak is but have no clue where I should start.

Anybody got some advice?

[RANGER487]

Livewell hoses maybe

[Tx Champ]

I would think if it's livewell hoses, you'd be losing water out of them and having to constantly add water to the livewell. With you boat on the trailer, plug the bilge drain and start running water in the bilge area and see where it comes out. You want to get it deep enough to cover all the pumps. It'll help to raise the tongue of the trailer. If that doesn't produce results, drain that and allow to dry. Close the livewell drain and start filling the livewell and see if water comes out the bilge drain.

[Champ187elite]

I would think if it's livewell hoses, you'd be losing water out of them and having to constantly add water to the livewell. With you boat on the trailer, plug the bilge drain and start running water in the bilge area and see where it comes out. You want to get it deep enough to cover all the pumps. It'll help to raise the tongue of the trailer. If that doesn't produce results, drain that and allow to dry. Close the livewell drain and start filling the livewell and see if water comes out the bilge drain.

That sounds about right, we did make about a 10 minute run and at the end of the run I turned on the bilge and once again water was in the bilge.

Ill give this try and see if it works, thanks!

[Hickory Legend]

Put it in the water and look in the bilge and see if you can tell where it’s coming from. Start with the live wells are empty, no water? Then fill the wells and see what happens!!

[grout-scout]

The plastic housing with the aerators is notorious for cracking too.

[Ranger rage]

Yes They are!

[Champ187elite]

IMG_2183.jpg

Well I found the source to my leak. Took a guy out two weekends ago who has very poor movement in his legs and has a special chair to sit on while he fishes. His chair had one of those smaller pegs that went through the hole in the bottom of the pedestal seat insert. Apparently the peg must have be to long and punctured the top of my live well so when the live well filled up it was constantly draining from the top into the bilge. Got the hole patched and should be good to go.

Thanks for the suggestion guys!

[Tx Champ]

The livewell overflow is at a lower level than that and should be letting water out as fast as it comes in. My bet is that's not it. You don't want to get so much water in your livewell that your aerator spray heads are covered. They have a venturi that introduces air into the water stream.

[Champ187elite]

The livewell overflow is at a lower level than that and should be letting water out as fast as it comes in. My bet is that's not it. You don't want to get so much water in your livewell that your aerator spray heads are covered. They have a venturi that introduces air into the water stream.

So is it as simple as adjusting the overflow lower so the water doesn't reach that high?

[jarhead175]

What he is saying the overflow is on the bottom of hull theirs no way that punctured the over flow and a hole in the top will be way above the overflow in the side of the livewell has to be another issue.

[Tx Champ]

The overflow is a fixed fitting through the side of the livewell and should be below the Aerate and Hydro spray heads. The illistration below shows the overflow on the right, Hydro (recirculate) in the center and Aerate (Fill) on the left and drain on the bottom. These are not the actual locations in a Champion, but gives you an idea of the water management. The system overflows and drains the water out of the boat, so nothing goes into the bilge area. If you're having to run your bilge every 15min, you have a leak somewhere. Common places are the fittings through the hull, the drain valve and Aerate pump. Note the Aerate or livewell fill through hull fitting is actually part of the pump housing. Don't forget the condition of your bilge drain plug. If it's old, it could be leaking as well. The rubber get hard and/or cracks.

flow-rite.JPG

[Champ187elite]

What he is saying the overflow is on the bottom of hull theirs no way that punctured the over flow and a hole in the top will be way above the overflow in the side of the livewell has to be another issue.

I get what you guys are saying but live well is designed kind of goofy as in its not a normal square, to be honest I don't even know draw/ explain it. The overflow is at the very top on a similar level as the puncture, when I filled my livewell with a hose it was draining out of both the overflow and the puncture into the bilge. If you look at my crap photograph you can see the black spot, thats the puncture, that tan stuff around it is a flat spot on top of the livewell or where the left and the right side connect. I can reach my hand in the livewell and feel the puncture with my hand. That is why I was lead to believe it was the puncture that was giving me the problems. The Plug has been replaced and I did reseal all of my hull fittings last year which is why I dont believe its my fittings. Will have to take the boat out tonight and give it a test. Thanks again!

[184SuperV]

My 184 will overflow it's livewell water over the livewell's top lip into the bilge and even out from under the livewell lids if the llvewell aeration pump timer is set to turn on too often.

My livewell overflow line will not allow excess livewell water to flow out fast enough when the aerator pump turns on too often.

Simply turning the aerator pump timer down so it cycles on less often fixed it.

[OSUDVM]

The overflow is a fixed fitting through the side of the livewell and should be below the Aerate and Hydro spray heads. The illistration below shows the overflow on the right, Hydro (recirculate) in the center and Aerate (Fill) on the left and drain on the bottom. These are not the actual locations in a Champion, but gives you an idea of the water management. The system overflows and drains the water out of the boat, so nothing goes into the bilge area. If you're having to run your bilge every 15min, you have a leak somewhere. Common places are the fittings through the hull, the drain valve and Aerate pump. Note the Aerate or livewell fill through hull fitting is actually part of the pump housing. Don't forget the condition of your bilge drain plug. If it's old, it could be leaking as well. The rubber get hard and/or cracks.

flow-rite.JPG

Be sure to check the drainage port in the bottom of your livewell. This is the drain that your valve is attached to the open and close the livewell. These can become loose as the silicone caulking finally gets old and loosens up. Reach down and see if you can wiggle the drain cap. These drain caps will become loose and slowly leak water around the drain cap and into the bilge. It is deceiving because it does not leak so much that the livewell will not hold water but yet leak enough over 15-30 minutes that your bilge pumps are kicked on. With the boat on the trailer at home; close the livewell valve, fill up your livewell, and then see if your automatic bilge kicks on after 15-20 minutes. You will have already check to see if it is loose. This will just help prove that the leak is coming from the loose drain. I am speaking from experience as a very good mechanic couldn't figure it out for me as I had to figure it out myself.

[OSUDVM]

Be sure to check the drainage port in the bottom of your livewell. This is the drain that your valve is attached to the open and close the livewell. These can become loose as the silicone caulking finally gets old and loosens up. Reach down and see if you can wiggle the drain cap. These drain caps will become loose and slowly leak water around the drain cap and into the bilge. It is deceiving because it does not leak so much that the livewell will not hold water but yet leak enough over 15-30 minutes that your bilge pumps are kicked on. With the boat on the trailer at home; close the livewell valve, fill up your livewell, and then see if your automatic bilge kicks on after 15-20 minutes. You will have already check to see if it is loose. This will just help prove that the leak is coming from the loose drain. I am speaking from experience as a very good mechanic couldn't figure it out for me as I had to figure it out myself.

Also, I forgot to mention. When you check the drain port in the bottom of the livewell, you should be able to feel a ring of silicone caulking around the bottom of the drain. This is where drain pipes/tubing is exiting the bottom of the livewell. This is the caulking that gets old over time and needs to be reapplied.

[ChampioNman]

May want to check the fill pump, I had one crack at the transom and let water in during a T took the screen off and installed a rubber cork into the fitting and kept on fishing. Had to fill the livewell with a bucket.

[OSUDVM]

May want to check the fill pump, I had one crack at the transom and let water in during a T took the screen off and installed a rubber cork into the fitting and kept on fishing. Had to fill the livewell with a bucket.

What year is your boat? I had a 1995 191 Elite which had the hard fiberglass livewells. Mine actually developed a crack in it and had to be replaced. Something else to consider.