Leaking 95' Ranger 491V

[brinsonwebb]

My ranger is leaking water in... but here's the catch.

1. It's in pristine condition... not a scratch on it hardly.

2. It doesn't leak at all with just me whether its running through the water or whether is stationary.

3. With me and my father (me 180lb/ he 260lb) it leaks a very small amount a couple of cups over a few hours.

4. With four adults it leaks a couple of cups an hour when stationary/using trolling motor.

5. With four adults while driving the boat on plane it leaks enough in 30 min to sink the boat.... (you better keep the bilge running when driving).

6. I've tried my best to find a hole or crack but unless its where the trailer running boards are I don't see anything....

7. It does have a keel guard... is it possible the previous owner cracked the keel and put the guard on it to cover that up.... or does this sound like something else... (I hate to take it off if that doesn't sound like the culprit.. that things cemented on there with the worlds strongest glue..)

Thanks.

[Klail]

Bow eye loose? more weight = boat sitting lower in water. Plowing water when moving with four adults? Could also be a leak between top cap and hull. Look for gaps or holes under or behind rub rail.

[paulrodbender]

With the boat on the trailer, put in the drain plug and put water in the bilge with a garden hose and check the outside bottom of the hull for water leaking out.
Then fill the live wells with water and check for leaks, I would suspect the live wells. Good luck.

[alli ss]

Id bet its a rubrail leak and id bet again that its where the top cap meets the transom on the back of the boat somewhere most likely right in the middle under the motor.

[Hawg]

rubrail!!!!

[DrewFlu33]

Until I read #5 I was sure it was either the rub-rail or the tie down loops in the back. The weight of someone standing on the back deck might be enough to submerge those tie down hooks in the back with a slow leak that wouldn't be submerged when you're by yourself.

Point 5 makes me think it must be coming in around the motor somewhere. It's the only way I can make any sense of it - when running, less of the boat is in the water, so you would think it would have to leak less! If it was a rubrail leak, seems like it would leak no matter who was in it. Maybe your transom is flexing when underway with extra weight in the boat and opening up a crack that's otherwise mostly sealed? Or maybe it's coming in around transom bolts that flex a bit while underway when pushing extra weight in the boat? Try jumping on your motor to see if it flexes at all.

Bow eye is another good suggestion if you're not on plane when you've got 4 people in it and it's filling up. Mine was loose in my 95 481vs. I was able to access it by removing the front panel where the switches and trolling motor plug are. No foam up there in the very tip, thankfully. Seems like if it were loose enough to allow that much water in you'd notice it while putting the boat on the trailer, though.

[Riccochet]

It's a boat, not a submarine. It wouldn't be the rub rail if it's worse when running with 4 people. Bow eye isn't going to be submerged while running either. My opinion, there is a crack in the hull where it rests on the bunk. Get a floor jack, piece of wood and jack the boat up off the trailer. I bet money on it being somewhere near the middle.

[Fish Boy]

I have a 481vs with the set back and in the set back is a approximately 8" access port in the splash well and on mine the seal is kinda worn out so whenever I have extra weight or waves that are constantly covering the well and cover with water it leaks into the bilge. Might be something to look at if you have the set back.

[Fish Boy]

If that's not and that much water is coming in while it's weighted keep your boat strapped to the trailer and open your bilge compartment as a buddy backs you in while you and big friend sit in the back of the boat listening for water coming in.

[buster502]

With the boat on the trailer, put in the drain plug and put water in the bilge with a garden hose and check the outside bottom of the hull for water leaking out.
Then fill the live wells with water and check for leaks, I would suspect the live wells. Good luck.

do this first, then check the rub rail i bet the screws come loose on the rub rail but first things first. good luck

[jarhead175]

Looking for leaks always check plumbing first.

[JHenry]

My friends 520 keeps leaking from the round access panel in the storage compartment behind the drivers seat. He has had rubrail off and reinstalled and it is still leaking.

[ParDeus]

Hate to bump such an old thread, but I've got the same issue. Ranger 393v, NEVER leaks a drop w/2 people. With 4 people trolling, nary a drop also. However, with 4 people on board, a 5min run will collect a couple gallons in the bilge. I'm very cautious about coming off plane, so it's not that.

Is there anything in the livewell system that would make sense that's causing this? That's my only thought, as everything else is sealed up real good.

Thanks

[Bob G.]

You should start a new thread as the OP made one post and never came back with an update as to what was the solution to his problem.

[Matt_Fisherman]

I have a 1991 Ranger 393v. No issues with 2 guys fishing out of it. I took the family out we had 3 adults and 3 kids in it. Doesn't leak when sitting. When I was driving water comes in really fast. Same issue here. I am going to keep trying to figure it out. Checked bottom and all my livewell stuff no issues there.

[alli ss]

Water rushes up to the rubrail when idling along and stopping. It sits lower with more dudes in it so the rubrail gets even more water on it.

[bill duffy]

I am guessing a leak in the top cap, probably behind the motor. Also check for loose or broken screws in the rub rail. I know how frustrating trying to find a leak is.

[ParDeus]

Water rushes up to the rubrail when idling along and stopping. It sits lower with more dudes in it so the rubrail gets even more water on it.

See that's the thing, idling along and it never leaks a drop (w/4 people). Get up on plane, hit the bilge pump and watch it pee. Very strange!

[jc2bg]

Are you sure it’s not leaking when idling along? A significant amount of water can accumulate in the bilge before the bilge pump will kick on [manual or automatic]. At idle or at rest, this water evenly disperses along the inside bottom of the hull. Several gallons of water won’t reach the level of the bilge pump intake if it is dispersed over the entire length of the boat. But when you get on plane, all of this water rushes to the stern, with the effect of raising the water level to where it *will* pump out with the bilge pump. It’s easy and fairly quick to test whether this scenario is in fact happening. Drain the boat completely before putting it into the water, take your 4 people and idle around, then pull back onto the trailer and pull the drain plug again. Water or no water accumulated?

[Texas Rig]

I would check the speedometer and water pressure tubing. In my opinion, the only way a substantial amount water can come in a bass boat on plane is through an opening below the water line.