Where to look what to look for???

[Jig_Man]

I have a 2016 Z20 with a 250 Verado. I fished yesterday for the first time in 2 weeks. I had fish in both live wells and noticed the boat being a little sluggish getting on plane. I did not run the aerators or the live well fill pumps. When I got back to the parking lot I opened the rear hatch and saw water in the bilge area. I must have pumped out 20+ gallons of water. I just came in from the garage after inspecting the boat. I am at a loss trying to figure out where the water came from.

I went all the way around the boat inspecting the silicone seal under the rub rail for a cap separation/all good.

I crawled under the boat and looked for damage to the hull/all good.

I checked all of the hoses for a loose connection and did not find anything.

What and where else would you guys check for?

[06 SB]

At home, fill up the live wells with the hose and check for leaks. Most likely you will find the leak...

[KCLOST]

It could be coming from one of the livewell pumps... The next time you launch your boat with the bilge dry. Immediately take a look back there... If your bilge is anything like mine, lift the lid in front of the trolling batteries and you will need a mirror to see both of the fill pumps for each live well. See if you can spot water coming in through one of the pump housings (cracked) or the fittings for the hoses or through the transom.... You can fill the livewells at home as well...

Let us know...

[Jig_Man]

I pulled the inspection plate and checked all of the hoses and couplings all looked good. Both live wells are full right now I see no leaks. There was enough water that the floor under the rear storage boxes got wet.

[Sparky292]

It might sound dumb but, was the plug in...?

[billspence]

Put it back in the water and run everything. Fill the livewells and keep the pumps on. Make sure the livewells drain instead of overflowing. A clogged overflow can send water into weird places. Open the bilge and look around while everything is running. That much water is a sign that something is broken somewhere, not seeping in somehow. I have had the fittings on the livewell pump break but look fine until under pressure. Bring a mirror so you can look around stuff.

Might be something in the plug area also. Things look fine to the naked eye but water is very sneaky.

Post results please.

[KCLOST]

Can you fill the bilge with water to see if it is leaking through the transom fittings? Now that I think about it the fill pumps will not leak with the livewells filled, even with a disconnected hose... You will have to launch the boat for water to get in the fill hose and pumps.... It fills at the top, so no water will get to the fill pumps by filling the well.... My bad...

But you have eliminated a leak from the recirculate hoses and pumps. Also the drain hose to the valves...

[Jig_Man]

I am beginning to think it may have come in through the bilge pump drain holes. The extra weight of the Verado, 4 batteries, power poles and their pumps has it setting pretty low in the water and it was very windy yesterday. I'm not sure when I can get it back on the water I'm busy for a few days and it is heading for the teens here.



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I'll go put water in the bilge and get back in a while.

[Jig_Man]

I filled the bilge to the top of the bilge pumps. No leaks from the fittings on the transom. I also checked the live well over flow drains. They are completely open.

[KCLOST]

Well, that's should eliminate the pumps, fittings, hoses, for everything associated with the live wells or bilge. As well as the hull itself under a good portion of the bilge... So If you are right about the bilge pump outs, you have it nailed down quite a bit!
I would check the next time you launch just to make sure...


You did not see any water come out of any of the hoses attached to the fittings (any drips at all leaking on the ground)? You left them all open, as well as the live well drain valves?

[Jig_Man]

I plan to. I've cancelled everything on Thursday so I can go back to the water and see if I can find anything that isn't showing up now.

[billspence]

I am beginning to think it may have come in through the bilge pump drain holes. The extra weight of the Verado, 4 batteries, power poles and their pumps has it setting pretty low in the water and it was very windy yesterday. I'm not sure when I can get it back on the water I'm busy for a few days and it is heading for the teens here.



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I'll go put water in the bilge and get back in a while.

The back of any bass boat has a ton of ways that a lot of water can get in. Every hose hole as well as the motor rigging hole, isn't waterproof. Waves over the back, even if only into the splashwell, will get to the bilge quick. If it was rough, that is most likely the culprit.

By the way, that's a lot of water for the auto-bilge to not come on.

[KCLOST]

I thought the same thing, it's possible he doesn't have auto bilge as it is an option not standard.... Only the manual bilge pump is standard...

[Jig_Man]

I took it to Table Rock this am and had it on the water for a couple of hours. There was a little water coming in from some place along the transom. I couldn't see anything with a light and mirror just the floor of the bilge getting a bit wet. I ran it and stopped it a few times but no increase in the water intake. I have a plate over the bilge with 2 batteries on it. I'm going to pull that all out and silicone everything that leads to the outside. Surely I'll blind sow it one way or another.

[zeke4351]

Look under the rub rail back by the motor where it ends.

[Jig_Man]

I got the batteries and their plate out. What a nasty mess there was in the bilge area. There were full cable ties and lots of bits of cable ties, odd and end gunk along with a large gasket, a blue plastic cap about a inch long, and a battery tie down strap. Someone at the plant or the rigger at the dealership sure did a sloppy job.

Anyway there are 7 possible places where water can enter. I have lights and a fan on the area now. I'm going to caulk around them all as soon as it dries out.

[KCLOST]

That is a surprise, I have looked in mine when I had a noisy live-well pump and it was incredibly clean...

[Jig_Man]

That is a surprise, I have looked in mine when I had a noisy live-well pump and it was incredibly clean...

I expected mine to be clean also. It is just another in the long list of reasons to not go back to that dealer.

[Nitro29]

I had a leak once that was actually on the underside of the boat. It was a crack in the hull, but it was covered by the trailer bunk so I couldn't tell it until I loaded the trailer a little off-kilter.

[5-Dinks]

I expected mine to be clean also. It is just another in the long list of reasons to not go back to that dealer.

Which dealer is that?