Boat Taking on Water Help Please (Is Flow-Rite Drain Plug the issue)

[BassCatKev]

Thank you. That was a seriously important piece of information regarding type of grease and why. I didn't know that. As for the plug getting pulled back a little by water pressure from driving, that's not the issue. I drove 70 mph, slowed down took off etc last trip. When I pulled boat out, plug was flush. The dial will not put it in flush. But after hand pushing before launching, it stays that way from my observation after pulling boat out for the day. But I'm going to watch this even closer now to make double sure.

[BassCatKev]

Front end of trailer cranked all the way up. I have the bilge filled with water over top of the livewell intake, livewell drain and drain plug. I haven't even greased the plug yet (need to go get silicone grease) but it is pushed in flush. There is absolutely zero water leaking from any of the outside transom fittings. I turned on the aeration and recirculation pumps for the heck of it just to see if any bubbles or something. Saw nothing out of ordinary. Turned on the Pump In and Pump out pumps as well. The livewell is empty but the pumps work and no air bubbles observed in bilge area. The only other fitting is the livewell overflow drain fitting that faces straight downward on outside of transom (you see it facing downward when looking at drain plug, livewell fittings from outside the boat. There is no way it could be taking in water. It's fitting is above the plug and livewell fittings inside the bilge. It has always been dry as a bone. It's only relevant if you had water at very top of your livewell and getting ready to flood into your boat.
The ONLY leak I can find playing in the driveway is when livewell has many gallons of water in it. With livewell valve CLOSED (Auto) water will slowly leak out the livewell drain to left of drain plug. I asked if this was normal because if boat was sitting in water I wonder if normal water pressure would stop it. Never read an answer on that one. Regardless, I don't see how that could have anything to do with water streaming into the boat when it's sitting in the lake. No leaks observed coming through outside of fittings at all.

Can backing boat into water at boat ramp be any different than what I'm doing in the garage? People have told me no.

Man I owe you guys if you have any suggestions. Give this one a double read if you can. I'm leaving water in bilge all day and have hose ready to try anything different.

[swimrunbiker]

On the remote drain plug, when you move the lever to "In", it should have some resistance, but you should be able to turn the lever a bit more, the plug will seat fully and the lever will go a little further past "In".
As mentioned before, clean the plug area thoroughly, and lubricate the o-ring with a silicone grease... makes it much easier to get it to seat.

This is important to read over and make sure you are doing this. It functions like a detent

[catdude28]

I have had two situations where water flooded my bilge area.

The first one, one of the rubber on tings on the Southco drain plug was worn. Easy replacement and remedy.

On another boat, I had a cracked housing on a livewell pump in. The only way I found it was to back the stern in with the boat on the trailer and open the compartment lid. It was obvious. You should still take the boat to the ramp and back it in with a completely dry bilge area and have a good look.

[BassCatKev]

Catdude28....This is my livewell intake pump. It's a Johnson. I took the motor out of the red housing. I felt around the red housing and felt no cracks. I also felt around the silicone where thru fitting connects to the pump (not able to see it). I feel like it could probably be siliconed better but don't know how much difference that makes. I guess you're also saying there could be a crack someplace where the thru-fitting meets the pump? But then I guess I'd have a leak out the intake fitting outside the transom if that was the case.
Also, I am able to turn intake pump left or right until it hits bilge wall. Does that mean something is wrong? I don't know.

[JDS723]

I have a 2015 Puma FTD and it also leaks. I have inspected everything possible and can find nothing wrong with any fittings or hoses. I have concluded that mine is leaking under the rubrail where the top cap and hull come together. The rivets are loose in a couple of spots and the silicone has peeled back. Sounds like yours may be different than mine, but you could check it out just to make sure.

[neo]

Mine was leaking on one of the pump to hose connections, (2007 puma)fill live well up and try your pumps, i think mine was the recirculate one
it took a long time to find that leak.
Good luck.

[jp71291]

I have a 2015 Puma FTD and it also leaks. I have inspected everything possible and can find nothing wrong with any fittings or hoses. I have concluded that mine is leaking under the rubrail where the top cap and hull come together. The rivets are loose in a couple of spots and the silicone has peeled back. Sounds like yours may be different than mine, but you could check it out just to make sure.

I seriously doubt this is the case. BCB top cap and hull are glassed together not riveted together.

[boilerfishin]

Check your jack plate mounting bolts. I was finding water in my bilge area it turned out that one of the mounting bolts wasn't siliconed and the bolt was loose.

[JDS723]

I seriously doubt this is the case. BCB top cap and hull are glassed together not riveted together.

Mine is separated then. It flexes and moves.

[Bass Cat Boats]

We have never found one to be a leak under the rub rail. While we understand you feel that it is on your 2015, we have never found one inclusing those who felt that was the source.

[jp71291]

Mine is separated then. It flexes and moves.

As BCB said, this doesn’t sound like the case. Take it to your dealer for further inspection.

[mulligans]

I seriously doubt this is the case. BCB top cap and hull are glassed together not riveted together.

I geuss you've never had your rubrail off then.

[Phisherman]

I don't understand why you will not take it to the dealer for repair. Its a 2017, its under warranty. Or am I completely missing something? Your other thread that you started, regarding 200.00 cost, I am sure that you have spent that alone in time of value, if you place a value on your time at 50.00 a hour.

[Nova Kaw 650]

Iimmediately got my body and head with flashlight as deep in the bilge area as possible and just watched. I can see water coming in but can't say for sure from where. It almost looks like an upwelling of water when the flashlight light hits a certain area.

If the "upwelling of water" isn't in the bilge drain plug area, then it's not the drain plug.

[Nova Kaw 650]

The only other fitting is the livewell overflow drain fitting that faces straight downward on outside of transom (you see it facing downward when looking at drain plug, livewell fittings from outside the boat. There is no way it could be taking in water. It's fitting is above the plug and livewell fittings inside the bilge. It has always been dry as a bone. It's only relevant if you had water at very top of your livewell and getting ready to flood into your boat.

I would provisionally disagree with this ^^^
If the overflow line was disconnected from the livewell, it possibly could fill the boat with water when running and when sitting still.

[BassCatKev]

Nova Kaw 650. I have already checked that fitting. It is well connected from that high spot in back of bilge straight to the top part of livewell. That's interesting to know that water could come in if it wasn't connected though. It makes complete sense. There are no electric pumps of any kind on that hose and I for sure would have seen it last time I was out if that was it. I hope to be able to back boat into water someplace this weekend. People have been really helpful on helping me eliminate potential culprits.

[BassCatKev]

Backed boat down ramp today to search for issue. I'm thinking it's the thru hull livewell intake pump. I've removed the thru hull fitting from outside and pump from inside. The housing had cracks on opposite side. We saw water coming out the top of it this time which I had not seen before. Hopefully this is it. Regardless, I now have to replace this. I went to Bass Pro and bought a new thru hull pump, Loctite silicone (says made for thru hull fittings). I need to prep bilge and transom by getting all old silicone removed. I've researched a little about this on the forum. Sounds like the biggest mistake people make is not siliconing properly. Any detailed tips on this? And is this a 2 man job?

[Nova Kaw 650]

Backed boat down ramp today to search for issue. I'm thinking it's the thru hull livewell intake pump. I've removed the thru hull fitting from outside and pump from inside. The housing had cracks on opposite side. We saw water coming out the top of it this time which I had not seen before. Hopefully this is it. Regardless, I now have to replace this. I went to Bass Pro and bought a new thru hull pump, Loctite silicone (says made for thru hull fittings). I need to prep bilge and transom by getting all old silicone removed. I've researched a little about this on the forum. Sounds like the biggest mistake people make is not siliconing properly. Any detailed tips on this? And is this a 2 man job?

Yup...... pump it full!!!

[mulligans]

Sweet glad you figured it out.I got a tip, wear gloves.