How much water in bilge reasonable?

[gabernet]

New Phoenix boat. Been out on water 4x times and been surprised as to amount of water coming out of drainplug at end of day. Nothing in cooler, both livewells plugged. Main drainplug is so tight can barely hand loosen. No obstructions in drain plug. Have not run livewells any. Bilges have not cycled on. No water over transom at launch nor running/slowing down. I'm at a loss as to where the water may be coming from without going to full sump investigation, and don't want to tear out all the rigging on new boat. Any consensus on what would be "normal" or acceptable water amounts for a day on the water with conditions described above?

[Tom Edwards]

have boat in driveway or yard, screw in bilge plug tight, using garden hose run a bunch of water into the bilge, watch under the boat for dripping water. might be from other fittings. if water comes out from a port for the live wells, take out the plate over the pump area, look at the hoses to see if a screw was screwed into a hose, that's happened before.

[Jasonrs]

Check the sealant around the starboard rub rail cap on the transom. Where the transducer wires come thru, some find a small leak, i sealed mine up better, and nothing in my bilge since

[krindgen]

Sure the water's not coming over the transom coming off plane? Kinda gotta "goose" 'er a little when slowing down. I noticed some extra plumbing parts loose in my bilge when I installed my flow-rite plug.

[duncankopprichardson]

others have had leaking issues have been sealant around the drain plug, lack of sealant under the rub rail, lack of sealant under the tie down hooks.

[Squire]

Boarding ladder seal is also an area to look. For me, it was remote drain plug not seating. Put some silicone grease on it and problem solved

[wcookieman]

What about your charger plug cover. If you don’t close water will enter.

[EdDavisKY]

have boat in driveway or yard, screw in bilge plug tight, using garden hose run a bunch of water into the bilge, watch under the boat for dripping water. might be from other fittings. if water comes out from a port for the live wells, take out the plate over the pump area, look at the hoses to see if a screw was screwed into a hose, that's happened before.

Do this first, and know for sure where the water is coming in. Just my suggestion
Under normal conditions, you should not be getting more than a cup of water out of the drain.

[gabernet]

Update to post: boat dealer took out batteries and opened bilge compartment with boat on water. Could not see or identify any leaks. After my insistence that water was encroaching, boat dealer filled bilge with water at shop and discovered small amount of leak coming thru one of the thru hull fittings. (I think once in water with full pressure of depth, this leak was likely more pronounced going into bilge.) Dealer did a reseal of the leaky fitting, and after 4x trips to the lake, confirmed hull is no longer leaking with very minor water residual after day on the water. So, this confirms the diagnosis and fix if any others experience such a leak, and to discover remedy, FYI...