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lowe

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Oct 14, 2008
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Location
SE Kentucky
Well I think I might have a leak on my Lowe 16ft Bass Catcher Pro. I took the boat to the lake today and unloaded it so I could fix my bunks and carpet them. So I beached the boat for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. When I went back, I had about 2 to 3 inches of water collected against the back of the transom down in the hull. As it was getting late in the day, I loaded the boat up and brought it back home.

I know some of the water was there when I beached the boat, because of the way the boat is made, when a certain amount of water comes in through the drain hole in the gully below the front of the engine, it will drain over each end of the gully and down into the hull and when it gets so low, the rest will go back out of the drain hole in the transom. That is how the boat is designed from what I can tell.

So when I got it home, I took both tanks and the battery out of the boat and dropped the front of it down hill. I filled the boat up with water until it came out of the floor drain. After letting it set for two hours, no water was coming from any of the rivets in the front of the boat.

Then I raised the front of the boat back up and filled the hull in the main back full of water to about 5 inches. I found one rivet leaking so I have it marked. Also the rib going through the middle of the boat's underbelly is mosit along the ridge on both sides. This is the only rib under the boat that is riveted. But I don't know if the moisture is from the lake today in between the rib and the hull, which it is riveted to. While I had the back hull filled with water, I could not see any water seeping from the rib, and the moisture that was already there did not get any worse, so I don't know if that is the problem or not. It doesn't look like it, but could water go in and not come out?

One other thing I noticed today was at the inlet on the outside of my transom that goes through to my live well pump. When I feel the hull with water, a very small stream of water seeps through the inlet, and drains outside the transom. I figure if it is seeping out, it has to be seeping in while the boat is submerged in water. I looked the boats outer hull over with a fine tooth comb, and no cracks or broken welds were found and no water was found exiting.

The only other place, I could not inspect was the rivets were the bunks are because of the boat resting on them.

If the middle rib, were I assume the boat was put together is allowing water in but not out, what product can I use to fun a small bead on each side of the rib?

Thanks, and any information is appreciated.
 
Waterwings said:
Have you ever noticed any water in the bilge during/after previous trips? Drain plug in good shape?


Not being too knowledgeable about the different locations of a boat and what their proper terminology is, I think the location I am referring to is actually the bilge. It is the area were my bilge pump and live well pump is located.

Here is where the water is collecting:
boat5.jpg


Water comes into this area while on trip. I can pump it down until the bilge will not pick it up because it is below the bilge, which sits about 1/2 inch up on an aluminum plate. Let me see if I can explain this better:

Here is a picture of were water comes in when I back the boat up or come out of the throttle very fast. Water will rush in to this gully as I call it:
transom1.jpg


There is a drain hole located in this area that the water will drain back out of, but if the water gets too high or I turn the boat to the left or the right, and the water level reaches so high it will drain back down into the area of the first picture or bilge as you called it.

That is were all the water I am getting is ending up. It is very easy to pump out. I know I will get some water down in that area because of the boats drainage design, but I am just wondering how much is normal and how much is too much. Like today, while the boat was beach, I wasn't getting any water to this area. I don't know where else it could be coming in. The only real sign of a leak I could find was the one rivet, but it wasn't even a drip. It would take it several minutes to build up enough water to drip, but that may be different with the pressure of the water on it while on the lake. The boat was in the water about where the front deck ends and the floor starts. But I have let the boat set for hours with water in it and have not found any leaks from the riding seats forward to the front of the boat

As for the riveted rib, when I filled the boat up with water, I saw no water coming out. When describing the riveted rib, I am referring to, I assume, where the hull was put together in the middle, and the rib was riveted on to hold it together. You may be familiar with what I am talking about. But again, it may be different when the boat is in the water. It could be coming in there.

Down in the bilge, the boat is designed to allow any water in that area to travel through canals that run underneath the boats flooring to the front of the boat, and then to the back when I get in the throttle. You can see what I am referring to in the first picture in this post. There are 3 or 4 of them that run through the boat, underneath were the gas tanks set and up to the front of the boat about 3/4 of the way.

I know that were I have done some modification on the transom and not replaced the wood yet, I do get some leakage that way as well. I have seen that, but if there is no water in the tray I posted the picture of, no water will drain down into the bilge.

I don't know if that much water could be coming in from where the inlet to the live well pump is located at or not. Like I said, if I fill the bilge area up with water, I do get a small, constant stream of water leaking out of the inlet on the outside of the transom. Maybe that is my problem, I really don't know. My way of thinking is if it will leak out, it more than likely will leak in as well. But really don't know. The inlet I am referring to is white and it is threaded. It starts on the back of the boat and comes through to the live well pump, then a tube from the pump runs into the live wells. I'm sure you know what I am talking about.

I don't know the best way of tracking it down if I have a leak except doing the steps I stated in the first post. Do you have any ideals? Maybe I can try working on the live well pump inlet and see if that stops my water collection since I know if allows the water to exit the bilge area at a slow rate.

As for the drain plug, while I was allowing the water I filled into the boat today while trying to find a possible leak, I was draining the water into a cooler. When the cooler would fill up, I would install the drain plug and it would stop the water instantly with no dripping so I don't think that is the problem.
 
my boat leaked at the keel the piece you are talking about i filled my boat with water then added a little food coloring then i got under my boat i did it on the trailer then i push up on the metal around the keel and then it started to leak i just re bucked the rivets then i took and drilled a 1/8 inch hole every two foot in my keel and filled it with the foam in a can i have no more leaks.check you hoses to your live well make sure they ain't leaking
 
Here is a picture of were water comes in when I back the boat up or come out of the throttle very fast. Water will rush in to this gully as I call it:

Where is the overboard discharge hole for your bilge pump located? High or low on the stern (back of boat)? Do you have a livewell with the pumpout feature with a discharge hole on the stern? Just a thought, but when you backup or come off the throttle real fast, water may be entering through a discharge opening, and there might be a leaking fitting (hose connection) somewhere low inside the boat. Just a thought.

Post a pic of the stern on your boat so's we can take a peek :)
 
Thats a pretty long post.
As for how much water is "normal" in your boat...unless it's raining,none.
If water is leaking out,when you fill it at your home,I think more would come in on the water;do to pressure.
The previous posts give you a good start,check your drain plug also.
 
Waterwings: The discharge hole for the bilge pump sits a midway on the side of the boat. I have never really paid attention whether it was submerged when the boat is in operation or not. I will check that. The livewells do not have a pump out. They take a drain plug and I know it is not leaking. I will check all of the fittings you mentioned. I do know the live well inlet fitting will allow water to slowly leak out, so I assume water is entering there as well, which could be my problem all together. I will get a picture of the rear of the boat tomorrow.

Yeah, I know it is a long post Zum. I got carried away. I know one fitting is leaking, which is the live well intake fitting were water enters when I turn on the live well pump. That is the area I am talking about allowing a slow trickle of water to leak out of the bilge area. I will start there first and work my way around. Other than the one rivet that is only dripping every five to ten minutes, I could not find anything out of the ordinary. I am going to check the area dedawg mentioned also, but I really don't think I have a problem there, but could be wrong. I am guessing, the more I think about it, the water is entering the boat through the live well intake. I will let you know what I find out.

Again, I appreciate everyone's input on this. Thanks a lot. It isn't everyday you run across a group of people who will take the time to help a person with problems like you guys.
 

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