Boat leaking?

General discussion not related to Lake Champlain.
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Jdavismmu
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Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:34 pm
Species: Variety

Boat leaking?

Post by Jdavismmu »

Hi everyone- I rarely post on this forum but really enjoy reading all the posts and have learned a lot! I own a Starcraft Superfisherman 180. It’s a 2007. My first time out this year I had a serious leak (thank God for bilge pumps!). I figured out it was a crack in the livewell drain tube as I put a hose to the outside of the thru hull fitting and could see water pouring into the bilge. Not great, but at least I found the problem. Here is where I am stumped. I have since plugged both thru hulls drains (2 livewells on the Boat )and capped the raw water intakes just to make sure plumbing was the issue. On a 3 hr fish I had no water in the bilge, yet, when I pulled the drain plug I had a significant amount of water. Recently I took it out again, only to have very little water (not enough to run the bilge pump) in the bilge , yet when I pulled the drain plug on shore a lot of water came out. This boat has been bone dry in the past. My last outing in October I fished over 6 hrs and had zero water come out the drain plug. What I don’t get, is that all this water comes out when I pull the drain plug on land, but isn’t in the bilge on the water. I can only surmise it’s a leak from a rivet or the keel gasket? But why isn’t that water pouring into my bilge? Sorry for being long winded. Just super confused!
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Wallyandre (Andre)
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Re: Boat leaking?

Post by Wallyandre (Andre) »

While the boat on trailer put water in with the jack wheel as low has possibl and raise it slowly then stop and look at the rivets if no water just raise it a little more and you should be able to find the leak
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BottomDollar
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Location: Burlington

Re: Boat leaking?

Post by BottomDollar »

My Starcraft is from 1974, but it always leaks a little from loose rivets. Never enough to run the bilge auto switch, but a gallon or so comes out of the plug hole when I pull the boat out.
Jdavismmu
Posts: 61
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:34 pm
Species: Variety

Re: Boat leaking?

Post by Jdavismmu »

I just went on the boat to troubleshoot. I removed the plastic plates that separate my in floor rod holders from the bottom of my boat. I think the drain hose from my front livewell got disconnected. Not sure how. Maybe a mouse chewed threw it or something. Anyway- I ran out of daylight but I am going to pour water through that front livewell and see if I can find a leak. I had the drain plugged but I am assuming some water can get in? We will see but that hose seemed really loose when I was able to reach it and move it. Of course, nothing is accessible in this boat. Almost forces you to take it in to get fixed...
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fishingmachine
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Re: Boat leaking?

Post by fishingmachine »

could be water just settles to the front of the boat and just takes time to get to the back of the boat when you put it on the trailer
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C-Hawk
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Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:41 am
Species: salmon,lake trout

Re: Boat leaking?

Post by C-Hawk »

If you have an Aluminum boat with a riveted hull, its only a matter of time before you get leakage. If my my bilge pump fails on my 87 Islander, I go in. Not a big deal.
kman05446
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Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2015 1:28 pm
Species: salmon/trout
Location: Colchester

Re: Boat leaking?

Post by kman05446 »

First time out in my 1992 sea nymph gps was the rotary derby. Just cleared the Burlington break wall heading south. The boat didn't feel right. Hit the bilge and it was pumping water. Checked below deck and had about 4" of water. Headed straight back to the dock and loaded it on the trailer. Pulled the plug and a ton of water came out.. First thought was live well intake or drain. Off to hardware store to get plugs for them. Installed plugs and went back out.. not a drop of water. Haven't had a chance to investigate it futher.will keep you posted
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Ahhspray
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Re: Boat leaking?

Post by Ahhspray »

I have a '78 Starcraft. Rivets leaked badly when I first bought the boat before overhauling whole boat, engine, replaced transom, painted hull, etc. Good paint on the hull sealed the rivets for may years so far. Never leaked a bit until this spring. This spring I had replaced the transom plate on the outside of the boat that the engine mounts over. The old wood one was rotting and I replaced with a poly material that can't rot. I THOUGHT I had sealed every hole before putting engine back on and bolting it back on but I must have missed at least one. Redid it and it runs dry now.
Its possible that time, freezing moisture, etc., damaged the seal around those mounting holes and is allowing water to get in through some of these that fall beneath the water line. I pinpointed my issue when on the water and looked at the inside-of-the-boat side of the transom. I could see water dripping/running down and into the bilge. Good luck!
Totally rebuilt - 1986 22' Starcraft 220V CC T-top w/ 1986 Evinrude 140hp and 1978 Merc 7.5hp kicker
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