I just purchased myself a new v drive absolutely love the ride. Only concern is water seems to be seeping into stern storage compartments on each side of the motor. Bilge never comes on but somehow water gets in and carpet is definitely getting wet. Is this common with others or should I be concerned?

Big Les, <BR> <BR>Are you filling your ballast when this happens? Do you have bags or tanks? Check the connections especially if its bags. See any water leaking through the packing if so it may be worse when driving so look at that as well. There are lots of possibilities here. Ahhh, a boat owner's great mystery, "Why is there water in the bottom of my boat?"

No ballast on my boat which is what makes me curious if it is just the water in the bilge area that seeps in before the boat planes. Is this typical for V drives?

Les, it is common for all inboards to get a little water seeping through packing, (where drive shaft penetrates hull) this is necessary for lubrication. But you mention wet carpet in storage areas. Sounds like more than packing nut. Are people climbing in from swim step wet? that water can end up draining down around upholstery. just a thought

if you have a heater and its not hooked up there will be a lot of water coming in the boat but it will be coming in where the heater core is and its probably not in the back.

talk to a dealer if it were the heater core you'd definitely know

Thanks for the input guys it is starting to sound like water seeping in to the storage areas on the left and right side of the motor is not common after all.

For sure not common, atleast in the amount that you're talking. We'll collect a little water in the hull throughout the entire day but never more than a drinking glass or two worth MAX. Could you possibly be taking water over the transom when slowing down, making it possible for water to sneak in the lockers?

Check all of your hose-engine connections. It will fill up fast with one of those loose. There's a good chance that one of those may be loose or off especially after coming straight from a dealer or after winter storage. I've done it to myself in the past. Keep digging!

one other thing to check: Is any water collecting near the flywheel. On my last boat water was coming in thru the shaft seal, and then getting "sprayed" into the compartments by the flywheel, fanbelt, etc. <BR> <BR>New shaft packing solved the problem

For good info on the propeller/drive shaft seal check out the following article. Mine's leaking more than a few drips and so I'm going to be tightening and/or replaceing. <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.boatus.com/boattech/Casey/StuffingBox.htm" target="_blank">http://www.boatus.com/boattech/Casey/StuffingBox.htm</a>

Call me stupid BUT.....My rear compartments were always wet and always had some water sitting in engine bilge area (07 MC X1) so I started watching what was going on. I tie off to our pier with the bow towards the lake and the stern toward the shore. Rollers would hit our bulk head and bounce back out and water was constantly splashing up on the sundeck (between the teak platform and the hull). Last weekend, I put some pipe insulation between the deck and hull (for a test) while parked, and she was completely dry after two days in the water. <BR> <BR>I also noticed that if people get on the sun deck without some drip dry routine then water will seep into the compartments (not a lot but it adds up).

-Les <BR> <BR>My V-230, has had the same problem for a few weeks while I've been searching for the wet spot, and determined it's my front bag. <BR> <BR>My front ballast bag leaks at the very front fill inlet, it has 2 hose clams that are tight, but has an uncommon connector which is nearly impossible to get fingers on due to it's placement in the floor and only accessible thru the front cup holder cut outs. <BR>I was planning on looking for advice on here but forgot to take the pic's I need last time out. <BR>-Check it out - maybe we're having the same problem. <BR>-Good Luck to us both!

Any small children for rent to climb up inside the floor of my boat? <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0>

Jordan <BR>I will rent out my kids <BR>but the wife and I have to be there too <BR> <BR>just pay to ship us out there.... 4 people and our boat for 7 or 8 days...from the Dallas area <BR> <BR>and back of 'course <BR> <BR>and one of my rug rats will fix your problem <BR> <BR>thanks a bunch in advance!

Sounds like just a few bucks more than my dealer will charge! <IMG SRC="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":-)" BORDER=0>