OK wasn't quite that bad, but it could have been. We get to the launch for the first time this year and the guy in front of us forgets his plug for his boat. New boater didn't have a clue, it was kind of funny. <BR> <BR>So I put my boat in take the tower down and go under the bridge and start getting set up. Start filling the ballast tanks and the rear ones won't fill. Kind of think that's a little strange then all of a suddon the bilge starts pumping water. I check down below and my bilge area is almost too the top with water!! <BR> <BR>I emptied the front bag with no problems however I couldn't pump the water out as fast as it was coming in it seemed. Pulled the boat out and drained the bottom of the boat out, all the plugs were in. During the winterization process do the dealers take the hoses off and blow them out. COuld they have hooked them up wrong and I was pumping water into my boat??? Any suggestion. I have a call into the guy that winterized the boat but has this ever happened to anyone else? I'm just speculating that's the problem, anyone have any ideas? <BR> <BR>

Pat, <BR>Do you have a shower on board? If so, check the hose connections? Also, your ballast hoses might have cracked from freezing over the winter <BR>(if there was any water remaining)......... Good luck!

gotta shower as well. Didn't run or check that though. Didn't really have time.

I have heard more than once of the ballast pump housing splitting over winter and then allowing water to pour into the bilge.

Did the guy that winterized the boat replace the pitcocks on each side of the motor? My buddie did that one year, it was very had to find because we'd shut the motor off before we opened the engine cover! But it was a very quick and easy fix.

Didn't really have time? I think it would be best to make time before putting your boat in the water. If it sunk, you'd have all the time you could possibly need.

Craig how do you check the shower before you put the boat in the water? Maybe I should've talked to you before I went out.

If you have a fake-a-lake you can check the engine connections while running and then use the fake-a-lake over the ballast intake (assuming the intake can be covered by the fake-a-lake). <BR> <BR>That way you can check all of the engine and ballast connections without a repeat of what happened last time (including the shower or heater, etc since all draw water off of the engine cooling system). <BR> <BR>

This happened to me on my first time out last year. The engine ran fine in the driveway. I get out on the water with just me and my daughter and the thing starts overheating. I shut it down and then find that the bilge is full. Turns out a hose had come off. <BR> <BR>I guess the folks that winterized the boat (and did a few other things) must not have tightened the hose. It must have just barely been on and came off when the boat got rocked a little in the water. <BR> <BR>I made sure this year I checked the hoses!

Me and the Mrs were putting our first 10 hours on the new boat when I noticed that the bilge pump was going continuously. Opened it up and there was lots of water in the bilge. Turns out the hot water pickup for the shower came loose.

Here it is, <BR> <BR>The front sack had a small tear, not a big deal but would have leaked a little. The problem was there are two plastic valves that control the direction of the water coming through the ballast intakes (right under the engine). For Mastercraft owners they are red and black. The mechanic didn't get all the water out of them and they cracked open when it froze. So as soon as the boat hit the water it was like I had a hole in the back or the boat. Hopefully that's the only damage. It sucks because it's our long weekend starting tomorrow and the weather is going to be cold and raining. Won't be able to get the boat in the water until the end of May now. <BR> <BR>For the record CANADA sucks

That sucks Pat. Come to Vancouver - sunny and highs of 17 this weekend!