Give a girl a break.... now what? Hull leak...

So update,

Thinking that I'd gotten off easy with a few hundred to get the trailer up to spec, I went last night to pick up the boat from the dock and put it back on the trailer just out of repairs...

I take off the top and find water 3" over the carpet... my guess is that the stellar method of trailering from Cali without tie-downs etc. (see rant in boats for sale regarding Inland Auto & Boats) ... has led to a nice leak in the D-ring in the front of the boat (where you tie the rope to on the hull). At least the leak was easy to find... after putting the boat on the trailer, the water was pouring out from around the bolts...

Thankfully I didn't leave it until Friday or my boat would have been on the bottom of Simcoe.

So, this is the part where it would be nice to have a boyfriend... who's a marine mechanic. I swear I'm going to have a Y chromosome by the end of the summer... next stop, posts on leak repair.

Sj

hey do you have a pic of your boat i have a 22i also and would love to see yours.

My boat currently has no method of tie down or any other support on the trailer other than the D-ring. It never has. 1987 Supra Sunsport. I just got it and plan on fixing that, but the D-ring should hold up to just about anything....

wow, the neverending battle.. might just need to tighten bolts? however, if there are spider cracks around gel and if you can get up underneath bow cushion to pull back carpet to inspect that would be better.. if the integrity of the fiberglass/gel has been compromised that much in the bow hook then you will probably need to get re-glassed to keep from shredding glass and pulling the ring and a nice souvenir chunk completely off the front of the boat.. sounds like previous owner did not know how to powerload a direct drive and used the winch for a few dry pulls up the bunks.. in the future, submerge your bunks completely at the ramp before loading and then pull trailer forward to appropriate load angle for efficient loading.. unfortunately, i mapquested your location and my wife will not let me drive there today to help because you are too far away and in a different country.. good luck and keep us posted!

That d-ring should be out of the water at rest no? Most likely the leak is the packing seal for the driveshaft and/or the rudder shaft.

How come the bilge pump wasn't on? If it is not wired to run automatically then that issue also needs to be addressed.

Edit: You should be able to rear tie the boat to the trailer from the swim platform brackets.

(Message edited by Peter_C on May 22, 2008)

I would also check the exhaust pipes, you might have cracks/holes in them, this will also allow water into the bilge. If they are cracked, they can be repaired. Getting the bilge pump working was also a good suggestion by Peter.

Good luck,
JT

I'm hoping it's just the D-ring, - which would explain why the entire boat wasn't submerged when I came back (it was sitting for 3 days).

I'll be able to put it in this weekend to check it out... and will definitely look into the bilge pump.

If the leak is in/on the exhaust pipes, will I be able to see this while it's on the trailer?

BTW, thanks for trying ManFox

Maybe post pics of you and the boat.. Chances are good you'll have all kinds of WW options that are willing to help out in the boat and boyfriend department.

LOL!!

Good luck with the boat. Nothing more frustrating that mechanical problems when you want to ride.

I would vote shaft seal or rudder packing if you turn this into a poll question. Unless the water was very rough I can't imagine that much water splashing up to a leaking into the bow eye or rear D rings. Did it rain a bunch where you parked it?

Hey SJ,

Where abouts are you on simcoe? If you are near kempenfelt bay, give me a shout if you want someone to look at it. Im going to second John's votes on what is leaking.

Sj,

You would need to pull up the floor behind the motor, there should be an access panel (assuming this is a direct drive, I'm not familiar with the boat). I would inspect the fiberglass exhaust pipes while it's in the water to see if they are leaking. The prop shaft and rudder packing could also be the issue as others have mentioned, these should also be inspected with the boat in the water. Sounds like you have a leak at the D ring also, that should be failry easy to pull out and silicon, does the "D" ring sit below the water level when the boat is at rest?

JT

I'd check your ballast. You said it was removed and replaced by the dealer when you bought it and it wasn't hooked up and working when you took delivery. I seriously doubt the water came in through the D-ring. it might have gone out there, but I doubt it came in there.

If you have a shut off valve on your ballast system by the thru hull close it and check your boat daily. I had a slow leak through my thru hull that I didn't know about because I keep my boat on a lift. The day I kept my boat tied up i found it on the bottom of the lake. Luckily it was beached and in a couple inches of water were standing in my boat.

I built a small bilge pump from pieces I bought only at walmart. I put it in the bilge if we leave the boat for long periods of time. It has clamps that hook directly onto the battery so I don't have to leave the key in or power on.

It did rain over the weekend, but nowhere near enough that I'd have had that much water (even if the top wasn't on the boat).

As for where the D ring sits... I'd have to back and double check. Starting to sound like more than one issue. I'm hoping Graham will be able to save the day and help me figure this out

PS - I love this place

Bowhook should be out of water.

Shaft packing sounds like culprit for the leak. easy check is to run some water into the bilge and see if you have water running down the prop shaft. Also, look at the swim platform brackets for cracks.

Stay patient! you'll have a trusty ride before you know it!

Some great advice on here! You'll have your boat fixed in no time!

Check your tracking fins as well have seen them fall off due to loose bolts. We were at powell about an hour and half from the trailer and my friends 22v 2003 would not come up to plain. opened the engine hatch and found water up to the floor. his bilge pump had quit working so I got my fat sack pumps out of my boat and we were able to get back to the trailer. If your are loose could be leaking there as well. I recomend to allways carry extra pumps just for that reason. Lucky for him I believe in running ballast.

I'm still not sure if we're asking for pics of the boat or the boat owner!!!!

Lol,

I'm not above posting a pic if it'll help diagnose my problem ;)

Don't have a picture of the leaking at the moment - I'm in TO and the boat's sitting in the rents driveway up in Barrie... but that's what tomorrow's for!

I've got a 22v and the Bow hook is under water @ idle. Also if you have the shark eye bow lights, they may not be sealed correctly.

"Shaft packing sounds like culprit for the leak. easy check is to run some water into the bilge and see if you have water running down the prop shaft."

That might work, but would not be considered a valid test. The reason being, that there is a big difference in pressure from a couple of inches vs the actual draft underwater. "Tige 22i. Length: 21' 8" Beam: 102.0" Draft: 31.0" Weight: 3895 lbs"

The driveshaft seal type dictates whether it is supposed to leak or not. Some are truly sealed and should not leak a drop, while the rope type seal is lubricated by the water and therefore needs a slow leak. On those an occasional drip is normal.

The rudder should not leak at all.

What ever the leak is if you are leaving your boat in the water unattended it needs to be with an automatic bilge pump running off of a fully charged battery.

Where the heck in Barrie is your parents? I live on St Vincent, just south of Grove.

I dont have my boat up here, sittin back home in Oakville.

And I added you on my msn, so give me a shout, im Up here tomorrow.

(Message edited by bigkitch on May 22, 2008)

We're in the South end - Yonge/Big Bay Pt. I'm heading up there today after work. Will try to catch up with you before then on msn

Thanks!!