04/28/2012 02:03:58 PM
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arctica
Member
Posts: 45
Joined: 05/24/2007
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Our 1986 Gibson was just put back in the water after a long winters sleep, and we discovered that we have water in the front bilge. Enough water to run the forward bilge pump, something I haven't seen before.
I thought that maybe a waterline or the watertank had sprung a leak over winter, so I drained it and we still have water coming in from somewhere.
I can fill my 12 gallon shop vac every 10-15 minutes.
The only time I have ever seen water in the forward bilge is in the fall when the yard guys drain the hot water heater into the bilge.
Aside from forgetting to put the plug in, what else could it be?
Everything was fine last fall when we took it out. We did paint the bottom last fall. The only other folks to touch it have been mechanics or yard guys.
I am fine as long as that bilge pump keeps working, but worried.
Help!
Thanks in advance for any advice, serious or tongue-in-cheek.
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04/28/2012 05:48:12 PM
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TonyB
Admiral
Posts: 218
Joined: 09/05/2011
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That is a serious leak. One gal. per minute is 60 gal per hour. Thats 500 lbs of water per hour.
First thing I would do is get another bilge pump. Get one from West Marine if possible. I have changed over several years ago to the electronic senseor rather than a float swirch. The electronic is much more reliable.
Place the second bilge pump up mabe an inch and a half higher so they dont run at the same time. The 2nd bilge pump will kick on if the first one gets overwhelmed. To me, that would be a priority even after you identify the leak on the outside chance you fix it and your fix dont hold.
As for finding the leak, I would think that if you moved your hand about you could possibly feel a 1 gal per minute leak. Maybe even some bright food dye scatteren in the bilge might show some water current and help in finding where it is coming from.
Sorry, that is the best I can come up with since I am not there in person.
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Never wrecked a boat while awake or sober
Kemah, Tx. - Galveston Bay
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04/28/2012 06:25:28 PM
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arctica
Member
Posts: 45
Joined: 05/24/2007
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Food dye....thats a good idea.
I have looked in all of the places that you can look and haven't seen anything obvious. Food dye might help.
I need to get a closer look at the engine compartment, there didn't seem to be any more water there than usual, but a coloring agent would help detect a current forward.
I was thinking about replacing that bilge pump, it is original, but maybe just adding a second for back up is the way to go.
Thanks for the advice! I will get after it tomorrow.
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04/29/2012 03:50:08 AM
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stmbtwle
Admiral
Posts: 2142
Joined: 04/22/2003
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Pumps and float switches can fail. The backup is the way to go.
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Willie She's a tired old barge but she's paid for! http://s71.photobucket.com/alb...p;current=ef324993.pbw
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04/29/2012 04:34:27 AM
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TonyB
Admiral
Posts: 218
Joined: 09/05/2011
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Maybe start with the food dye (harmless) in your fresh water tank and see if the dye shows up in the bilge.
You might want to turn on all the faucets and empty your fresh water tanks. Maybe it is leaking or possibly a hose behind a bulkhead or someplace not obvious.
if not, try looking and feeling and dyeing near your prop shafts near the bearings.
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Never wrecked a boat while awake or sober
Kemah, Tx. - Galveston Bay
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04/29/2012 05:44:42 PM
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42gibson
Member
Posts: 144
Joined: 11/19/2010
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did you close all the valves on the thru hulls? if their all closed and your still getting that much water i would get it out of the water, but thats just me....i dont take chances.....good luck
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1991 gibson 44 executive
454's
norwich,ohio
docked on the good ole ohio river in marietta
Edited: 04/29/2012 at 05:51:12 PM by 42gibson
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04/30/2012 07:10:27 AM
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CapnLazy
Junior Member
Posts: 14
Joined: 09/20/2006
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My boat stays in the water year round. Every year when I go to open it up the bilge is full of water from rainwater overflowing the hatches. Pumping it out takes quite a while because you run the bilge pump till water stops flowing and then you have to wait a while for the water to flow forward from all the compartments in the bilge. Water gets into those compartments between and above the stringers and takes awhile to flow down to where I can pump it out. Are you sure this isn't your problem and not a leak?
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04/30/2012 10:00:46 AM
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arctica
Member
Posts: 45
Joined: 05/24/2007
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I have been keeping a close eye on the boat over the weekend.
I continued my leak search and think that I have it narrowed down to the compartment under the rear bedroom, where the water tank is located.
Emptying the water tank was my first step when I discovered that bilge pump running.
There are no thru hull fittings in this area that I am aware of, so am left with believing that it might be damge done from blocking over winter.
I don't think its leftover rain water, because I looked in the bilges a couple days before launch and everything was pretty dry. With no rain to follow.
I have personally removed over 200 gallons of water this weekend with a shop vac, trying to figure out where the leak is. Not to mention the work the forward bilge pump did when I was not there.
I decided to dam the water, area by area. I forgot to bring the food coloring. The water kept backing up to the rear of each dam. I went as far back as I could, without tearing up the floor. That got me to the floor hatch at the rear of the galley, the one that accesses the water pump. The water still backed up at that point, which left me in the back bedroom with no access to the bilge in that area.
I gave my mechanic a call and they are getting right on it this morning.
I will let you know what they find.
Thanks for all the advice, it was a long weekend.
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04/30/2012 12:38:23 PM
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TonyB
Admiral
Posts: 218
Joined: 09/05/2011
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I'm sure it was a long weekend. Hopefully, it is the water tank. At least you know you wont sink.
If you do get the dye, put some in the water tank and you will know for sure if the leak turns the color of the dye.
Locating the source of the water is 95% of solving the problem. The rest is just money. I don't mean to sound like money part is insignificant, but money to repair the tank is much less of a problem than money to refloat your boat.
Hope all works out well.
Tony B
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Never wrecked a boat while awake or sober
Kemah, Tx. - Galveston Bay
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04/30/2012 01:25:54 PM
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stmbtwle
Admiral
Posts: 2142
Joined: 04/22/2003
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Considering the water tank is EMPTY, I kinda doubt it's the source of 200+ gal of water.
For not much money you can get a miniature TV camera, that you can fasten to the end of a pole, stick in there and look around.
http://www.lightinthebox.com/5...re-camera_p237312.html
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Willie She's a tired old barge but she's paid for! http://s71.photobucket.com/alb...p;current=ef324993.pbw
Edited: 04/30/2012 at 01:28:30 PM by stmbtwle
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04/30/2012 02:22:59 PM
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CapnLazy
Junior Member
Posts: 14
Joined: 09/20/2006
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What about the valve for the toilet water intake or output (if it has one). One of these could be cracked from freezing or maybe got bumped when blocked.
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04/30/2012 04:50:10 PM
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arctica
Member
Posts: 45
Joined: 05/24/2007
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CapnLazy,
The first thing I did after discovering the running bilge pump was to drain the water tank to eliminate it and all water lines as a source. The toilet is fed from the water tank, and we have no overboard outlet for it.
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04/30/2012 05:16:07 PM
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BananaTom
Admiral
Posts: 968
Joined: 12/05/2006
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Through Hull fitting is my guess.
Look around your seacocks, for the air conditioner. There is also a water filter for the air conditoner, that is if you have a marine type system, rather than a roof top mounted unit.
What about the engine compartment, do you have a vee drive, of which the packing could be leaking too much.
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Banana Tom
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04/30/2012 06:00:35 PM
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arctica
Member
Posts: 45
Joined: 05/24/2007
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BananaTom,
We have roof mounted Air. There are no thru hulls in the highly suspect compartment. We do have vee drives, but everything looks normal in the engine compartment.
Thanks for giving my problem some thought, I appreciate all the advice.
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05/01/2012 12:53:25 PM
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FranticallyRelaxing
Admiral
Posts: 370
Joined: 09/10/2006
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Seawater cooled generator? My genny cooling water come in via thru-hull, goes thru a strainer then to the genny, all of which can be the source of a leak...
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 1988 SkipperLiner 53x14 1995 Tracker Party Cruiser 32 *for sale* 2003 Chaparral 260 SSI 2000 Allegro Bus 40' DP
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05/01/2012 01:29:23 PM
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42gibson
Member
Posts: 144
Joined: 11/19/2010
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when you do find the leak let us know what it is.
-------------------------
1991 gibson 44 executive
454's
norwich,ohio
docked on the good ole ohio river in marietta
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05/01/2012 03:42:53 PM
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BananaTom
Admiral
Posts: 968
Joined: 12/05/2006
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Your leak sure has me worried.
Have seen many boats sit on the bottom.
Bidge pumps fail, due to many reasons.
You may have to do a haul out to find it.
Consult the professionals and make sure your insurance premiums area current.
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Banana Tom
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05/01/2012 07:34:40 PM
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arctica
Member
Posts: 45
Joined: 05/24/2007
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I had the boat hauled out Monday morning and went down to talk with the top shop guy today. He is puzzled by what they found.
While still in the water, the mechanic hunted for the leak and found exactly what I saw, a current moving from back to front. They also believed the leak to be under the rear bedroom, just forward of the engine compartment.
They lifted the boat out of the water and saw no damge on the underside, anywhere. Underneath the back bedroom there are no thru hulls, and it looks just like it did the day we painted it last fall. Smooth and unblemished.
Here comes the puzzling part. They tipped the boat a little forward to mimick its in water attitude and water came out of the keel up front, right near an area that they repaired 4 years ago. Which happens to be just about underneath the forward bilge pump.
If that is where the leaks is, how do we end up with a back to front current in the bottom?
They have ground down that area to open it up, so it can dry, and then they can fix it. I hope that is where the water was getting in but I am not confident.
Oh, they did a thorough inspection of all the leak possibilities in the engine compartment too, and found that to be unproblematic.
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05/01/2012 07:38:02 PM
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OLD HOUSEBOATER
Super moderator
Posts: 1520
Joined: 10/18/2002
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Check the bow for damage. If you beach and dont have a reinforced bow you can take on water that will come out in the most unusal places.
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OLD HOUSEBOATER
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05/02/2012 05:43:02 AM
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TonyB
Admiral
Posts: 218
Joined: 09/05/2011
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Originally posted by: OLD HOUSEBOATER.... If you beach and dont have a reinforced bow you can take on water that will come out in the most unusal places.
Am I to assume that most houseboats were not built for beaching?
If I wanted to take extra precaution, what should I do?
Just add a few layers of fiberglass?
Thanks in advance
Tony B
-------------------------
Never wrecked a boat while awake or sober Kemah, Tx. - Galveston Bay
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