Leaking water while underway

Hunter

New Member
Oct 21, 2017
27
Boat Info
2006 Sea Ray 260 Sundancer
2004 Sea Ray 240 Sundancer
2019 Sea Ray SPX 210
2017 Sea Ray SPX 190
Engines
5.7 Mercruiser with Bravo III Outdrive
Mercury 150
I have a 2004 240 Sundancer with a Bravo III outdrive. I keep the boat moored on Lake Washington year round, and whenever I go down to use the boat after it sits for a few weeks, the bilge has very little water in it. Once I get underway I can cruise for a couple hours and then it is has almost a gallon of water in the bilge. I haven't taken a look at anything yet, because I wanted to know if this is a common problem.
Thanks
 
I think if you search this site you will find that some people have found gaps around the rub rail where the hull joins the deck that allows water to get up into the gap and in the bilge. The fix was to take it apart, seal the gap with 5200, and put it back together.

Other areas of potential leaks are the various rubber bellows on the outdrive that get cracks in them after a few years and need to be replaced.
 
It could be a number of things, going to need to take a close look while the engine is running. First places I would look, (with engine running) is all the blue drain plugs on the block and manifolds, the raw water pump and hoses and the engine circulating water pump. If it is original, the circulating pump is a likely culprit, the seals tend to fail in these in raw water cooled engines, the symptom is a steady drip out of the bottom of the pump, only while the engine is running.

The bellows could also be the problem, but I would expect a bellows leak to leak all the time, not just when the engine is running. Usually the first bellows to go is the shift cable, and usually will leak first when the drive is trimmed up and slow or stop when it is trimmed down.

As far as the rubrail creekwood mentioned, look for telltail signs of water running down the inside hullsides in the engine room.
 
It could be a number of things, going to need to take a close look while the engine is running. First places I would look, (with engine running) is all the blue drain plugs on the block and manifolds, the raw water pump and hoses and the engine circulating water pump. If it is original, the circulating pump is a likely culprit, the seals tend to fail in these in raw water cooled engines, the symptom is a steady drip out of the bottom of the pump, only while the engine is running.

The bellows could also be the problem, but I would expect a bellows leak to leak all the time, not just when the engine is running. Usually the first bellows to go is the shift cable, and usually will leak first when the drive is trimmed up and slow or stop when it is trimmed down.

As far as the rubrail creekwood mentioned, look for telltail signs of water running down the inside hullsides in the engine room.

Good point on the blue block drain plugs. Notorious for breaking off. Easy to spot if you look in the bilge while the engine is running. Here is what they look like when they break off:
IMG_1438.JPG

331qf2
 
Thank you all for the help. I will head down to the marina and check it out soon.
 
I have the same problem and it has me scratching my head! Bravo 3, water in bilge only after running! Hunter, have you looked into yours further? If so, what did you find?
 
I have the same problem and it has me scratching my head! Bravo 3, water in bilge only after running! Hunter, have you looked into yours further? If so, what did you find?
Yes, I just left it and figured I would have a mechanic fix it at my next haulout because it was only leaking when I was onboard. Then a couple weeks ago while boating the seawater pump started leaking a steady stream of water into the engine compartment whether the boat was running or not. I had it hauled out and the mechanic said it was a lip seal that failed and that the previous leak was probably caused by the seal starting to go.
 
Yes, I just left it and figured I would have a mechanic fix it at my next haulout because it was only leaking when I was onboard. Then a couple weeks ago while boating the seawater pump started leaking a steady stream of water into the engine compartment whether the boat was running or not. I had it hauled out and the mechanic said it was a lip seal that failed and that the previous leak was probably caused by the seal starting to go.
Ok awesome. Hopefully that fixes your problem. I will keep an eye on the sea water pump next time we are underway. Thanks!
 

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