Water in Bilge on 300DA

T

Theresamarie11

New Member
Aug 18, 2009
365
Vermont
Boat Info
2002 Sundancer 300
Engines
Twin 350 Mag, Westerbeke Genset
Hi members..
First, I've read what seems like 100's of posts and still haven't figured out where the water is coming from. I feel like I need a video camera in the bilge..
The diagnostics:
No water ingress when the boat sits in the slip..if i dry it out it stays dry).
Front bilge is dry. Shower sump works fine, doesn't leak.
If I run the engines sitting still, I can't find any leak. Of course I can't climb over them but I can't see a thing leaking. And I don't run them at 3200 RPM sitting still for 30 minutes either.. so don't know if that's a factor that something only leaks at speed.

I dry out the bilge (shop vac).
Go for a ride and end up with a couple of quarts in the bilge between stringers.
We've done this several times and know about the possibility of water backing up into bilge hatch drains.. so we are careful in slowing down and not allowing water to reach those hatch drains. I initially thought this was it, but it appears not!
If I immediately go into bilge to look for it after stopping.. I don't see any water around any hoses or fittings. Under the engines in front is dry.
The area around the steering arm going through transom on starboard is a little wet, but it's not full and doesn't seem to be source of water but will need fixing eventually. Port is dry because it was all just replaced.
The only place I see water (wet/damp) is behind the holding tank (which isn't leaking thank goodness). But I can't see where it's coming from. When riding or stopping no water is near the engineer blower vents so no reason to think that we have any water coming in there. Transom is dry for what i can see.

In any case, it's driving me a bit nutty trying to find it. Any other suggestions or clues most appreciated.

Thanks,
 
Not sure your boat would have the same problem as mine but I had water coming in where the hull joint is behind the rub rail. When I would plow a little the water would rush in the gap behind the rub rail at the back of the boat. This is the joint where the upper deck is attached to the lower hull. The 5200 sealer dries out and the gap can take on water when operating.

Hope this helps. Look for ChuckW's write up on this forum with the same problem.
 
Kendall said:
Not sure your boat would have the same problem as mine but I had water coming in where the hull joint is behind the rub rail. When I would plow a little the water would rush in the gap behind the rub rail at the back of the boat. This is the joint where the upper deck is attached to the lower hull. The 5200 sealer dries out and the gap can take on water when operating.

Hope this helps. Look for ChuckW's write up on this forum with the same problem.
Click to expand...

Thanks Kendall, I'll give it a view.

Terri
 
check out your water pump on the motor,the pump will cut a little rubber nipple on the bottom of the pump when it's starting to go bad and will drip when running the motor and sometimes it will still work correctly for a while
 
Thanks Guys, i don't see any leaks around the front of the motor (no drips, no water stains). On ChuckW's issue with hull connection issues, based on where my water is showing up, I guess I'd have to first figure out how water might get up there. Next time at the boat I'll get the hose out.
I'm really surprised how difficult it is to figure this out!
 
Over the last few weeks I've noticed a similar problem with my 2004 300 Sundancer. It sounds like you have eliminated most mechanical items but have you considered the following. When it rains, the water runs down the side of the canvas and collects inbetween the plastic glass/screen. It can weep through the seam and start dripping. On my boat, the top fits fairly loose and the dripping runs down the inside of the boat. My boat has an access panel which is not sealed (just screwed in) and water runs between the access panel and inside gel which is open to your bilge and on top of your waste tank. This may sound crazy but I've been watching this pattern on my starboard side so it could be happening on your port side.

Good luck. Tracking leakes can be a major challenge. While a bilge is designed to collect the water, I agree the water is best left outside the boat. Heck, my friends Rinker has collected water in the bilge since new.

Neil
 
Her Diamond 2 said:
Over the last few weeks I've noticed a similar problem with my 2004 300 Sundancer. It sounds like you have eliminated most mechanical items but have you considered the following. When it rains, the water runs down the side of the canvas and collects inbetween the plastic glass/screen. It can weep through the seam and start dripping. On my boat, the top fits fairly loose and the dripping runs down the inside of the boat. My boat has an access panel which is not sealed (just screwed in) and water runs between the access panel and inside gel which is open to your bilge and on top of your waste tank. This may sound crazy but I've been watching this pattern on my starboard side so it could be happening on your port side.

Good luck. Tracking leakes can be a major challenge. While a bilge is designed to collect the water, I agree the water is best left outside the boat. Heck, my friends Rinker has collected water in the bilge since new.

Neil
Click to expand...


Neil, thank you for the post and suggestion. So given my situation, what you're saying is that the water is sitting and being stored in this area until I get underway and it comes through then?

The other thing I'm considering, is that I have a leak in my water tank fill line. It's the last thing we do before leaving on a trip (fiil fresh water) and last week I vacuumed out the bilge bone dry, then we sealed up, filled the fresh water tank and went to our location (30-40 min). I found water in the bilge. BUt in checking it again after I returned (same trip) we didn't have additional water in the bilge. And I did see someone else on this forum, in my searches, that had a broken fresh water elbow which is on the same side as the waste tank (in front of).
 
Good luck with this. One thing you may want to consider is a taste test (if youre up for it) on the water in the bilge to try and determine if its rain or fresh water vs sea water. Gives you a narrower set of possibilities anyway.

If you are running in salt water and don't want to do a taste test, just stick your hand in the water then let it dry in the air, then feel for any salt left on your fingertips.
 
I use the salt water test too, but I am in salt water... I once had quite the leak from a snap that needed to be calked. It maybe rain water, if you ever get a dry spell up there, maybe you will be able to determine if it is rain water... Why it shows up when your moving is because the bow goes and the water move to the engine bilge.
 
Thanks guys, I am in fresh water. And my saga continues.... this week with a cockpit cover on (before leaving).. we came to the boat and I checked the bilge (same amount of water as I left).. so went out (without putting more water in the water tank since it was mostly full) and when we came to a stop I checked again and I had more water in the bilge. So it's not my water fill. The gasket around the engine hatch is dry (no water up through rear drains. I thought about bilge pump lines since one doesn't have a check valve but they immediately take a turn north (up) after the through hulls for a foot before going across and down to bilge pumps and I'm sure the water isn't going that high. Still no water around the engines. This mystery is driving me a bit batty!
 
Kendall said:
Did you check the rub rail gap?
Click to expand...
Hi Kendall, it's a fair question and my answer is no. I have watched around the sides of boat as we're underway looking for where the water might be coming in and I don't see spray going up to the rub rail on the sides (certainly it is in the back) but then I have no water on the transom inside. I did have water in the back behind the holding tank after i had filled up the tank last time (shelf not transom), which made me question the fill on the water tank, but this weekend in checking, it was totally dry (both sides). So I can't see internally any indications. When you say "check the rub rail gap" is this something you can see from outside (i will recheck your thread).
Also on the water tank, I know how to see the water tank (i've removed aft cabin cushion) but haven't actually seen the fill tube that goes to the tank. I guess it's possible that underway before going on plane when it's bow-high that water is coming up out of the tank and through a broken fitting.. and somehow getting to the bilge without leaving a trail. Like I said, driving me a bit nutty.
 
ziekman@cox.net said:
Have you checked the transducers - there could be some water coming in through them if the fitting has been compromised.
Click to expand...
Art, All the transducers and through hulls are bone dry. It's very perplexing! And no water ingress at all when sitting still.
 
Check the raw water intake and exit hoses where they connect to the engines, especially the outbound as Mercury uses just one clamp many times. The hose may be loose, but not off, just loose enough that when your underway, the pressure builds and it leaks. They are not easy to get to, but worth the effort. I had this problem and eventually the hose just popped off, engine overheated and luckily the alarm and smartcraft system shut it down.

Good luck
 
Everyone, thanks for suggestion. A key point is that water only comes in while underway. Sitting at the dock it seems to be water tight.
If the engine is leaking somewhere, it's immediately drying up before I can see it and I'm looking right after stopping. This may be the case because I reattached a sensor after docking other day and cleaned an area with soap/water and it dried amazingly fast! I may have to take a ride with my head in the bilge watching while we're underway for 30 minutes or so. I'm surprised this has been so hard!!
 
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