another lessen learned tonight

[bamabonners]

so the family decides we want to go to the lake this evening after work for a quick trip to learn a few more things about the boat before this weekend. Wow, did I learn something this evening and man, did I look stupid learning it. LOL

This is a long story, but I appreciate the read and offering any suggestions.

So, while I am sitting in the boat at the top of the ramp waiting our turn to launch I reach down and put in the center train plug (I had already put the external rear plug in). My wife starts backing me down the ramp. I didn't put the cover in the floor yet, figured I would do while waiting on my wife to park the truck. I happened to look down into the open floor and see a flood of water running to the back of boat couple inches deep. It was at the top of the tee handle on the drain plug. I have my wife stop and I open the tee handle and let most of the water drain out. Replaced the plug and went on into the water. About the time I start floating off the trailor I see more water through the open cover. I FREAK out and yell at my wife to get back down the ramp. I jump out and start cranking the boat back onto the trailor. All I could think of was that I am taking on water!! Bilge did not kick on so it was not deep enough for it to pick up. We get the boat back up the ramp and off to the side. I start double and triple checking the drain plugs. The ground was very level and I couldn't get any water to drain out the back plug. I decide to pull the rear plug and stop the boat half way down the ramp to let any water drain out. A little water did drain out but nothing major. I replace the plug and have my wife float us while the engine is running. A little bit of water was still in the bilge (less than an inch deep), but I was freaked at that point and we scrubbed the trip and went home. I pulled all the plugs and went home. I started inspecting when I got home and bilge was pretty dry again. I crawled around every nook and cranny in that boat and saw no signs of leaking. Front ballast was dry around the pumps and fittings. Engine had no signs of water leakage. Only thing I can think of is that there was some water in the boat that didn't drain out after I washed it the other day. It seemed to have been trapped under the center ballast and didn't drain to the back.

I called my buddy (long time inboard owner) on the way home. He explained that it is perfectly natural for there to be a little water in the boat and that it keeps the shaft cooled and lubricated.

Is this normal? It freaked my out! I am used my old I/O which always had a perfectly dry and squeeky clean bilge.

[jeremyk]

Don't know what boat you have but my boat has 3 drain plugs. 1 center near helm, 1 in engine compartment under engine, and 1 at rear of boat on transom. Sounds like 1 could have been missing possibly? Or perhaps a leaking/cracked ballast tank?

[bamabonners]

yep, I have 3 as well. One in center, one next to transmission, and external in the back.

I am going to check that front ballast tank again. It had enough water left in it for the pump to pick up and blow out for a minute or 2. Is there a way I can hook a water hose to the pickup for the front tank and fill it up to see if it leaks?

[WakingMeHappy]

No way you have that much water coming in from the shaft seal. What about the water connection for one of the ballast tanks? If a hose has come off the tank or pump it would cause free flow.

[TallRedRider]

yep, I have 3 as well. One in center, one next to transmission, and external in the back.

I am going to check that front ballast tank again. It had enough water left in it for the pump to pick up and blow out for a minute or 2. Is there a way I can hook a water hose to the pickup for the front tank and fill it up to see if it leaks?

I think that the overflow hose on the tank does not have any kind of check valve, so you could just pour water into the overflow hose and it will run into the tank. Leaky tanks are pretty rare actually. Maybe hose not put on tightly?

My money would be on water left over from washing the boat or something else.

[Dexter]

Yep, quite a bit of water can hide inside an inboard. Look at your boat from the side, you can see where the lowest point is.

I'd also check all the hose connections. During the first ride in ours we're taking in a bunch of water. Found out the garden hose type connection between the exhaust manifolds was almost disconnected.

You should be OK on the shaft seal. Your boat should have the water cooled seal (water out of the raw water side of the tranny cooler, to the shaft seal, and back to the lake).

[bamabonners]

I think that the overflow hose on the tank does not have any kind of check valve, so you could just pour water into the overflow hose and it will run into the tank. Leaky tanks are pretty rare actually. Maybe hose not put on tightly?

My money would be on water left over from washing the boat or something else.

that is what my wife is saying. We bought the boat on Tuesday and it rained like a cow pissing on a flat rock the whole hour drive home. I then washed the boat inside and out on Wednesday. The water may have been there Wednesday afternoon when I took it out on maiden voyage and just didn't notice it....

I wish the fulton jack on the tongue would raise the nose of the boat higher so that it drained a little better.

I have opened it all up trying to dry all the water out tonight and will monitor over the weekend.

[TallRedRider]

that is what my wife is saying. We bought the boat on Tuesday and it rained like a cow pissing on a flat rock the whole hour drive home. I then washed the boat inside and out on Wednesday. The water may have been there Wednesday afternoon when I took it out on maiden voyage and just didn't notice it....

I wish the fulton jack on the tongue would raise the nose of the boat higher so that it drained a little better.

I have opened it all up trying to dry all the water out tonight and will monitor over the weekend.

I use a shop vac on mine occasionally to get all the water out. My other brand boat that started with an M' was smart enough to put the center drain plug at the lowest point in the boat so that it drained all of the water and I did not have to deal with this nonsense. The center plug on my bu is off centered, so water does not drain out unless it is more than an inch deep.

[Sunscape fan]

The center plug on my bu is off centered, so water does not drain out unless it is more than an inch deep.

Ya, What is up with that?? Anybody know why Malibu doesn't put the drain in the lowest point? Doesn't make sense to me.

[bamabonners]

Ya, What is up with that?? Anybody know why Malibu doesn't put the drain in the lowest point? Doesn't make sense to me.

At least it has a drain. the guy that designed the floor liner didn't put one in. LOL!!

there are a view quirks, but overall I love the boat and learning more and more about it every day (thanks to the forum here as well).

[MalibuTime]

Better to be freaked out and have nothing go wrong than blow it off and have major problems! I pull the transom plug and pull up some long hills and still have some water in there and am always thinking why the H did that not come out.

[Bill_AirJunky]

My Vride pretty much always has a little water in it. The bottom of the hull is curved enough that the drain by the driver & the one on the stern are not even close to the bottom. If I really want to drain it all (like in the winter), then I pull the stern plug & drive to a hill so it will all drain out. Even then I have a little left in there.

If your not completely comfortable with how it all works, then make a list & ask someone more experienced to come out with you..... maybe one of the boat dealer guys, or someone from your local lake, ski club, or just some old timer. Leave the kids at home, bring your wife, buddy or just the two of you. Boat owners are never against answering a few questions over a few beers.

I talked to a guy on the ramp tonite. He said he'd had the boat for 7 yrs & never once looked at the batteries. Boat didn't start so we checked the batteries. One of them was TOTALLY dry . Uh, yea, that one is dead. He didn't want to try turning it over in the driveway because his buddy told him "the engine would probably blow up or something". So he blocked traffic on the ramp for a few instead.