Mysterious Leak

[Shakemsam]

4 hours ago, lrg355 said:

Pic of bilge discharge and fishbox drain

That fishbox drain just looks way too low to me. I can't see how that does not take in all kinds of water. 

[FISHINMAN]

I had the exact same issue on my 1994 gals 195 Nympth and found a hole about the size of a dime that was between the bunk and the bottom of the boat so every time I pulled it out of the water I couldn’t find the hole because the bunk was hiding it. Filled it with water too in my garage and nothing🤔

 

Just had it checked at B&W customs in Sodus and it’s unrepairable. To many smaller holes popping up and don’t feel it was safe to repair 😢

Pictures show the big hole and some smaller ones that had started. They say they have seen it a lot in the boats from the 90s more often than even older boats. They say it’s usually due to battery acid working it’s way down there and eating it’s way through from the inside out. 
 

With all that being said I have a boat that needs to be stripped so if anyone

os looking for boat parts for a nympth contact me. Custom made top with side and drop curtains that’s in excellent condition see last picture. 
 

Feel free to message me here on the site 

 

Tom

[lrg355]

15 hours ago, LongLine said:

Are you sure it's not just little wave spray or engine spray?  i.e After a ride in choppy water, did you check for water about 10 minutes after you dock?  A physical leak isn't going to cure itself.  Was the water real calm when you took the kids to the beach?  

 

This last Monday I went from I-bay to the Genny.  Had about 1 1/2 ft chop out of the NW.  I slowed way down (to save my teeth & my back) .  When I pulled the drain plug on the trailer at the launch, I had a little water come out.  A few years ago, I did the same ride with my daughter sitting in a rear seat & she complained a few times about the wave spray. 

If I pull into my dock and manually pump out the bilge in the eve, in the morn when I step into the boat the auto bilge will kick on and pump out a few gallons. This is on a rain free night.  No telling how many times it kicked on over night.

[lrg355]

3 minutes ago, lrg355 said:

If I pull into my dock and manually pump out the bilge in the eve, in the morn when I step into the boat the auto bilge will kick on and pump out a few gallons. This is on a rain free night.  No telling how many times it kicked on over night.

The last few days, no water in the bilge overnight.  All spring and last fall was leaking as previously described.  Checked this morn, not enough to pump even though we had a slight amount of rain last night

[LongLine]

7 hours ago, FISHINMAN said:

They say it’s usually due to battery acid working it’s way down there and eating it’s way through from the inside out. 

That looks more like something was not properly grounded.  EVERY electronic device must be grounded to the battery,  NOT the boat, especially on an aluminum boat and the motor must be touching the water when the boat is in the water.  I found out years ago that radios, fishfinders, etc still draw miniscule electricity even when they are turned off at the unit in order to preserve their memory,  They also need to be mounted to the boat with an insulator between them and the boat. (i.e. rubber pad, gromets, etc)   That's why isolation switches are so important.  Batteries must be in a battery container with a lid and never touching an aluminum boat hull!  Stray currents are death to an aluminum boat.

 

You can check for stray currents simply by having the boat on a trailer then simply touch a voltmeter to a bare spot on the hull and a metal fence post (or metal stake driven into the ground).   

 

Irg - You gotta get that boat up on land & up off the trailer.   Then use the food-colored water.  

[Shakemsam]

1 hour ago, LongLine said:

That looks more like something was not properly grounded.  EVERY electronic device must be grounded to the battery,  NOT the boat, especially on an aluminum boat and the motor must be touching the water when the boat is in the water.  I found out years ago that radios, fishfinders, etc still draw miniscule electricity even when they are turned off at the unit in order to preserve their memory,  They also need to be mounted to the boat with an insulator between them and the boat. (i.e. rubber pad, gromets, etc)   That's why isolation switches are so important.  Batteries must be in a battery container with a lid and never touching an aluminum boat hull!  Stray currents are death to an aluminum boat.

 

You can check for stray currents simply by having the boat on a trailer then simply touch a voltmeter to a bare spot on the hull and a metal fence post (or metal stake driven into the ground).   

 

Irg - You gotta get that boat up on land & up off the trailer.   Then use the food-colored water.  

Having it slipped next to another boat running shore power can cause this as well.

[lrg355]

1 hour ago, LongLine said:

That looks more like something was not properly grounded.  EVERY electronic device must be grounded to the battery,  NOT the boat, especially on an aluminum boat and the motor must be touching the water when the boat is in the water.  I found out years ago that radios, fishfinders, etc still draw miniscule electricity even when they are turned off at the unit in order to preserve their memory,  They also need to be mounted to the boat with an insulator between them and the boat. (i.e. rubber pad, gromets, etc)   That's why isolation switches are so important.  Batteries must be in a battery container with a lid and never touching an aluminum boat hull!  Stray currents are death to an aluminum boat.

 

You can check for stray currents simply by having the boat on a trailer then simply touch a voltmeter to a bare spot on the hull and a metal fence post (or metal stake driven into the ground).   

 

Irg - You gotta get that boat up on land & up off the trailer.   Then use the food-colored water.  

Tom, your comment to Fishinman about the test for stray currents doesn't make any sense to me. With the boat on the trailer it is isolated from the ground, especially if it is dry with no water on the tires, etc.  No completion of any circuit, no continuity available to get any voltage reading.  Am I missing something ?   Agree with everything else about grommets etc for complete isolation.

[LongLine]

Irg - Yes, Juice won't flow unless it's grounded.  If there is any electric leak to the hull, you'll pick it up with a voltmeter from hull to an earth ground.   

 

Shakem' - Yes it can.  

 

Those holes in the above pix are not pure chemical attack.  They're electro-chemical.  i.e electricity to metal to water.  

[J.D.]

Look at the anodes on the motor. If they look cruddy there is stray current coming from somewhere...

[FISHINMAN]

1 minute ago, J.D. said:

Look at the anodes on the motor. If they look cruddy there is stray current coming from somewhere...

I think your dad sold me a bum boat back in the day🤣🤣🤣

[FISHINMAN]

6 hours ago, LongLine said:

That looks more like something was not properly grounded.  EVERY electronic device must be grounded to the battery,  NOT the boat, especially on an aluminum boat and the motor must be touching the water when the boat is in the water.  I found out years ago that radios, fishfinders, etc still draw miniscule electricity even when they are turned off at the unit in order to preserve their memory,  They also need to be mounted to the boat with an insulator between them and the boat. (i.e. rubber pad, gromets, etc)   That's why isolation switches are so important.  Batteries must be in a battery container with a lid and never touching an aluminum boat hull!  Stray currents are death to an aluminum boat.

 

You can check for stray currents simply by having the boat on a trailer then simply touch a voltmeter to a bare spot on the hull and a metal fence post (or metal stake driven into the ground).   

 

Irg - You gotta get that boat up on land & up off the trailer.   Then use the food-colored water.  

By the way hello Tom long time no chat, hope all Is well with you have t been on the ole site much at all in the last few years

 

All your saying makes since,  I’m 

just going by what the guys told me that looked at it. That was just one thing they mentioned along with possible issue from bunks maybe being pressure treated wood. All I do know is I’m totally bummed about the whole thing never thought it would be something that couldn’t be repaired😢

 

They said they have see it a lot lately in the boats from the 90s in fact more

than the older boats🤷🏼‍♂️

[LongLine]

Hey, hey F'man.  Long time.  Hope it's well with you.  I agree, the older boats were more solidly built. i.e. thicker aluminum. Mine's still going strong...knock on wood.   I agree with the pressure treated wood...chemicals will react with aluminum over time.  I was told a long time ago that the best bunks were actually pine but coated with fiberglass, then painted and covered with strips of outdoor carpet. 

 

Cruddy anodes on the motor can be a problem, but I'd think that comes more from dissimilar metals while you're running. My cables are copper with copper connectors and Brass nuts.  I get a little tarnish every couple years but no crud.

[lrg355]

As for anodes, zinc doesn't work well in fresh water.  Magnesium is the best choice for fresh water. Zinc is meant for salt water.  I have magnesium on my outboard plus I have a 2 lb drop in magnesium that I put in next to the hull and connect to it when I leave the camp for the week.  No corrosion/electrolysis issues that I know of.  Magnesium anodes are available from Boatzincs.com.

[lrg355]

I have also read that using an automotive type battery charger when in the water is another potential problem.  A marine specific charger should be used.  I have a Noco Genius 3 bank in the GLS175 and it works well.

[LongLine]

My mistake.  Talking about different things.  I was refering to battery/solenoid/cable connections.  

[J.D.]

17 hours ago, FISHINMAN said:

I think your dad sold me a bum boat back in the day🤣🤣🤣

Um........ no.  You must have me confused with someone else. My Dad died in 1977 and never owned a boat. We did meet many years ago when you stopped by my home to purchase a few used rods..... about the time you started your cooking school in your house..  Damn, we're gettin' old..

[FISHINMAN]

On 6/17/2022 at 9:19 AM, J.D. said:

Um........ no.  You must have me confused with someone else. My Dad died in 1977 and never owned a boat. We did meet many years ago when you stopped by my home to purchase a few used rods..... about the time you started your cooking school in your house..  Damn, we're gettin' old..

Oh yea sorry about that’s  it’s been a while that was like 2006 or 07😮. Trying to remember now who it was now that I purchased the boat from it was someone’s  son that was on LOU 🤔

 

 

[Crappieman1]

Just wondering if the leak was ever found?  My 92 gls175 leaks terrible.  I have done everything to find it besides ripping the floor up. Any help would be great

[Crappieman1]

Just wondering if the leak was ever found?  My 92 gls175 leaks terrible.  I have done everything to find it besides ripping the floor up. Any help would be great

[Crappieman1]

Just wondering if the leak was ever found?  My 92 gls175 leaks terrible.  I have done everything to find it besides ripping the floor up. Any help would be great

[Crappieman1]

Just wondering if the leak was ever found?  My 92 gls175 leaks terrible.  I have done everything to find it besides ripping the floor up. Any help would be great

[Crappieman1]

Just wondering if the leak was ever found?  My 92 gls175 leaks terrible.  I have done everything to find it besides ripping the floor up. Any help would be great

[FISHINMAN]

Sent you a message 

[chinook35]

On 6/15/2022 at 8:43 PM, Shakemsam said:

That fishbox drain just looks way too low to me. I can't see how that does not take in all kinds of water. 

And anything but a bronze thru hull below the waterline is just asking to sink 

[Pair of Jacks]

sad situation indeed.  My dad had a mid 80’s 16’ sea nymph that my brother now has…solid as can be but dad had to have the transom completely replaced under warranty as there was a manufacturer’s production process problem that allowed water to get into to transom.  After repairs were made she was a stout fishing machine.
 

Just curious if your zinc anode on your motor was also affected?  The entire purpose of the zinc anode is to be that sacrificial metal that stray voltage will eat up vice your motor or your aluminum hull.  The other thing it could be is galvanic corrosion caused by two dissimilar metals in contact with each other with moisture being introduced typically a ferrous metal and a nonferrous metal with the non-ferrous metal being the sacrificial metal.  During my aircraft maintenance days in the USAF we had to inspect our jets on a regular basis for this situation.  Typical scenario where galvanic corrosion start is when someone inadvertently introduced/installed an unapproved steel fastener (screw, bolt, nut, washer, etc) to panel or airframe component.  In some cases the culprit was two different pieces of aluminum one with a higher ferrous content than specified.  We lost several aircraft to structural failure due to this problem.