Mysterious Leak

[laker1]

RE SLOW LEAK

 

Sometimes its something simple like a worn out old bilge plug. The rubber wears out !  Try a new one in its place.

Good luck,

 

[Pair of Jacks]

My dad had a 1990 Sea Nymph 16 ft.  After about 5 years he had a similar leaking problem.  He eventually had the entire transom replaced… the dealer found a serious defect in the brass transom drain that allowed water to penetrate around the drain and the transom.  As someone else mentioned… before I would jump to catastrophic issues like a bad transom I would replace the transom plug.

 

Good luck

 

Pair of Jacks

[rolmops]

One thing here has not been mentioned yet. The bilge pump hose outllet. It may happen that the hose coming from the pump to the drain hole in the side of the boat sort of hangs down. This allows wave action to throw small amounts of water into the bilge pump and into the bilge from there. The easy fix is making sure that the bilge hose is kept higher than the bilge hose outlet so the water cannot get in. Don't ask me how I know this.

[lrg355]

I will pull it from the water after next week. Let it set for a week so the outside is dry.  Fill it with water and food coloring.  Tip it severely so all water moves to rear, wait a few hours tha tip to move water to bow, wait than tip side to side.  Maybe I'll see something that way.  Not at the camp now but will be monday.  Will take pics of inside.  Removing the gas tank is not a big deal because it has it's own screwed down cover. I have had it off before to replace the sending unit.  Yes, I do troll with the 70 and use the electric motor on the bow for autopilot. 

[lrg355]

8 hours ago, rolmops said:

One thing here has not been mentioned yet. The bilge pump hose outllet. It may happen that the hose coming from the pump to the drain hole in the side of the boat sort of hangs down. This allows wave action to throw small amounts of water into the bilge pump and into the bilge from there. The easy fix is making sure that the bilge hose is kept higher than the bilge hose outlet so the water cannot get in. Don't ask me how I know this.

Bilge hose discharge is very high above waterline.  As for the livewell/fishbox fill pump, it is in the transom below the waterline.  I have plugged it an ran a while like that. I dont use it much anyway.  No difference, still leaks.  Keep in mind, leaks the same amount weather sitting at the dock or out fishing.

  

[Fat Trout]

A friend of mine had a leak he couldn't find on a 17' spectrum.  It ended up being a crack in the hull that was mostly obscured by the bunk. Pressure from the bunk pushed along a hull stringer over time and created a crack.   The way it sat on the trailer it didn't really leak when he filled the hull with water (not the same pressure inside to out as when it was floating and outside to in.    

[lrg355]

1 hour ago, Fat Trout said:

A friend of mine had a leak he couldn't find on a 17' spectrum.  It ended up being a crack in the hull that was mostly obscured by the bunk. Pressure from the bunk pushed along a hull stringer over time and created a crack.   The way it sat on the trailer it didn't really leak when he filled the hull with water (not the same pressure inside to out as when it was floating and outside to in.    

That's interesting.  This time when filling ith water I will be jacking it a bit off the trailer bunks, especially when tipping side to side.

 

[High Bidder]

I had a leak a few years back that was hard to find. It only leaked when I was under power and sitting at the dock overnight didn't leak at all. It turned out to be a cracked fitting at the livewell pump. after pushing on all the hoses I finally moved the pump and there it was. luckily I had installed shut off valves so I could continue fishing and repaired it later by installing a new pump  fastening the it better.

[LongLine]

I don't know if you've ever jacked an aluminum boat up before, but in case you haven't, this is what I've done:  (Chock your wheels.)  Then you can use a single point automotive hydraulic jack at the transom, BUT MAKE SURE you use a short (maybe 2 ft long) 4x4 with a V cut in it that matches the bottom of your boat between the jack and the boat.  This will distribute the weight of the boat/motor.  Otherwise, that jack can do a lot of damage.  (Whatever you do DO NOT lower the front trailer wheel, block the transom and try to use the front trailer wheel to lift the front of the trailer up!  This is called a "stupid human trick" and will cost you 100 bucks for a new front wheel.....Been there, done that) 

 

Remember, you only have to clear the trailer by a couple inches at most.

 

I've lifted the front of mine off the trailer (again trailer wheels chocked) by raising the front trailer wheel as high as it'll go and using 3 cinderblocks on each side of the trailer and placing a 4 ft long 4x4 across them between the boat and the trailer.  I also put a couple wood wedges on top of the 4x4.  (Note: rear of boat still on trailer)  Then lowering the front wheel.  

 

Good luck & let us know how you make out.

 

[john stugus sr]

I have a GLS 195. totally gutted and rebuilt it. i believe your foam under the floor got water logged from rain, garden hose,ect. it is not closed cell foam. the bilge pumps out water till empty, shuts off, foam bleeds out more water into bilge, and it starts all over again. picture a halve of a water melon with a scoop out of the center of it. had the same problem, was very frustrating till i found it. great boat,good luck.

[jpiatkowski]

It sounds weird....but did you try replacing the plug?  My plug looked just fine but I was pumping out GALLONS after each trip.  I bought a $4 plug and voila.  Now I pump out a couple gallons after each outing. 

[lrg355]

14 hours ago, jpiatkowski said:

It sounds weird....but did you try replacing the plug?  My plug looked just fine but I was pumping out GALLONS after each trip.  I bought a $4 plug and voila.  Now I pump out a couple gallons after each outing. 

Worth a look.

[scobar]

does the splash well get water in it at the dock in calm weather? maybe its the splash well that is leaking. Out of the water you could try plugging the drains and just fill the well and see what happens

[lrg355]

16 hours ago, scobar said:

does the splash well get water in it at the dock in calm weather? maybe its the splash well that is leaking. Out of the water you could try plugging the drains and just fill the well and see what happens

Motor/splashwell holes are well above the waterline at the dock.

[lrg355]

Update on mysterious leak!.  Over the last few days I have been taking my granddaughter to th beach.  I am located on Sandy Pond and have been using this boat to the beach.  I have been pulling into the sand in the Sandy Pond channel, pushing the bow about 5 ft out of the water. I dont usually use this boat for that as I have a pontoon boat for that type of activity but haven't put that in yet. Probably set the Sea Nymph in the sand about 6 times this week.  LEAK HAS STOPPED!!.  Go figure.  I am sure it will start again after a run in 3 ft or so  waves.  Some kind of intermittent leak in a forward seam??

[MCF]

Or because boat has spent more time effectively higher out of the water

[Shakemsam]

I know you said at the beginning of this post that your live well drain holes are on the sides of the bow. I've never seen a 175 gls set up that way. Im fact, I've never seen any boat's li ewell drain like that. Their overflow, yes! All Nymphs use tube style plugs in their wells that also function as overflow drains, that I have seen. Their drain has always been at the stern. Perhaps your's has been modified for some reason, contributing to the cause.Are you the original owner?

[lrg355]

Koi

54 minutes ago, Shakemsam said:

I know you said at the beginning of this post that your live well drain holes are on the sides of the bow. I've never seen a 175 gls set up that way. Im fact, I've never seen any boat's li ewell drain like that. Their overflow, yes! All Nymphs use tube style plugs in their wells that also function as overflow drains, that I have seen. Their drain has always been at the stern. Perhaps your's has been modified for some reason, contributing to the cause.Are you the original owner?

The boat has never been modified.  I know the original owner and this boat since new. The pics show the drain/ overflow for the fishbox. It is out the side about even with the windshield area.  The fishbox fills when the overflow tube is put in and drains when removed.  Sea Nymph made a different style 175 a few years earlier. Had a completely different transom on it.  This is a 93. This style continued under the Lowe name into the late 90's.  

[lrg355]

For some reason the pic of the drain inverted. It is 4 in above waterline

[lrg355]

1 hour ago, Shakemsam said:

I know you said at the beginning of this post that your live well drain holes are on the sides of the bow. I've never seen a 175 gls set up that way. Im fact, I've never seen any boat's li ewell drain like that. Their overflow, yes! All Nymphs use tube style plugs in their wells that also function as overflow drains, that I have seen. Their drain has always been at the stern. Perhaps your's has been modified for some reason, contributing to the cause.Are you the original owner?

Looked on line for used 93 GLS 175  to see the drains.  It is there on them in that year.  Earlier, like 89, they are not there.  Later also they are not there. 

[Shakemsam]

Ok..cool. If the drains are on the wall of the well, I don't see how they would completely drain. Maybe you're taking water in from splash, especially if you have riders in the bow.

Maybe a pin hole in one of the wells?

[lrg355]

They are below the bottom of the fishbox but above the waterline when the boat is at the dock.  They drain well when the overflow tube is not in.  I do get a small amount of water forced in when running into a chop but it runs out immediately.  Dont use the boxes for storage except for an anchor and line for that reason. There is a flexible drain tube about a foot long from the fishbox exit to the fitting in the side of the hull.  Is at a good incline for drainage.

[Shakemsam]

How do the wells fill? From the top or bottom?

Maybe a hairline crack in your drain tube or the fitting?

[LongLine]

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. 

[lrg355]

Pic of bilge discharge and fishbox drain