Sinking Boat??

[salmann]

What can cause a boat to sit in the water 3" lower at the stern from the previous season?
I have an I/O I keep my boat in the water all summer and after the second season I noticed the water line had moved up 3" at the stern. The barnacles had built up above the original line where the anti-fouling paint was painted.

Sal

[Bob H.]

Did any weight distribution change, i.e., was any weight moved from the bow to the stern? Foam dry? Bilge dry? What kind of boat?

[katman2860]

Some boats will absorb water into the fiberglass starting to water log the hull.We have 3 boats we take care of that sit out of the water all winter and dry out,then we service them and launch them in the spring. At first they will float 1- 2 inches higher then after several months the hulls suck up water and sink lower due to the wieght.
I do not know if your boat is doing this but it is something we have seen

[salmann]

The boat is an 89' dixie walkaround cuddy. Nothing changed from one season to the next as far as weight distribution. I was told when the bellows start to go they tend to let in water. I don't know if this is the case. But I have an automatic bildge. I put in a new fish finder and had to drill a couple of small holes in the transom for the transducer. I noticed the saw dust that was formed from the drill hole seemed dark. I know if I put a moisture meter to it will tell me if the wood has moisture in it. If the hull is getting water logged what can be done about it?? Is it time to get a new boat??

Thanks

Sal

[Bob H.]

A good barrier coat will prevent the glass from absorbing water but it shouldn't drop 3". OD bellows need to be replaced every few years and checked in the creases for cracking every year. Sounds like you haven't changed the bellows in a while and that could be fatal - to your boat and passengers. Wet transom in an 89 isn't unusual but it will eventually rot.

[salmann]

Thanks Bob for the input. I will have the mechanic take a look. I bought the boat two years ago from a dealer and there is no telling when they were changed last.

Sal

[Wasteman]

Stupid question but what are bellows?

[Clark W. Griswold]

no such question.

The bellows are the flexible rubber part of the outdrive on an I/O that seal the outdrive as it's pivot point is not entirely above the water line like on an outboard. They wear out and can allow water to enter the boat, causing it to sink at worst or cause great headaches at best.

It is one of the attributes of an I/O that cause some people to have the opinion that an I/O takes the negatives of having an inboard and combines them with the negatives of having an outboard, with the end result being worse than the sum of the parts.

[Johnny G]

Ahhhh Thank you, would not have figured that one out!

[Tom Powers]

What about the concept of the foam soaking up water?

Does your boat have foam flotation between the inner and outer hull?

Does it have foam flotation between the deck and the hull? Heck does it even have a space between the deck and the hull for foam.

Do you have access ports anywhere that you can check between the deck and the hull? It may be something that you want to add.

[salmann]

Tom,

I do not know too much when it comes to the structure of this boat but I will find out. I did put a moisture meter to the transom and it read at 20 percent moisture. The meter runs from 2 to 10 and my moisture content was an 8. The closest body of water out here is a lake. I will be putting it in that lake to see if the boat floats at the higher water line. If it floats back at the original water line I will take it to a marine mechanic to check the bellows in the outdrive. My bilge doesn't actually kick in until the water is at a certain level. Maybe if all the seals are bad it's allowing the boat to sit lower in the water until the bilge kicks in each time..........just a wild guess.


Thanks

Sal

[Tom Powers]

If it were water sloshing around your bilge pump should kick in when you start moving the boat forward. Water in foam does not.

Before you go do your experimental launch take a sharpie and mark some one inch marks on your transom at the waterline. Hop on the boat and have a buddy tell you what happens when you get on the boat and move fore and aft. Remember 20 gallons of fresh water weighs 160 pounds so this type of experiment will give you an order of magnitude as to the issue.

Water in foam takes several months to drain out (if ever) water in the bilge shows up when you put it on the trailer.

Another stupid question is: Are you leaving more fuel in your tanks this year than last?

BTW if your gelcoat is solid It would surprise me if water was seeping into your boat through the fiberglass. If you are getting water into you boat I would check your trough fittings (one if which is your boot) and do a detailed inspection of the hull for cracks. Also check the hull to deck joint. I have seen water moving upwards being pushed through that joint when you are running into waves, etc.

If you do work on the boat I still would recommend some through the deck inspection ports.

[Bryansfish]

Tom,

I do not know too much when it comes to the structure of this boat but I will find out. I did put a moisture meter to the transom and it read at 20 percent moisture. The meter runs from 2 to 10 and my moisture content was an 8. The closest body of water out here is a lake. I will be putting it in that lake to see if the boat floats at the higher water line. If it floats back at the original water line I will take it to a marine mechanic to check the bellows in the outdrive. My bilge doesn't actually kick in until the water is at a certain level. Maybe if all the seals are bad it's allowing the boat to sit lower in the water until the bilge kicks in each time..........just a wild guess.


Thanks

Sal

If your bellows are leaking you would know by the bildge kicking on every once in a while. You can just look to see if you have alot of water in your bildge to see if that is an issue. You should have a nanual switch for your bildge pump that will bypass the float switch. You should actualy hit the bildge eveytime before you take the boat out as the float switch will leave some water in the bildge which will splash up onto the motor. This will cause the motor to rust quicker. That dark wood from the drill pit tells me you have or had water in your transom and its starting to rot.

[Tom Powers]

Also check the hull to deck joint. I have seen water moving upwards being pushed through that joint when you are running into waves, etc.


To avoid confusion on the above. . . I meant hull to cap joint (kind of where your rub rail is.)

[talley2191]

A mechanic told me once that a boat can soak up hundreds of pounds of water as was said earlier. I would think that is the cause.

[hippie]

Check the bellows! When I bought my boat I took it to the slip and went to it a week later and it had water up to the bottom of the carb. My bilge pump did not kick on and I bought a second bilge pump to get the water out. The shop said corrosion on the 12 volt wires to the pump prohibited it from kicking on and thusly sank my boat, because the bellows leaked. $2500.00 later to replace electrical items in the engine compartment and it ran good. Get everything taken care of ASAP or it just costs more money!!! Good luck, Bob

[salmann]

Thanks Bob,

I am going to have the bellows changed out. I was told there is actually two additional rubber boots that are subject to wear that should to be changed as needed.
Sal