Leaky bottom

A

Arctica

Member
exMember
Joined
Sep 10, 2001
RO Number
6135
Messages
67
Just had my 1986 formerly dry Gibson Houseboat dropped back in the water and discovered that we now have a water leak.
I discovered enough water in the front bilge to run the front bilge pump. I have never seen it wet in there, except in the fall when the yard guys drain the hot water heater into it.
I drained the water tank, thinking that maybe it or a water line had sprung a leak, but water kept filling even after the tank was empty.
She was dry when we put her to bed last fall, now I can fill my 12 gallon shop vac every 10-15 minutes.
Aside from the plug not being put back when they summerized, what could it be?
Thanks in advance, all serious and non serious answers welcomed.
 
A 50 to 150 gal/gr water intrusion is not a drip, but rather "something serious".

(I am assuming this is NOT a wooden hull )

Something broke through the hull while on the hard, the lift broke a thru-hull fitting.

Note that you do not mention if the water is "sea water" ( came from outside ) or "fresh water ) came from your drinking water supply ).
In any event, I'd suggest a bilge crawl to find the source. Doing it now would be a good plan.
 
Ooops, thought I was clear about outside water. I drained all of the inside water, so now am quite sure that it is outside water coming in.
 
I don't know much about HB... Is it a glass hull or alum?

Since you have eliminated a fresh water leak by emptying the tank, you have to assume the water is coming from the outside. The key is being methodical.

If the forward bilge is isolated from the engine compartment, you can probably eliminate an engine / drive train related source but make sure you don't have limber holes which would allow water to migrate firmware

That leaves thru hull if the hull. Any thru hull forward? Head or air con? After a haul out, you can't eliminate some kind of damage to the hull from poor blocking or something else

Any work done on the boat? Years ago a missing stern transducer screw cause water to get in but exit the laminate in the forward bilge...
 
It is a fiberglass hull.

At the back of the boat, in the engine compartment, there is a little water, no more than usual.
I believe the engine compartment is separated from the rest of the compartments, but am not 100% sure. It does have its own bilge pump.

The compartment forward of that is where the water tank is located, and looks dry.

The compartment forward of that is where the holding tank is, under the galley floor, and has very little water in the grooves on either side of the keel. Not uncommon.

The compartment forward of that is where the vacuflush pump, and air tanks are located, along with hoses leading to the holding tank. That compartment has more water than normal.

Forward of that is the compartment with the bilge pump at the far end.

I believe all of the compartments, slope toward the front of the boat. Any leak would end up in the front bilge, with the possible exception of the, believed to be, separated engine compartment.
 
Well you need to be sure about whether the engine bilge connects to the others. It should not so that oil or fuel can't move fwd

VF are fresh water so it shouldnt be an issue. Any sea cocks forward?
 
Possibly a cracked thru hull intake or outlet or failed hose or hose clamp for the head? If there is any possibility water is really migrating from another area you could add a little food coloring to those areas. You could go under and put temporary stoppers in thru hulls to see if there is any difference in inflow .

If water can build up to that extent in that area and not normally migrate to one cleared by a bilge pump, I'd think either the compartment limber holes are clogged and /or that compartment need its own bilge pump though that is not the solution to your problem.
 
The food coloring idea is great. start from the engine room as suggested. Doesn't sound it'll take long to find out if the engine room is the source. Mop up afterwards and move forward to suspected compartments with the food coloring. In the end, if nothing is found as the source, you may have to leave the food coloring in the flooded bilge and haul it again.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Arctica

Posted - Apr 28 2012 : 15:52:59
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just had my 1986 formerly dry Gibson Houseboat dropped back in the water and discovered that we now have a water leak.
I discovered enough water in the front bilge to run the front bilge pump. I have never seen it wet in there, except in the fall when the yard guys drain the hot water heater into it.
I drained the water tank, thinking that maybe it or a water line had sprung a leak, but water kept filling even after the tank was empty.
She was dry when we put her to bed last fall, now I can fill my 12 gallon shop vac every 10-15 minutes.
Aside from the plug not being put back when they summerized, what could it be?
Thanks in advance, all serious and non serious answers welcomed.

Click to expand...

If I had one gallon per minute leaking into my boat and I could not find the cause immediately, I would not be posting on the Internet, I would be arranging to pull my boat out of the water.

We had a boat on it's way to sinking near mine at the marina recently and the danger is not just the boat sinking, but possibly taking the dock and nearby boats with it. Luckily, the marina staff noticed it, plugged the broken hose, and pumped the water out.

I assume by now, you've either found and corrected the problem, pulled the boat back out of the water, or are shopping for a replacement.

So let us know.
 
I have to agree with Ron... if you haven't found and fixed the leak by now, haul the boat. 1000 gallons/day is not a small matter.
 
It's been two days without an update I hope he didn't go down with his ship!

Let us know what happened I hope all is well.
 
Well, I went back to the boat and (of course) forgot the food coloring. I decided to suck up as much of the water as I could in all affected compartments and dam the water. I worked front to back, compartment by compartment and think I have it narrowed down to an eight foot section of the boat.
If the engine compartment is in fact separate from the rest of the boat, the leak is coming from an area with no thru hull fittings.

The leak is coming from the area under the rear most living space, the bedroom at the back of the houseboat, which is directly forward of the engine compartment. It is the compartment containing the water tank, which is drained. That was the first step in my leak search.

I know that there was a block located under this area over the winter, and I have had problems with the blocks damaging the hull before.
I relayed this info to the mechanic, and they are on it this morning.

I will let you know what they find.
Thanks for all the advice, you guys are full of knowledge and experience.
I appreciate it.
 
Talked to the head guy today. He admitted to being a little puzzled.
His guys hunted for the leak and agreed with me. That it appeared to be coming from the area directly in front of the engine compartment, the area under the rear bedroom. They very clearly found a current moving from back to front. When they lifted the boat out of the water, the underside looked perfect. No thru hulls, no cracks, no bumps or scrapes. What they did see was water coming out of the keel near the front of the boat. He said water was coming from near a keel repair they did 3 years ago. What puzzled him is the question of how does a leak in the front, produce a water current that moves from the rear to the front?
It makes me wonder if they got the right spot. They have that area ground down and opened up, are gonna let it dry, fix it up and I guess we'll see then if they got the right spot.
 
Not unheard of on a Gibson to leak from the front portion of the keel. Somewhat prevalent on boats that are beached.
 
Just to throw in a wild card, apparently sometimes lightning strikes can go unnoticed except for a few exit hull pinholes in FG.
 
Some years ago I damaged my keel (not on a Gibson) and discovered that it was mostly made up of scrap glass and resin and was VERY porous. The keel was watersoaked and took days to drain before I could repair the damage. If your keel is porous (or even hollow) watere can migrate from one end to the other.
Anyway, if they can stop the leak in the keel (after it drains out) it may solve your immediate problem.

My guess is that improper blocking can cause all kinds of fractures in the glass that may or may not show through the bottom paint or whatever coating you may have. I would try to find out how the water in the keel is getting into the boat.
 
Years ago, I lost a screw on a transom mounted Xducer on a 37 footer. Water came in thru the hole into the laminate and migrated all the way into the forward bilge, about 20' forward exiting thru a pinhole in the glass. I was lucky that the pinhole was just under an access hatch so i was able to see the water seeping in...
 
Pascal
Thats what I'm afraid of. I am afraid they will repair the exit point only to find that we haven't solved the entire problem.
I guess all I can do is wait and see.
 
She's back in the water and bone dry! The leak was in the front in the keel, near a previous repair. The guys ground her down, dried her out, and glassed it in again.
She was splashed today and all is well.
I still wonder about the back to front current in the bilge, from the forward leak. How does that happen?
Anyway, it's time for the shakedown cruise tomorrow.
I am glad to have that problem behind me. Thanks to all who advised, I learn a lot from you guys.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top