I took my boat (18ft Xpress) out this weekend. When it sat overnight on the bank the hull took on a ton of water. It took 20 minutes to bilge it out, batteries underwater etc.

Bilged it all out, tightened up the plug and fished all morning. Put the boat on the bank went to camp and like 3 hours later it's full of water again.

Took it out and ran water through the livewell plug with the hose and didn't see a leak.

Any ideas before I take it to the shop? I was thinking maybe start by filling the live well with the hose and start there. I ran the hose through the yesterday and all the water was coming out the plug hole.

Any ideas? Cracked hull somewhere? Broken weld pulling it there?

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Posted by AlxTgr

Kyre Banorg

Member since Oct 2003

81620 posts

Posted on 8/21/17 at 11:08 am to Prosecuted Collins

Is it self bailing? I had a hose come undone and that filled the rear of it regularly.

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Posted by CypressTrout10

Louisiana

Member since Jun 2016

3015 posts

Posted on 8/21/17 at 11:08 am to Prosecuted Collins

when boat is on land, put the plug in. put water in boat via drain. See where it comes out

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Posted by Itismemc

Member since Nov 2008

4718 posts

Posted on 8/21/17 at 11:08 am to Prosecuted Collins

fill up the bilge and watch.

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Posted by Sparkplug#1

Member since May 2013

7352 posts

Posted on 8/21/17 at 11:14 am to Itismemc

Is the bilge pump discharge below the waterline? Could be a bad checkvalve if so, and water is coming back in from the pump.

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Posted by baldona

Florida

Member since Feb 2016

20443 posts

Posted on 8/21/17 at 11:25 am to Sparkplug#1

As said, get it on land on your trailer. Then fill everything up and run it. See if you have any leaks. Fill up your bilge area.

Could be a weld crack or other hole though certainly. You can fill the boat with water and then see if it comes out somewhere. If its a long hairline crack, those are not easy to spot. Try and do it in a nice and dry area or in the dirt. Makes it easier to find water drips on the ground.

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Posted by Prosecuted Collins

The Farm

Member since Sep 2003

6604 posts

Posted on 8/21/17 at 11:38 am to Sparkplug#1

Found it. Ran water through my live well discharge and I think it's the overflow fitting. It started spitting water as soon as I put the hose in.

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Posted by shawnlsu

Member since Nov 2011

23682 posts

Posted on 8/21/17 at 11:56 am to Prosecuted Collins

quote:
(18ft Xpress)

Probably a bad weld

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Posted by jmh5724

Member since Jan 2012

2135 posts

Posted on 8/21/17 at 3:56 pm to Prosecuted Collins

Are you plugging it on the outside? I had this problem with mine and started plugging on the inside and the water stopped. It's a bitch to get to though.

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Posted by farad

non-entity of St George

Member since Dec 2013

9656 posts

Posted on 8/21/17 at 5:31 pm to Prosecuted Collins

quote:
Any ideas?

I've got one...check all of your thru hull fittings for bilge pump and live well particularly...

if you want to see if your hull is leaking do it on the trailer in the driveway...with plugs in hose a good bit of water in it and see if is's leaking..

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Posted by ct4lsu

Member since Jan 2008

1022 posts

Posted on 8/21/17 at 6:08 pm to Prosecuted Collins

How old is the boat? Check under the hull. Some dealers install the battery charger directly to the hull. This causes the electrolysis to occur and "eat" the aluminum.

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Posted by Geauxtiga

No man's land

Member since Jan 2008

34377 posts

Posted on 8/21/17 at 7:03 pm to ct4lsu

Some of you are missing this. He found the problem.

quote:
Found it. Ran water through my live well discharge and I think it's the overflow fitting. It started spitting water as soon as I put the hose in.

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