2007 211 TE Water in Bilge...

[ksarbau]

Just got off the lake after a few hours of wakeboarding and noticed significant water in the bilge. I pulled the plug after loading on the trailer and I would guess 10-15 gallons of water ran out. It took 2-3 mins to drain (seemed like 20 mins). This is only my 3rd time out on this boat, but this didn't seem normal.

I've read the posts about wakesurfing and water coming in the vents. We didn't wakesurf and I didn't have any weight beyond the factory balast. We were doing a lot of picking up fallen riders in large waves so I'm not sure if water came in the Star. side vent or not? The carpet in that trunk was definitely wet near the back. Have you guys ever seen this before?

I didn't notice any obvious leaks in the water lines when the engine was running. Any advice on how to troubleshoot this?

Is it possible to run the balast pumps while it is on the trailer? I would like to fill and drain each tank to see if that has anything to do with the water in bilge.

Any other ideas? Thanks for any help!!

[NautiqueJeff]

RE: 2007 211 TE Water in Bilge...

I have heard of boats tat leak around the rubrail where the deck and the hull meet. You might check that area too.

[gride300]

RE: 2007 211 TE Water in Bilge...

do your pumps even work? if not that would be a problem, but you really shouldnt have that much water in there at all.

[clubmyke]

nope not normal - as jeff mentioned it does come in around the rub rail. would suggest going through and tightning up the screws around the rub rail

[JUST-IN-TIME]

time to dip and and listen for leaks
then check all through hulls and ballast pumps

[Mikeski]

My last Nautique didn't leak more than a tiny puddle too little to drain, always soaked it up with a hand towell, even replaced the drain plug with a ballast fill pump.

The 211 has taken on water from day 1, now at 340 hours it is still a mystery. It's not quite enough for the bilge pump to pick up but enough to bug me, it gets about an inch deep around the drain plug. I suspect I have a leak somewhere at the hull joint in the back. I sure wish the back rub rail did not drop so low, I would prefer the rear of the boat to be squared off like a 196.

[SkiTower]

My 211 leaked when I first got it and it turned out to be one of the coolant hoses needed readjusting. No problems since. And if it matters, I don't have tanks.

[ksarbau]

Thanks for the help. I thought it was strange that the bilge pumps didn't pump that water out. The water was probably and inch or inch and half deep at the drain plug. If I understand the bilge system correctly, they don't use "float" switches but more of a timed system? I did notice the bilge come on very briefly while we were on the lake and ran for 5 seconds or so.

I wonder if I should use a garden hose to put water in the bilge to check the pumps? Based on my understanding of the bilge system, I should put some water in and just wait a few mins for the pumps to kick on?

Is there any way I can test the ballast pumps with the boat on the trailer? Also, any advice on how to check the rubrail for leaks?

[Laptom]

The bilge pumps have indeed timers on them. Every 5min or so they will turn over and "feel" if there is water in the bilge.

As for ballast pumps: unscrew the fill hose and put it in a bucket with water.

For checking the rubrail; drop the boat in the water, fill the ballast tanks and some extra weight in see on the inside if there is water coming in (dropping is already too much)..

[OKWAKEBDR]

My 210 leaked from under the rub rail. The spray from the side of the boat (especially when turning) would push water right up under it and into the boat. I could actually see it happen - the water would run down the inside of the hull where the cut out is for the cup holders, etc. on the port side. I had the dealer re-seal the rub rail and all has been good since.

[ksarbau]

While waxing the boat today, I noticed a gap between the bottom of the black rubber rub rail and the fiberglass on the back corner of the boat. It was faily wide, probably 1/4 inch or so (about half the thickness of a pencil). Check out the pictures for reference...those are quarters to give perspective. The gap starts below the middle of the vent and runs all the way to the back corner. The corner has a gap too. Across the back of the boat, the rubrail gap appears to have some black sealent in there. I don't see the same sealant on the side. The rest of the rubrail around the boat is tight.
Does that seem like it could be enough to explain the water in the bilge? I'm going to test it with a hose tomorrow if my carpet will finally dry out. The gap seems to correspond (roughly) with the wet carpet in the back trunk.

If I need to seal the rub rail, what should I use? Any suggestions??

Thanks again!
Keith

[ksarbau]

Forgot the pics in the last post...

Does that gap seem wide enough to account for approx 10 gallons of water?

[NautiqueJeff]

RE: Forgot the pics in the last post...

You don't seal the rubrail. The dealer will need to seal the deck to the hull.