finding a leak

[disland]

I have a leak that is resulting in a continuous stream from the rear of my 2000 SN. My bildge pump goes off every 3 minutes. I tightened my packing nut with no improvement. Is there any issue using the boat like this until after nationals when I will have time to bring it into the dealer.

How could I isolate where the leak is coming from. What are the highest probability area, prop shaft, rudder or exhaust? Is there a no brainer thing to check?

[BozBoarder]

RE: finding a leak

I had the same problem, mine was simple though just a leaky ballast hose... simple but worth checking.

[skinautique]

RE: finding a leak

were you leaking water at the shaft packing? If so, you needed to tighten it and if tightening didn't fix it, you need to replace the packing. You can also check your rudder packing and make sure that isn't leaking. Is all of the water in the bilge or do you have water at your feet when driving? What options are on the boat (heater, ballast, etc)?

[j2nh]

Check the thru hull fitting for the exhaust.

[disland]

The leak apears to be not coming from the shaft packing nut. I tightened it to no effect. All the water is in the bilge. I do not have a heater or any ballast system. My boat is a snob.

How do I check the exhaust hull fitting and the rudder packing? Do I have to remove ther gas tank?

Thanks for your help

[DavidF]

To check the exhaust, find a styrofoam or plastic cup that will just fit snuggly in the exhaust pipe (thru hull fitting). Wedge the cup in the exhaust and float around on the lake for a couple hours. If the water level does not rise in the boat, you have a leaky exhaust.

[ag4ever]

I remeber a post where the exhaust was leaking around the hose where it entered the hull. You would not find that by using the cup test. You would have to remove the gas tank, and visually inspect.

Either that or rig up some form of a dam around each thru hull, and fill it with water on land one thru hull at a time till the guilty party is identified. Maybe tape a sheet of plastic to the area, with the hoes in between the sheet and the hull?

[TrailInn2]

I just went through this same problem. A few questions: Do you notice the leak with the engine on or off? Does it make a difference if you are in gear with the shaft turning? On mine it leaked all the time. To trouble shoot I backed mine into the lake far enough to get all the through hull points wet, climbed into the engine compartment, (mine is a supersport) with a flashlight and found that the bolts that hold the drive shaft support were loose, one was really bad. The support itself seeemed tight so I pulled one bolt at a time, put sealer in the hole and replaced the bolt. This took care of the problem. I also checked the four bolts that hold the rudder and found those slightly loose. The didn`t leak so I just snugged them up. This solved my problem completely. My auto bilge ran every 2-3 minutes prior to this. I used below waterline sealer and also ran a bead around the underside of the mounting flange. Hope this helps.

[JoeCos]

I also had the same problem, not as severe and not so much the rear bilge pump, I had the dealer check it out. My hunch was telling me, that the source of the leak came from the tracking fins. Dealer removed each fin and re-sealed all 3 fins, and problem was solved.

Worth looking into.

[DavidF]

Might just try putting the boat on the trailer and filling the bilge with water (make sure bilge pump is off) and then see where it leaks OUT.

[83sn2001]

Be careful not to fill the bilge to where the water is over the starter. I'm not sure about the newer ski's , but you may be able to remove the center floor section behind the motor box and remove the back seat and get a view of the transom area. If your boat is leaking that fast I doubt it is the rudder packing,but you can check it while you have the floor out.

[ST]

The rudder packing can leak pretty fast. Do the newer Ski Nautiques still have the stuffing box style rudder seal? I had a really bad leak in my SN2001 and it turned out the nut on the rudder packing was backed off about as far as it could go and the jam nut was sitting at the bottom of the treads. I tightened it all up and now he bilge stays dry as a bone.

[disland]

Great ideas, I will try them and let you all know what I find, as soon as I stop pulling practice sets. Thanks for everyones input.