Need help with 96 Sport Nautique

[atx_chase]

Just picked up a 96 Sport Nautique 5 days ago and have already been on the water 3 times !

So my problem is that I have water in the ski storage area in the floor. (is there a correct term for that area?) I believe that I'm missing a plug in the "thru-hull hole", correct me if I'm wrong on terminology.

So, my questions are:

Where does the plug go? ski storage side or engine side?

How do I get the existing water out ?

Thanks for any help / advice -

Chase

[atx_chase]

I think I've figured out that the through hole is supposed to be open so that water from the ski storage area can flow into the engine compartment. (and then be pumped out via the bilge pump) Am I on the right track?

[mpost]

That sounds right. How much water are you getting in the bilge under the engine? Are your bilge pumps working?

[Old Spico]

Yes, those areas are supposed to be connected via that small hole. It is normal and correct to have a little bit of water in the bilge under the motor. The drive shaft is supposed to leak a little bit (1drop per 5 sec). Also if people are getting in the water and out, that water will find it's way the the bilge also. As long as that is it you are cool. If you have a crack in the hull or leaking in other places that is a different story. There should be a drain plug under your oil pan in the engine compartment that you can take out (only when the boat is out of the water) to get any residual water out. Make sure you put the plug back in before you put the boat back into the water. After using my boat I pull the plug , open both ski and engine compartments, and set up a fan to allow those areas to dry.

[atx_chase]

Found the drain plug between the engine and the bilge pump. That allowed all the water to drain out, which is good !

However, now I'm wondering if my bilge pump is malfunctioning. I ran it (the bilge pump that is) in the driveway and it spit out a tiny trickle. Seems like it should have been pumping the water out. So I guess my question now is how much water or how high does the water have to be for the bilge pump to function?

Thanks for the help !

[Old Spico]

You should have 2 automatic bilge pumps on your boat. One by the drain plug and one towards the rudder. One way to test their function is to,; while the boat is in the driveway, put the plug back in and fill the bilge with a garden hose. Then you can turn on the pumps and see if they are operating properly.

When you get the boat in the water next time you can check how much your drive shaft is leaking, remember some leakage is necessary, but sometimes the gland nut needs tighten. You can youtube videos on that.

Good luck!