Exciting Run Today!

Willhound

Got the wife and daughter aboard for the first time since sea trial. Weather just been too crappy.
After about 10 minutes at speed I noticed we were tail heavy. And a persistent drive oil reservoir leak made me want to stop for a minute and check the level. When I raised the hatch, this is what greeted us.

Admiral has a few more grey hairs. Hit the bilge pump and headed back to marina post haste.
Here's the culprit. Water heater return line.

2 minutes with a knife and screwdriver and we're good for now.  Hoses are kinda soft though. Adding that to the top of the to do list. Change hoses.
I was in and out of the hatch 30 times yesterday and today installing a new charger and additional house battery. Probably stepped on it.  I always start up and warm up at the dock with the hatch open so I can check things. Everything was good. Took until things were good and hot and under planing speed pressure to let go.
Yippee kay yeah!

skennelly

nice action picture!

jme097

Sorry but the action photo was awesome. "I am taking on water. Let me get a quick picture before I get the bilge pump on and turn this boat around". Glad everything worked out for you though

Handymans342

Those big hoses dont look good either.

Willhound

Taken, I should mention, once we were safely back at the dock. Out on the water I couldn't clearly see where all the water was coming from and my concern was that if the distributor got wet enough we'd be stuck with a dead engine and water coming in. As it was, the serpentine belt was squealing a bit under throttle.

Willhound

Handymans342 said:

Those big hoses dont look good either.

Agree. Will all be changed out. Fine with the surveyor though!

randy56

  at least it was easy to get to and fix, I bet the wife was excited.  

Handymans342

Willhound said:

Handymans342 said:

Those big hoses dont look good either.

Agree. Will all be changed out. Fine with the surveyor though!

There has to be a time limit for the hoses to be changed. 10 years???

Willhound

Admiral/Wife was a little wide eyed for sure. As was I until I was sure the pump was keeping up. Daughter was pretty calm about the whole thing. Oh to be young and dumb again....
For all I know, hoses are original, some of them anyway. Likely time for a change.

andyd

Speaking of hose matters, this may not apply in fresh water, but around sea water it is better to use non-perforated hose clamps. I had a couple of the perforated (has holes) type that were nearly rusted through when I bought my boat. After just four years in salt air they were close to breaking. The extra expense is minimal and worth it in my opinion to help avoid pucker up moments.

Andy

zaverin1

That hose was deff damaged or cut by something 
it definitely dosent look dry rotted
probablt got cut with the clamp if it wa stepped on 

LaRea

@Willhound - your story might end up costing me $200.  

That's what it would cost me to add an engine room camera to my new Raymarine chartplotter.  Your photo made me think it might pay off as an early warning system.

aero3113

Good thing that's fresh water spraying and not salt water!

Willhound

aero3113 said:

Good thing that's fresh water spraying and not salt water!

Yeah.,,,I always try and see the bright side of things. And, my bilge is super clean now! Steam cleaned almost!
Have to do some investigating. Don't know if I can buy all those hoses as a kit (not likely) although it would make life easier.
A question for all the more experienced Rinker's out there, which next to me is just about everybody...... Any water intrusion as I change those hoses? I'm thinking no since impeller won't be sucking water in while I'm doing it. Nothing that has to be done at dry dock? Besides bellows of course, but that's another matter.

LaRea

I have done it by stuffing a microfiber rag into the opening.  As you say, low pressure and low flow rate.  Just make sure you have a helper in case something goes wrong.

Willhound

LaRea said:

I have done it by stuffing a microfiber rag into the opening.  As you say, low pressure and low flow rate.  Just make sure you have a helper in case something goes wrong.

@LaRea, would that be the pick up line running to the pump?

reneechris14

Water hieght should be about mid manifold so any hose above that should not leak when disassembled.

zaverin1

I mean nothing will leak lol
whatever is in the block and hoses leading to main circulation pump 
you will never flood the boat
trust me
even if you remove risers leading To flappers

Willhound

With the pump being up on the block do I need to prime the lines when I put it back together or do they lay low enough that they'll suck straight in?

LaRea

Yes, the 1.5" flex hose running from the outdrive to the pump inlet.  When I remove the hose from the pump, water comes at a rate that made me nervous the first time I did it, but it's not high pressure.  I just position myself well, keep calm, and stuff a rag in tight.  I might get 3-4 cups of water into the boat when I do it.

For liability reasons, I'm not saying it's what you should do.  I'm saying it's what I have done many times.

Willhound

LaRea said:

For liability reasons, I'm not saying it's what you should do.  I'm saying it's what I have done many times.

   No worries. In case any of our Rinker friends here are involved in the profession, I'll keep my opinions of the litigation brigade to myself.
If I pull that hose off, I'll have the new one all ready to go right back on.

zaverin1

Ye that's water pressure
trim the drive to up or trailer to equalize pressure 

Michael T

@Willhound, you could have used "Rescue Tape". You could have applied it with the engine running and stopped the leak immediately. If interested in more info, go to the search box at the top of this age and type-in  safety tape. When the page of posts opens, scroll down to the comment Good Items To have On Board. That post describes the safety tape properties. There is an attachment that is a picture of the tape that you can click on. I bought mine at West Marine but it and similar products are at many marine stores.

As for the Admiral's graying hair that might require a visit to the local beauty salon or if you are a DIY couple a box of hair color?

BTW - great captaining of your ship. Stay calm (that keeps the guests calm too) think through your next moves and get all home safely. Congratulations on a job well done. Cocktail time?

Willhound

Thanks @Michael T for the kind words. And that link is great. I actually have a number of those items on board already, but will re-visit to see if anything missed.
I will admit to a moment of panic as I realized the aft end was starting to sit low and I opened the hatch and saw all that water flying everywhere.
Had I realized it was just the return line from the hot water tank circuit I would have shut her down and just fixed it right there. But with the steam and all the water flying I couldn't see for sure. 
My though process was, "ok, we're taking on water, but the engine is still running ."
I did think for a brief instant to shut it down and see where the water was coming from, but then thought "we are taking on water but the engine is still running. If I shut her down, and we're STILL taking on water, now we have water coming in, AND a non-running engine, that possibly might not re-start."

So the decision to just start beating her back to shore. We were about 3 miles from the marina, but closer to a beach I know of, so started to angle roughly between the two with the though that if things got worse I would beach it, but as we went along I could see that things were going ok, so started angling towards the marina. A few tense moments as I tried to feed in throttle and got a loud screaching from the engine compartment, but then realized it was likely the belt slipping from being wet.
One eye on the temp and oil pressure gauge and one on our destination. 
We got to the dock and shut her down and by the time I slipped the mooring lines on the bilge pump had emptied all the water. 5 minutes later it was fixed, but yes, by that time it was cocktail time.