Bass Tracker taking on water

[Fuzz3030]

I bought a used Bass Tracker Pro Crappie 175 first time I had it out for about 3 hours noticed there was a good bit of water in the bilge area. Yesterday I took it out and after about 6 hours I turned around and there was a good bit of water in the back area behind the seats. So after ruining a pair of good underwear and finishing fishing for the day the question is wear do I start to look for the leak. Today I took the boat while on the trailer and filled it with water a little bit of water came out of the intake to the back live well just a little trickle then stopped. I inspected the hull no cracks. I filled it with a good bit of water but other than that little bit when I first started filling I didn't get any water. Any ideas guys?

 

[ChuckinVa]

If the boat was stored uncovered what might be happening is the foam has absorbed water and it is moving from the front to the rear of the boat. I would get under the boat and also check for loose rivets. Is the transom rotted ? Sometimes that can allow water to seep in around the bolts that penetrate the transom . Good luck finding it and I hope it is something simple for you to fix.

 

[Fuzz3030]

I store it with a cover on it and it's a welded hull. I'll jack the front all the way up and see if any water moves to the rear. Thanks

 

[gillhunter]

I think the live well hoses deserve another look.

 

[Fuzz3030]

Does it mean anything if I've never turned the live wells on? This is the first boat I've had with all that stuff on it. And I don't know anyone with a boat that I can ask these things. But I'm gonna take it out now and watch all the fittings and stuff and either sink or find the leak.

 

[gillhunter]

No. If the inlets or outlets are below the waterline and there is a loose fitting or cracked hose you can take on water.

 

[Fuzz3030]

So yesterday I go out at first it didn't seem like I was getting much water in the boat kept my eyes on all the hoses and fittings in the bilge area but didn't see any water coming in. Then I started fishing from the rear of the boat went to check and noticed I was getting a lot of water. Today I took all the hull fittings and live well aerators out of the bilge area and inspected them but couldn't see anything. I pulled the rear bait well bucket up and when I did the top of the aerator came off I didn't pull very hard. The aerator is one of the cartridge style made by Mayfair that just turn to lock in place but the locking tabs are missing. Is it possible or likely I was getting water through that aerator ?

 

[TNtroller]

have you checked the drain plug, is it new, are you getting it nice and snug/tight? Is the actual drain hole damaged, out of round, etc. ?

 

[Johnny]

[So after ruining a pair of good underwear]

Leave the underwear at home - ends that problem

 

[earl60446]

Fuzz3030 » Yesterday, 18:26[/url]"]So yesterday I go out at first it didn't seem like I was getting much water in the boat kept my eyes on all the hoses and fittings in the bilge area but didn't see any water coming in. Then I started fishing from the rear of the boat went to check and noticed I was getting a lot of water. Today I took all the hull fittings and live well aerators out of the bilge area and inspected them but couldn't see anything. I pulled the rear bait well bucket up and when I did the top of the aerator came off I didn't pull very hard. The aerator is one of the cartridge style made by Mayfair that just turn to lock in place but the locking tabs are missing. Is it possible or likely I was getting water through that aerator ?

Yep, exactly what was happening on my boat. If that livewell pump is loose or comes apart, you got a major leak. Tabs on mine were ok but it turned and was leaking. I drilled a couple tiny holes and put some "safety wire" thru the tab area. Will keep it from loosening up. I also suggest plugging the livewell plumbing thru hull fittings to see if that solves your leak issue, just takes a couple corks as a temp solution to find the problem.
Tim

 

[Fuzz3030]

While I already have everything apart I've decided to replace all thru hull fittings and the 2 aerators that go through the hull since they are 7 years old. I just hope it's not one of the lines under the decking.

 

[fish devil]

Check the bottom of the transom, where the weld meets the bottom of the boat. This area is super thin and is notorious for cracking. I know of about a half dozen Trackers with this problem.

 

[WaterWaif]

My aerator pump had a crack at fitting on pump. The cork would be a way to tell if your taking water through its entry hole.
With cartridge being loose yours is suspect maybe.

 

[Fuzz3030]

Well I found my leak so I figured I'd update this post in case anyone has this problem and finds this in their search for answers. I put a drain plug in the live well drain for the back bait well and live well. Left it over night didn't leak a drop of water. So I plugged the drain hole for the front bait well,live well. And could see I was losing water right away. But couldn't see where I was losing it from if i was getting a few drips from the o ring in the aerator but this was a steady leak. So lifting the bait well bucket with the hoses attached couldn't see any water loss at all. So I set the bait well down and looked through a tiny crack with a flashlight sure enough water gushed out of the 1 1/8 drain hose where there was a kink in it. It was pure luck I found it cause once you lift it up just a tiny bit and the hose was straight the water wouldn't come out. I spent about $300 bucks replacing stuff that I thought it could be instead of looking a little harder and spending two bucks for a 90 degree elbow and $1.27 for hose. But that's boating and life.

 

[Mel Taylor]

Fuzz3030 » 26 Aug 2014, 23:07[/url]"] I spent about $300 bucks replacing stuff that I thought it could be instead of looking a little harder and spending two bucks for a 90 degree elbow and $1.27 for hose. But that's boating and life.

But, look at it this way, your boat has a lot of new parts that it didn't have before and that's three hundred dollars that you didn't spend on foolishness.

 

[turbotodd]

Fuzz3030 » 26 Aug 2014, 20:07[/url]"] But that's boating.

Welcome to boating. The definition of a BOAT is a hole in the water that you throw your money into and never see it again.

Or the acronym "Bust Out Another Thousand" fits quite well.

Joking aside, glad ya got it fixed. And thanks for posting the cure. Now get out from behind the computer and the next post we see from you had better be you holding up some fish :mrgreen:

 

[earl60446]

I read somewhere that under the water line plumbing causes more boats to sink than anything else. Big boats have a lot of it.
Tim

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