Seeping seams

[802Steve]

Hi, I’m new to TB, just got a 21’ Sylvan. She takes on about 2.5 gals an hour. From what I can see on transom it’s seeping along the seams at the rivets and at the transom/bottom seam. I filled the hill with 70 gallons of water and nothing seeped out. So maybe it’s seeping in due to the greater pressure when in the water?…
Any suggestions on how to get it not leaking?
Thanks,
Steve

 

[thill]

Do you have a livewell?

VERY, VERY often, a cracked livewell pump or leaking connections or hoses are the culprit for gallons of water per hour.

Any fitting that is under water should be examined carefully, since water in the hull yielded no leaks.

A quick way to test is to carefully plug up every fitting below the waterline and see if you still get water in.

I hope you find it.

 

[802Steve]

Hey thill, thanks for the reply. There’s no live well pump, just a steel box with a drain line that sits above waterline. I guess there may have been a pump at one time but only for emptying the live well. It’s a 1988 Sylvan 21’r.
I had her in the water at dockside and looked along the transom as best I could and that’s where I saw seepage at the seams rivets.
Thank you all for your help

 

[airshot]

If your absolutely sure there are no fittings leaking, then remove interior and seal with gluvit. Or you could coat the bottom with the goop or other products designed to seal the exterior. My neighbor has the same boat..3.0 with trim tabs, fast and rides well in chop ...nice boat !!

 

[jethro]

Nice, after my own heart with your 21' Sylvan. My Profish, which is a model based on an Excursion hull is a 2004 and I love it. It would be very rare for a boat to have a livewell without remote fill and as Thill said above, the plumbing is notorious for leaking. Either way, welcome to the Sylvan family and I hope you get her seaworthy soon!

 

[DaleH]

Don't use GluVit - this here is a superior epoxy - that is also flexible and less expen$ive! Heat the tin and let it weep in, see here:

https://www.tinboats.net/threads/using-west-systems-g-flex-650-‘flexible-epoxy’-on-leaks.40954/
If you can't access the PDF file ... send me your email via the PM system and I'll email it to you!

 

[sonny1]

I plan on using both products. G-flex 650 on outside and gluvit on the inside. Believe with either product the material must be super clean.

 

[Sea Antsy]

I plan on using both products. G-flex 650 on outside and gluvit on the inside. Believe with either product the material must be super clean.

Amen to the super clean... IDK 'zactly what is pix there.. but I think I see stainless screws in a row on the top.. and a BIG bolt... add salt water and you got erosion... ?? .. and those white squiggiles.. ? could that be door and window spray foam... ? must be pre-FLEX SEAL !!!!
Me thinks this has been going on for some time.. and it might be time to bite the bullet and power wash the inside and outside and see what yer dealin with...

 

[sonny1]

Very busy cleaning carpet glue off of my boat. Someone along the way decided to seal the rivets and seams with the stuff. It is amazing on what some folks will use to attempt to fix leaks. I would clean the entire area up really well and then come up with a game plan.