Have You Ever Had A Boat That Leaked?

[double trouble]

I just wanted to hear some stories from our loyal members on their experiences of boats that leak. I want to know if the leak was bad or if the stress of knowing the boat leaked was worse.I have had a lot of old junk boats, both fiberglass and aluminum and most leaked. lets hear your stories and how you solved the problem. It could be a reel eye opener. HEAT SEEKER OUT :grouphug:

[patcheroo]

Got a couple of rivets that leaked, JB Weld worked pretty good. The time that it leaked the worse, I forgot to put the plug in. :yikes: I motored across the lake, docked, and went in for lunch. When I came out the water was almostup to the seats. Bilged her out and went fishin'............Patch

[rustyfisher]

I had been driving on a crappy dirt road near Alexandria MN that wasn't graded very well. My 14 ft fiberglass boat must have been bouncing around on the rollers a little bit and didn't realize it at the time. I got to the lake and was sitting (ofr course) on one of the deeper spots on the lake. My fishing partner and I had just gotten our lines in the water when my partner asked me if there was supposed be this much water in the boat. I hadn't notice water bubbling from a spot between the rear seat and the tiller. I made it back to shore luckily and patched the boat later- but it cost me a day of fishing.

-rusty

[keducation]

Currently I have a lot of water in the bilge...not sure where it came from
so I'm looking for a leak...odds are its the water jacket system surrounding
the 454 engine that have a leak somewhere...the second problem makes the
first problem bigger...bilge pump died....I had a auto bilge and it stopped workin, maybe it should after 15 years of service, anyhow, I drained the water with a sump pump from home, repalced the bilge pump and now I'm looking for my source of water...have a feeling its not a lot and only appears
when the enigne is running....that is, I don't believe the hull is leaking...
So, even big boats made of glass can have surprising leakage when they start
to get old...like me.... :bloos:

[PITBULL]

I have a 84 Sea Nymph, I noticed more water than usual a couple of years ago after coming back in 5 footers on LSC. then later that summer I fished Harbor beach, It was fairly rough all weekend (3-5' waves) I had a lot more water I was running the bilge pump every 1/2 hour or so. When I got the boat home Sunday night I lowered the trailer jack all the way and saw water coming from the bow. I took up the floor in the front and Had the wife hold a spotlight on the front and I could see a crack about 12-15" long dead center in the bow. I had it welded and it has held up since. when I picked it up another aluninum boat came in for repair with a 2' crack on the right side of the bow.

[brdhntr]

2 yrs ago, coming over the dike at Pt Moulie, I slipped and my boat bounced down the side. By the time we reached the dock, I had a lot of water in the boat. Found a nice crack and patched it with a quick JB weld application. However, I was still getting a lot of water. Not enough to cause me to worry,
but a couple gallons in 3-4 hrs. I filled the boat and it was leaking from a lot
of places, small cracks, rivets. Last summer as the birth of my second was drawing near, I took the boat off the trailer, flipped her over, stripped the bottom, JB welded and blended the cracks, and then coated the whole thing with Gluvit. Now she is dry as a bone. Would do the same again if I had a problem.

[ESOX]

Never had one that leaked till this one. Then again, I never kept a boat as long as this one. Big water is rough on aluminum hulls.

Anyone intrested in a slightly leaky 2000 Starcraft??? ;)

I'm keeping it, but it's days of bigwater trolling with a full load of people and stuff are ending next spring. It will spend it's retirement years how it should have been all along, a one or two man casting platform.

[Linda G.]

Hope it's up to a few days seeking Big Tooth on Intermediate, otherwise, I have a slightly leaky paddle boat we can try...;)

As long as your bilge works as well as it did when Trout and I went out with you, we'll be fine... ;)

[ESOX]

LOL I did a bit of work since that disaster, not fixed the way I want, but it has been OK thus far.. I really think I must have hit one of those things I tried to dodge heading into the N Channel, there were four rivets in a row that were popped, Kirk pointed out two that were just hanging there when we pulled it out of the water.

This winter she will get a complete deck off rehab.

[Lunker]

Ive heard of people having great luck with Rhino Lining directly on the inside of the hull on aluminum boats.