Taking on Water

[TrueBuckeye]

I've noticed my bilge pump working overtime lately.  I pulled up the engine cover and found water dripping in fairly heavy from the shaft seal, but I'm getting probably a gallon every 10-15 minutes in there which leads me to believe there is water coming from somewhere else.  Has anyone else had anything similar happen?  Is it normal to take on some water?  What are some common leaks that I could check for?

[pgroves]

I have an X-22 and 2 years ago I was taking on water also. Turns out the water was coming in from the back of the boat where the exhaust hoses exit. I tightened the clamps and problem solved.

[lilfoo2225]

could be lots of things. is it taking on more water with the engine running? maybe something wasnt tightened after it was dewinterized? check all cooling lines, heater core lines,shower lines or make sure its off if you have one. get some new prop shaft packing rope and put in new piece and that will fix that. also make sure all bilge plugs are put back in and tight!

[epic_toy]

Also, feel the temp of the water to narrow it down. Is it warm or lake temp? If warm, will be from engine, shower, or heater. I had hot water in the bilge when I first got the boat and it turned out the shower valve was opened in the trunk even though the pump was off. It was leaking just enough from the engine pressure alone.

If cold, likely from a thruhull or intake.

[TrueBuckeye]

Thanks for all the responses that should help me narrow down the possibilities.

[toyotafreak]

I noticed this year I have a bit of a squirt coming from the puttied area where the shat passes through the hull. There's a bronze fixture that has what looked like plumber's putty on the inside of the liner under the tranny.

Need to change the packing and need to dress this new leak.

I did modify my under-seat ice chest (under observer seat) so that it would drain into the bilge. There was a recess in the liner indicating there was supposed to be a drain but mine didn't have one installed. Anyhoo, the 20 lbs of ice we go through each day drains into the bilge.

Also....I really want to do three things: 1) add a t-handled garboard drain forward of the fuel tank (like D-drive boats normally have because my transom drain won't drain unless on a very steep hill), 2) add a second bilge automatice bilge pump to the aft area by the transom, and 3) upgrade the forward automatic ballast pump to something of more capacity. Figure those three things will keep my hull and liner dry, and will protect us from all sorts of leaks including the time I will eventually join the no-drain-plug club.

[toyotafreak]

Sorry, one more thing I left out: 4) install a seacock valve at the water intake. This is a good safety feature in case of a broken hose witin the boat, and a convenience thing that would allow you to troubleshoot cooling or change the impeller while on the water.

[Wet-N-Frugal]

My X22 leaks. It's the rudder, for after sitting on the trailer for hours, all is dry except a few drips streaming down the rudder. At some point in its previous life the rudder to a wallop; hairline cracks in the rudder recess (hull) are evident. I've had it out to reseal. A visual of all parts concerned look good, and it isn't sloppy in its mount. Next time I have it out, I'll be extremely aggressive with the marine sealant!!

FYI: you don't have to pull the prop to get it out.

For now, I just leave the Bilge in auto... even overnight.

-WNF

[andyboy]

Change the shaft packing in the teflon housing...5/16 GTU...great tutorial on this web iste under maintenenance...$6.00 fix...get it done ..andy