My Ranger Is Taking On Water, Why?

[Golffnutt]

Hi Everyone,

 

Hope someone can help me here, I am going crazy over this problem.  Just purchased a flawless, one owner, 1996 Ranger 364V and took it out this weekend for the first time other than the test drive.  It is taking on water like crazy, both when I run it and when parked in the water.  I don't know why, although I am sure it is me doing something wrong (yes the boat plug is in and tight).  I parked it in a covered boat slip last night and emptied the boat with the bilge pump, took almost 5 minutes to empty it.  Left it parked under the covered boat slip overnight, it did not rain yet when I went back the next morning I had a small amount of water in the floor of the boat where the boat had filled with water overnight.  I emptied it with the bilge pump before going on the water, it again took almost 5 minutes to empty the water.  What is going on, why is this happening, is this normal to take on this much water when running the boat and also when the boat is parked in a covered slip?  Please, I need your help and advice on what to do.  Thank you so much for your reply and have a wonderful and blessed day.

 

Rick

[Smokinal]

Not to try to pawn you off but my first call would be to whoever sold you said flawless Ranger.

[joefish]

Check all the plumbing hoses on the live wells and the bilge system.  Probably have a bad hose with a boat that olds.

[Golffnutt]

Not to try to pawn you off but my first call would be to whoever sold you said flawless Ranger.

Had it checked it out by my local Ranger Dealer and he said in his own words after inspecting the boat thoroughly, "the boat is in excellent condition and I can find nothing wrong with it, buy it quickly before someone else does"

[Golffnutt]

Check all the plumbing hoses on the live wells and the bilge system.  Probably have a bad hose with a boat that olds.

Did that, no problems there.

[tomustang]

Take the boat out of the water and see if it pours out from anywhere

[Golffnutt]

Take the boat out of the water and see if it pours out from anywhere

Did that too, did not see anything out of the normal here either.

[tomustang]

Check the livewell intake pumps/connection s. I don't know how yours work but I've seen ones where a pump housing was cracked and constantly leaks water into the bilge area whenever it was in the water

[Nick B]

I once found leaks in my boat by filling the boat with water, I did this at home after the trailer was dry so I could see where the leaks were a lot easier.

[desmobob]

Check all the plumbing hoses on the live wells and the bilge system.  Probably have a bad hose with a boat that olds.

 

+1

 

Completely seal off your live well intake (any below-waterline intakes) and see if the leak stops.   My buddy's brand new Smoker Craft sank at his dock twice due to live well system leaks.  I started calling it a "Snorkel Craft."

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[J Francho]

Yep, plug the live well ports, and I bet you have your answer.

[mike1950]

My Ranger Bass Master Classic did this same thing after a few years.  Did the tests others have said and couldn't find leak.  A friend and I put it in the water and turned on and checked everything.  FINALLY discovered that it WAS the livewell pump.  When it cycled on it had a leak in the pump.  

You could not see anythig when it was off, the leak was almost invisible but it would accumulate a lot of water over night.  Replaced the pump and never had a problem again.   Apparently the vibration from trailering had managed to crack it.

[Ski213]

I'd agree with everybody else. Plumbing leaks can be tough to find. The pumps and valves get pretty brittle with age.

I'd get the boat totally dry and then put it in the slip and just watch the bilge like a hawk. Wiggle the hoses and such a little. It's amazing how hard it can be to find one sometimes. I don't know where the waterline falls in relation to the transom tie downs but that might be something to look at. As has been suggested already plugging off the thru hull fittings is time well spent. It can eliminate a lot of potential problem areas. If that doesn't stop it you're at least narrowed way down.

Another thing to check on a boat that age would be the underside of the rub rail. Probably not your current problem since it takes on water sitting still, but you can take on a bunch of water when underway if there's not a good seal.

[Smokinal]

Had it checked it out by my local Ranger Dealer and he said in his own words after inspecting the boat thoroughly, "the boat is in excellent condition and I can find nothing wrong with it, buy it quickly before someone else does"

I wasn't bustin on your new boat bro. What I was getting at was if there was something the old owner knew that he had an issue with or something you are doing that he would say "Oh ya, don't do it like that" or something of the likes.

[Golffnutt]

I once found leaks in my boat by filling the boat with water, I did this at home after the trailer was dry so I could see where the leaks were a lot easier.

How did you fill up the boat with water, just pour it into the floor drain holes?

[gardnerjigman]

Yep, plug the live well ports, and I bet you have your answer.

 

This for sure. Seal it off and go fishing. If you get water in the boat still then pull the boat out and see if you can spot where it is coming from. It has to be something pretty obvious and big to fill that fast with water... I've had bilge and livewell pumps loose seal and let water by before. 

[slimshad]

Alot of times it is the top of the transom.  Another is the rub rail.  Buddy has a 1998 and it was both.  All in the rear area.  Good luck.  You will find it and have a great boat for years to come.

[Crappiebasser]

I agree with plugging the live wells. Also check the insert the drain plug goes into. I have seen them break lose and leak around the outside edge.

[waterdog1]

My first bet would be the livewell system. Second I would check the seal & torque of the engine mount bolts.

[Nick B]

How did you fill up the boat with water, just pour it into the floor drain holes?

My bilge area was easily accessible, so I put a garden hose in there with the drain plug installed, and the boat level and filled up the bilge area.

[Golffnutt]

Thanks so much to everyone with you thoughts, comments, and suggestions.  I am going to try plugging the live wells and see if that works, if not then I will take the monetary plunge and take it to the dealer ($90 an hour), tough on this old disabled social security income only boy.  Quite honestly I know so little about a boat that I don't know where to check half the stuff suggested by you guys.  I  do know this though.  I turned on both rear live well aerators today to check them out.  I got sound and pipe vibration from the port side but no sound or vibration at all on the starboard side.  Does that mean I probably need a new starboard side aerator?   I'm thinking I do and it looks really tough to get to, don't think I can install a new one myself.  Both aerators are in the battery compartment, very tight squeeze and the aerators are almost on the bottom of the boat.  

[spartyon8]

My livewell hose split under the floor. There was no way for me to "see" it with a normal inspection. Just a thought.

[Ski213]

Could be the pump is bad, could also be electrical in nature. Check for power at the pump first. If you've got power it's most likely the pump. If you don't have power it could be a bad connection, blown, fuse, or switch. I made the mistake of assuming I had a bad pump last year. Replaced it only to find out a connection failed between Thursday night and Friday morning.

[Ski213]

Also, if there's anything somebody is telling you to check and you don't know how or where just ask. In my experience everybody here just wants to help.

[RCCA]

Could be as simple as the transducer screws need silicon. Don't know if it has a transducer screwed in the back but I've had that problem before. Best of luck to ya.