found a leak on 20 SF
 

Hey guys new seacraft owner here purchsaed in October. I can't believe what i found. I suspected i had a leak because the few times i took it out mostly doing sea trials the bilge was getting water in it. I was getting about five to six gallons in about 2 hours. Two of the times i was out it was 2-3' ft chop and blowing pretty good with some spray getting on the deck i suspected this the cause at first. Today i started to think about the water in the bilge again and after finishing my first beer i decided to investigate. I decided i was going to plug both scuppers, fish box drain then fill with water from the inside of the boat i found no leaks. I then plugged the bilge drain and poured 5 gallons in the bilge and i couldn't believe what i saw coming out from underneath. A hole about 1/16" i stuck a copper wire right through it. There must be something about drinking beer and finding problems with boats (just kidding but a good excuse to drink beer). I attached some photos for all to see i still can't believe it. Anyway i was wandering if this is a good place for a water pickup for saltwater wash down. The dimensions are 6" up from the transom and 10.5" from the center of keel to starboard. Thanks in advance for any feed back.

Looks like there's another hole about an inch from the one that goes all the way through. If you don't want to install a through hull just yet, you can squeeze some 3M 5200 sealant into the hole and then run a screw into it. I wouldn't use a screw longer than a half inch. You don't want it sticking out the other side.

Dave

Is that the stringer?

Thanks Blue for the quick response so do you think this is a good location for a water pickup I'm thinking it may be too close to the chine the other hole is further away from the chine and further forward. The old hole is where i was planning on putting it but now i found this and was wandering if this location is okay.

Workinprogress it's not the stringer i just went to look at it again it's about 3" away from the inner chine also its in line with the other hole that was closed up except that is 6" further aft. Its about six inches from the transom looking at it from inside the bilge my first intentions was to drill out the old hole but now i found this and looking for the best solution. I was planning on installing saltwater wash down as winter project. Thanks!!

Blue_heron your'e right i didn't notice the hole maybe i need to drink some more beer. I tried pushing wire through the other hole it goes in about 1/4" i measured the hull thickness in this area looks like 1/2" thick does this sound like the right thickness.

If it's in the lowest hull panel, closest to the keel, it really depends on if you've got room to install a seacock and the rest of the plumbing that goes to the pump where the hole happens to be.

If you've got a transom mounted transducer for a fish finder, you don't want to mount a clamshell/ scoop through-hull directly in front of it or it will interfere with the planing speed performance of the fish finder.

Dave

I thought I saw a foaming port, in line with the hole that's why I asked about the stringer. They are peculiar holes, I'd take down the paint on he bottom and see what's going on in that general area myself. I'm trying to think why you would have holes there, but then again people do the funniest stuff. I wonder if someone had a float switch or something screwed all the way through.

Thanks Blue for the feedback i guess i need to get the tape measure out to see if the seacock is going to interfere with the inner chine. I dont have a transducer installed yet i've been reading about the shoot thru hull design but not sure which way i want to go.

Workinprogress i thought the hole was a pilot hole for a thru hull drilled in the wrong location. Is it possible that whatever if was filled with could of eventually broke down over time? Then again there is another hole next to it and about the same width of a float switch that is a good explanation have you been drinking? LOL