Fresh water accumulates in aft bilge in my new R-27/OB
- Thread starter baz
- Start date
seanlisa122
Member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2018
- Messages
- 14
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-28
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- Islander 28
- Vessel Name
- Sea Ann
Hey Baz
Just took delivery last week. We have been out three times in some kinda rough seas, but having a blast. I do have a some water in my aft bilge. The rep I purchased the boat from says it is normal.Not enough to activate the bilge pump. I am not really concerned about it. Anyway really loving the boat.
Just took delivery last week. We have been out three times in some kinda rough seas, but having a blast. I do have a some water in my aft bilge. The rep I purchased the boat from says it is normal.Not enough to activate the bilge pump. I am not really concerned about it. Anyway really loving the boat.
Echobay
Member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2018
- Messages
- 13
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-30 CB
- Hull Identification Number
- FMLT2923A020
- Vessel Name
- Great Escape
Hi Baz,
I took delivery of my R-27 O/B on March 20th and I have been watching my aft bilge. I have not seen more than an inch of water. Overall I am very happy with the boat and company. I'll keep watching and let you if I see a problem.
Hope you solve the problem,
Moran
I took delivery of my R-27 O/B on March 20th and I have been watching my aft bilge. I have not seen more than an inch of water. Overall I am very happy with the boat and company. I'll keep watching and let you if I see a problem.
Hope you solve the problem,
Moran
Moran: Yes, 1" is all I see at times as well. Still, I want to know where it's coming from. 😉
I dried out my 1" a week ago and so far the bilge has remained bone dry. It's been windy and rainy for past few days. Boat is in a covered slip and has a full cockpit enclosure. I bet the 1" will return in a week or so, given the past happenings.
I dried out my 1" a week ago and so far the bilge has remained bone dry. It's been windy and rainy for past few days. Boat is in a covered slip and has a full cockpit enclosure. I bet the 1" will return in a week or so, given the past happenings.
Problem/Issue has now been understood after several months with many ??????. 😱
Finally, I've figured out where the water is coming from..... 😀
So without posting my sleuth report first I'll say up front that the cause for the water is due to back flushing the kicker motor with fresh water while the kicker motor is in the fully UP position.
The full explanation....
Today was my periodic 30-day preventive maintenance chore when...
1) I run the Webasto Forced Air diesel heater because at the 30-day mark it flashed its two side red LEDs indicating maintenance require. After turning the heater ON it then runs for maybe 20 mins and turns OFF automatically having cleaned the injection ports etc presumably.
2) I lower both engines and run both engines during the 20 mins of doing 1).
3) After 1) & 2) complete I raise the kicker motor first and back flush the engine with shore supplied fresh hose water.
4) After 3) I raise the main F300 engine and back flush it with fresh water.
I had checked the aft bilge before doing any of the above and it was perfectly dry.
After performing 1) through 4) I again checked the aft bilge and by golly there was water there. Even more water was in the aft most section under the rear platform and it had overflowed and ran into the aft bilge where the bilge pump is via the 1" seep hole joining the aft most bilge to the aft bilge under the cockpit's center hatch.
I tasted the water and it did have a salty taste.....Hmmmmm ????????
So where was this water coming from I asked myself ?
Using my torch (Flash light) I scanned everywhere and found the culprit. Water was entering via the kicker motors 3" black corrugated conduit that houses its fuel line and electrical wires.
What appears to happen is that when back flushing the kicker motor so much water is being pushed through the engine that much water exits at the rear of the engine and as it is fully raised up much of the water coming out from this rear area gets into the 3" corrugated conduit and finally makes its way to inside the boat and drenches the cross stringer that the ski tow bar's base plate is attached to with most of presumably going into the aft-most bilge and from there when the water level reached the seep hole flows into aft bilge where the bilge pump is.
The reason for why the water had a salty taste has to be because the back flushing at first pushes any salt water out before the fresh water enters. The salt water taste was what had me confused for a long time thinking I had a thru hull leak of some sort.
See photos for details in my photo library here -> http://www.tugnuts.com/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=53931
Thumbnails here
So I'm mightily pleased I have no thru hull leaks of any kind. 😀
I guess for other R-27 Outboard model owners with a kicker motor pay attention to this aspect if you discover water as I have during this episode. 🙂
Finally, I've figured out where the water is coming from..... 😀
So without posting my sleuth report first I'll say up front that the cause for the water is due to back flushing the kicker motor with fresh water while the kicker motor is in the fully UP position.
The full explanation....
Today was my periodic 30-day preventive maintenance chore when...
1) I run the Webasto Forced Air diesel heater because at the 30-day mark it flashed its two side red LEDs indicating maintenance require. After turning the heater ON it then runs for maybe 20 mins and turns OFF automatically having cleaned the injection ports etc presumably.
2) I lower both engines and run both engines during the 20 mins of doing 1).
3) After 1) & 2) complete I raise the kicker motor first and back flush the engine with shore supplied fresh hose water.
4) After 3) I raise the main F300 engine and back flush it with fresh water.
I had checked the aft bilge before doing any of the above and it was perfectly dry.
After performing 1) through 4) I again checked the aft bilge and by golly there was water there. Even more water was in the aft most section under the rear platform and it had overflowed and ran into the aft bilge where the bilge pump is via the 1" seep hole joining the aft most bilge to the aft bilge under the cockpit's center hatch.
I tasted the water and it did have a salty taste.....Hmmmmm ????????
So where was this water coming from I asked myself ?
Using my torch (Flash light) I scanned everywhere and found the culprit. Water was entering via the kicker motors 3" black corrugated conduit that houses its fuel line and electrical wires.
What appears to happen is that when back flushing the kicker motor so much water is being pushed through the engine that much water exits at the rear of the engine and as it is fully raised up much of the water coming out from this rear area gets into the 3" corrugated conduit and finally makes its way to inside the boat and drenches the cross stringer that the ski tow bar's base plate is attached to with most of presumably going into the aft-most bilge and from there when the water level reached the seep hole flows into aft bilge where the bilge pump is.
The reason for why the water had a salty taste has to be because the back flushing at first pushes any salt water out before the fresh water enters. The salt water taste was what had me confused for a long time thinking I had a thru hull leak of some sort.
See photos for details in my photo library here -> http://www.tugnuts.com/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=53931
Thumbnails here
So I'm mightily pleased I have no thru hull leaks of any kind. 😀
I guess for other R-27 Outboard model owners with a kicker motor pay attention to this aspect if you discover water as I have during this episode. 🙂
BB marine
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2016
- Messages
- 2,924
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-26
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- Grady White 208
- Vessel Name
- PORT-A-GEE
It sounds like you found the issue. Persistence pays off. The only part that I would question is the salt water coming from your kicker. The outboard power head does not hold water it is self draining. The pressure from the water pump is what maintains the water in the block. As soon as the engine quits turning there is no water pressure and all the water drains out. This may take a minute at most in a small 4 stroke outboard. When you flush the block you are not flushing salt water out ,you are rinsing residual deposits, salt, sand, mud that may have settled in the block, and midsection. I'm surprised the block had that much residual salt deposits to turn the water to salt tasting. Especially since you do a very good preventive maintenance program of flushing your engines. The fact that the bilge was dry before starting and wet when finished and it was salt water says you are right.