Hull filling with water - any thoughts?

Springwick · 23 August 2019, 08:21

I have just taken my Mercury 420 Ocean Runner off the water after a fantastic 2 week holiday in Salcombe. Everything went really well as it was brand new to us this year, so I was a little apprehensive!
When I got it back on the trailer I opened the bung in the back, and I reckon there was 30+ litres of water came out from underneath the floor!!
There is no oblivious point that water can get into this void that I can see and I wondered if anyone had any advice as to whether this is a problem or not?
Thanks in advance.

Simonh66 · 23 August 2019, 08:48

Water gets into all hulls, that’s why there is a bing. When I bought my RIB I took the bung out over 250 L poured out!

Springwick · 23 August 2019, 08:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simonh66

Water gets into all hulls, that’s why there is a bing. When I bought my RIB I took the bung out over 250 L poured out!

That’s reassuring.
I did think the bung was there for a reason but was alarmed how much came out!

Pikey Dave · 23 August 2019, 09:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Springwick

That’s reassuring.

I did think the bung was there for a reason but was alarmed how much came out!

Personally I wouldn’t be reassured, I’d be worried if my hull acquired 30l of water in a couple of weeks. Hull’s shouldn’t leak. If water is unintentionally getting under the deck, there’s a problem.

Springwick · 23 August 2019, 09:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Personally I wouldn’t be reassured, I’d be worried if my hull acquired 30l of water in a couple of weeks. Hull’s shouldn’t leak. If water is unintentionally getting under the deck, there’s a problem.

I think I will contact the dealer and get their opinion.
I did think it was a bit excessive but that the bung was there for a reason.

Jojosrib · 23 August 2019, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Springwick

I have just taken my Mercury 420 Ocean Runner off the water after a fantastic 2 week holiday in Salcombe. Everything went really well as it was brand new to us this year, so I was a little apprehensive!
When I got it back on the trailer I opened the bung in the back, and I reckon there was 30+ litres of water came out from underneath the floor!!
There is no oblivious point that water can get into this void that I can see and I wondered if anyone had any advice as to whether this is a problem or not?
Thanks in advance.

I had this happen on one of my old Ribs. Sadly not the best outcome. many ribs are sandwiched together with with the deck basically glassed to the hull. The tubes are then put on. In the case of my boat there was a flaw in this process that meant was a leak under the tubes which allowed water ingress. The boat was basically written off under warranty as it was an uneconomical repair. To establish where the leak was we left the bung in and filled the hull with water. Eventually water started dripping from under the tubes. Of course there maybe some other explanation like a leaky bung or the boat was stored outside with the bung in during some heavy weather. Either way, make sure you get to the bottom of it in the warranty period.

jeffstevens763@g · 23 August 2019, 09:55

bungs sometime leak and need re-sealing or renewing was it rain water or salt water.

pilotwillie · 23 August 2019, 10:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simonh66

Water gets into all hulls, that’s why there is a bing

Not necessarily true.
I bought a 21yr old regularly used Osprey Viper. No bung, built that way. Fearing the worst, I drilled below the waterline to insert a bung. Not a single drop of water came out, and thankfully none has entered since. Lucky, maybe yes. Testament to the Osprey build quality, absolutely.

gpsguru · 23 August 2019, 11:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Springwick

I have just taken my Mercury 420 Ocean Runner off the water after a fantastic 2 week holiday in Salcombe. Everything went really well as it was brand new to us this year, so I was a little apprehensive!
When I got it back on the trailer I opened the bung in the back, and I reckon there was 30+ litres of water came out from underneath the floor!!
There is no oblivious point that water can get into this void that I can see and I wondered if anyone had any advice as to whether this is a problem or not?
Thanks in advance.

Something is not right, I had a 420 for 3 years and there was never a drop of water in the hull void.

With the weather we have had I would guess its rainwater getting in from a badly fitted console or seat.

It is still under warranty so take it back to the supplier.

Iain Davies · 23 August 2019, 11:36

Worth checking there is a rubber gasket on the bung and it hasn’t flattened or perished. Regularly have to replace mine to prevent water entering the hull as the bing is below the waterline for ease of draining the hull should any water get in.

FoxZulu · 23 August 2019, 15:50

We've never had a single drop of water in our Ribeye's hull. It has always been bone dry. As others have already said I would think that there is a manufacturing flaw or the bung seal is damaged.

Bushrider · 23 August 2019, 16:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotwillie

Testament to the Osprey build quality, absolutely.

I had an Vipermax from 2006 and loved the boat but in 2014 during the Round Britain the hull permanently filled up with water .
We tried to check really everything but did not manage to find where the water came from .
We suspected that the water came through a seam of the tube .
I took the boat later to a professional shop but also they could not find really something.
They opened a long seam near the stern and after they could not find something suspicious they glued it back .
Since that time I had no water in the hull anymore .

gtflash · 23 August 2019, 17:13

Have you got a bilge pump? If so check it isn’t syphoning back in. Engine bolt holes can be a source of water too.

ShinyShoe · 23 August 2019, 21:27

Some boats expect water in there, others don't. Ones that expect it might drain from anchor locker and cable ducts etc. They would usually have a bilge pump in there.

Some moisture may be simply condensation. Not 30litres

So it sounds like you shouldn't have water in there in that quantity. Others have suggested places to check. In my case it was a bung that was screwed in last minute. The boat was a "show boat" and they put the bung in for the show with no bed of sealant meaning to remove and reseal and forgot. Couldn't find the leak at all...

Eventually I *gently* pumped some air in the bung hole and went round with soapy water looking for bubbles. Spotted bubbles at the bung where I was inflating even though I was sure I'd created a decent seal with plasticine...

pilotwillie · 23 August 2019, 21:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushrider

I had an Vipermax from 2006 and loved the boat but in 2014 during the Round Britain the hull permanently filled up with water .
We tried to check really everything but did not manage to find where the water came from .
We suspected that the water came through a seam of the tube .
I took the boat later to a professional shop but also they could not find really something.
They opened a long seam near the stern and after they could not find something suspicious they glued it back .
Since that time I had no water in the hull anymore .

Thankfully Mike only built my hull, not the tubes [emoji6]

Wozizname · 23 August 2019, 22:01

Springwick, I took delivery of my Merc Ocean Runner 420 last April and following its maiden voyage I also experienced this issue (about 15 litres) but couldn't say if it was salt or fresh water.
The boat has been used 20+ times since, sometimes left overnight open to heavy rainfall and the issue hasn't re-occured. I check it after every outing.
I put it down to its deflated storage over a long period of time prior to its sale and being rigged.
Hopefully yours will be the same outcome.

Bushrider · 23 August 2019, 22:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotwillie

Thankfully Mike only built my hull, not the tubes [emoji6]

With fiberglass he is a genius [emoji106]

spartacus · 23 August 2019, 23:17

Something's not right. 30 litres?

Apart from the bung, what else deck fittings without Sikaflex? I'd pressurise the hull with Fairy suds lapping about on the deck. There's one way to solve this issue.

Limecc · 24 August 2019, 07:21

Interesting. My Ocean Runner collects water in the hull, sometimes a little, sometimes more and there seems no direct relation to length of time in the water, but maybe how judiciously I use the bilge pump.

I have been suspecting the deck fittings, in particular there is a large (150mm?) diameter inspection bung near the transom that I intend to remove and re-seal. Now I moved the fuel tank to be under the seat it is not out of sight anymore. Great idea to put a few psi in there and go round with soapy water, I should have thought of that myself.

P.S. I once left the self-bailing valve closed during storage using only the jockey seat cover so the hull filled with five or six inches of rainwater and I noticed the effect then as well.

boristhebold · 24 August 2019, 09:06

I would not be worried with 30 Litres coming out, water always finds its way into the hull, especially when it rains heavily, 30 litres isnt that much at all, if you watch dry stack operations when they have the bungs out and tilt the boats water pours out for a few minutes of every boat, normally it is rain water.