Taking on water in my 1999 215DC

[JWin56]

Hey everyone.  Today I bought a very well kept 199 215DC. We took it for a test run and after loading it back on the trailer and pulling it our of the water, I found that it had taken on a ton of water. The hull is perfectly sound with no cracks and the plug was in. Could this have been coming from the live well port? Any help would be appreciated. 

[Capt. Bob]

Three questions:

Has the boat been kept outside?

Is the boat on a trailer?

Was the drain plug out before you placed it in the water?

I'm going with rain water that was already in the hull. This isn't uncommon with any trailered hull but Aquas seem to get a good amount. Trying to rule out a bad hose first before tearing into the hull.

[JWin56]

The boat has been under a shed outside with a soft cover on it. The water was not in there before I took it out. Yes the drain plug was in the boat before I put it in the water. The hull is fine. I believe it to be a bad hose for the livewell.

[RickK]

On the DC model if you look at the way the hull bottom runs from back to front you'll notice that the very bottom of the keel just before the curve up toward the bow, there is an area that is lower than the aft. Water settles in that area and without jacking it way up, you wouldn't see it. The area should be about where you walk through the windshield. Do you have a forward bilge pump/access hatch?

[JWin56]

It was a ton of water. As in once the boat was loaded on the trailer and I opened the rear hatch that shows the sector valves, it was over the valves and pumps.  It took a good long while to pump it out. This was definitely not from residual rain water.

[RickK]

Does the hull have anti-fouling paint on it? If so, it could be hiding a crack. I would check for cracks in the hull and check the keel for damage.
Also if you have a baitwell and/or washdown pump, check that the hose didn't come off the pick up/sea-cock and is free flowing into the hull. If you have any thru-
hull for feeding a bait well directly or a drain for it out the side of the hull, check that the hose didn't come off at the thru-hull.
There have been reports that water can get in along the shoe-box fitting of the cap/side if it's not sealed well. Usually happens in choppy water.