PUMP CYCLING

Q: Hi Mick, I have a two-year-old Crownline 24XS outboard, and water keeps entering the bilge while running. The dealer has checked and found nothing. The boat is kept on a lift. Any ideas? Thanks.

Charlie Krikorian Punta Gorda, Florida

A: First, checking with the dealer was smart. Also, ask the manufacturer because it sees more boats than the dealer.

Next, make sure water is not coming in via the hull-to-deck joint. This is where the hull and deck meet, and is covered on the outside by the rub rail. Look inside through a bow locker, bilge locker, engine box or wherever there is access, and you should see some “squeeze out,” indicating sealant between the hull and deck. If possible, examine these areas with a flashlight while underway. As water climbs the hull, if it hits the rub rail and gets past the unsealed joint, you will see it coming in. A bead of caulk around the underside of the rub rail may help if this is the case.

Third, make sure your bilge pump is simply not cycling the same water over and over. Sometimes, the length of hose between the pump and discharge fitting is so long that the bilge drains, the float switch drops, and then the water in the hose goes back to the bilge, where it makes the switch float again. Rinse and repeat. The answer is to relocate the switch and tolerate a little water in the bilge.