50 Post Bilge Leak

What does it taste like? It could be a freshwater plumbing leak. Which direction is it flowing from?

That's a limber hole (I think that's what they call it) which allows water outside the stringer to run to the keel line and eventually to the forward bilge pump. The water outside the stringer can originate anywhere outside the stringer along the length of the boat ( mine comes from a poor cockpit gasket) But can also come from emptying fresh water or antifreeze into the bilge during winterization. See if you can get a rolled water absorbent pad in there to mop up what might be only a small amount of residual water. If it stays dry, you're probably good. If you're on the hard, the lay of the boat on the stands may be preventing that water from completely running thru the limber. But if it keeps getting wet ( puddling) you might have to look further. Is it clear or pink? Salt of fresh?. You can see from the darker stain running from the hole, that it is active from time to time, which is why it's there!

If you pour a half gallon of pink antifreeze behind the engine and tranny outside that string running thru the engine room, you should see it coming out of that hole in about 5-10 minutes.

In my situation once I'm covered no more water gets in thru the cockpit hatch seal and rain or wash water running forward stops. I probably should fix that seal....

Your AC is off...could be the head if that is still on. Check all the hoses and clamps from the sea water intake , the seacock , onward to the head its self to the holding tank/treatment system etc. sounds like sea water leaking in somewhere .
Or it could be fresh water from your freshwater system if you here your water pump run briefly every so often .

You taste it first !! Lol your a wild man Capt J ...lol.

Now, that is funny!!!

Lol, you better have the paramedics and poison control on the phone when you taste anything in my old Ocean bilge ! Lol...

Is that smaller hole factory?
Send a colonoscope thru those limber holes & paths.

The limber hole is factory, don't know about the little one - I don't have the smaller one.
The drain does not seem active, so the indication is that your not getting new water. A borescope will only confirm you have water, but I don't think it would ID the source, but if you have one take a look. I'm betting it came from your recent winterization. That's why I asked the color.

I wouldn't freak out - the limber hole seems to be working as designed - to evacuate water trapped on the out side of the stringers. The main thing is that its not constantly flowing, that would indicate an active leak rather than a transitory event.

If you want to see that effect use a 1/2 gal of antifreeze as I suggested.

That smaller one may have been done after market if there is any kind of "lip" to the bigger limber hole at its junction with the bilge surface? That would act like a small "dam" Dunno….

I'd watch it, but based on my experience with Bodacious, that limber hole is working as advertised. When your back in the water, if you are getting a constant stream out of that hole then I'd be concerned. Assuming you're on the hard now ( I winter in the water) let us know in the spring how its going, thx.

hmm. Depending on how much water you got in the bilge during winterization, there may be "pockets" of water still trapped which move as the boat rocks? I have that cockpit gasket issue so until I cover for the winter I get water in the bilge every time I wash, rinse it down, or it rains. You certainly want that dry for the winter, because when the water temp goes down in January, that bilge pump area can freeze. I leave an energized 100 watt light bulb in that area over the winter just for that reason.

First step put a white rolled up paper towel in the hole lets see what color the liquid is. If its pink, it probably residual antifreeze. If its clear then is it salt or fresh - I think you can judge that with a specific gravity meter. If its fresh, then its coming from inside the boat - once you run out of a possible 240 gals of fresh water you're done. If its salt it's coming from outside the boat and you probably want to find that source sooner than later. Just some thoughts?

Also, though you just found this leak now, if it salt or fresh water it probably been going on for some time. Have you ever noticed it before your winterization?

I'm in Jax FL. Not a lot of winter problems down here that a lil trouble light or golden rod can't take care of.
But I think this may be a good idea;
Pour a bunch of safe antifreeze in the bilges. You don't want that water to freeze.

If it is an active leak, I suspect the antifreeze would get diluted and eliminated over time. Once I get covered for the winter I pump everything dry in the bilges. I leave the light on only in case some water gets in there between my visits. I wouldn't want to leave the boat with an active salt water leak - what happen if it gets bigger?

Pull out the margarita mix.

Indeed!