Still leaking - Unbelievable

[Wizard]

Just spent almost 4 weeks under the boat, as I wrote before. One of the many things I was working on, was eliminating a small leak while she sits in the slip. Fiberglassed 7 feet of keel where there were some minor scuffs and dings. Completely fiberglassed the fish hold drain closed (newer Blackman's don't even have a drain). Even took out the old Sumlog through hull paddle-wheel and glassed that hole closed. D*mn thing still leaks.

All that is left is the transducer and the transom shield. Any ideas of how to re-check the transom shield or whatever could be leaking in that area? Fixing this is becoming an obsession. It's a fiberglass boat. It should be 100% dry, right?

[Moo Fish]

How bad is he leak this time??? I used a spray bottle with tempra paint to locate s very slow weep spot on another boat. Dry it out, spritz, and watch (over time) where the paint washes away. Could be five minutes--could be 5 hours. Good Luck....rt

[Wizard]

The leak never was bad, it's just that it hasn't been greatly reduced by all the work over the last few weeks. What is tempra paint?

[Secret Spot]

I'm not sure if your bilge drain is the same as on my 23 Billfisher or not. However, I had a leak that was hard to find and I finally located it around the brass bilge drain plug. While the plug it self was not leaking, I found that the female brass drain plate where the plug screws into was a little loose and subsequently leaking. I removed the plate and filled the screw holes with plastic wire tie pieces for tighter fastening and re-caulked. My problem was solved.

For what ever it's worth,

Larry (Secret Spot)

[Wizard]

Larry, that is one thing I had not considered. You have given me new optimism in that at least there could be something else contributing. I will be checking that out soon.

[Moo Fish]

Tempra paint, aka, poster paint---ask any third grade teacher. The water leak will wash away the paint film. But the suspect area has to be dry....rt

[Wizard]

Found the leak!!!

Seems the trim cylinders are connected to the transom shield via a pin/o-ring that goes through the transom shield from inside the boat. Then a 10mm bolt secures the pin. One side is sending a tiny stream of water into the bilge right by one of these bolts. Put some epoxy gunk over it for now, thinking I had some corrosion problem near a bolt that goes through the transom. But I got home, pulled out my manuals, and found out there is actually an o-ring on the pin that must be bad, and the bolt next to it just holds the pin in place. Should be easy enough to replace the pin and o-ring next time she is out of the water.

Only took 9 months to find.