Saturday April 1, Lower End

[SplitG2]

Fished Saturday.  Stayed away from the crowded creeks and fished main lake pockets.  WT was 55-56.  Caught a couple of short fish early on the 3.8 swimbait.  Backed out and threw a jerkbait in 15' and caught a 3-4 more with a little more size.  Switched to a jig near deeper outside dock corners and caught a few better, just not big enough to weigh in.  Headed out to see if I could keep something going with the jig bite and couldn't get the boat on plane.  posterior end was dragging.  Suspected water on the wrong side of the hull...and bilge won't come on!  Limped it back to the dock, got it on the lift and pulled the plug.  12 minutes later it finally slowed to a trickle.  Can only imagine what would have happened if I was farther away.  I think it's bad hose to or from the livewell which are conveniently located in the hull pad under a full tank of fuel.  Wasn't prepared to siphon the tank and tear it apart this weekend.  Will be back in a few weeks to dig into it.  Congrats to those that cashed checks this weekend.    

[96 CHAMP]

Sorry to here about your dilemma, good thing you were close no doubt, sooner or later I reckon Murphy catches up with all of us, he caught up with me Sunday in TM battery issue. Good luck getting things back together.

[Quillback]

Murphy's law of boating, when you need your bilge pump, it doesn't work. 

[vernon]

For a mere 60 - 70K you could eliminate most of those problems!

Well, at least for a year or two anyway.

Good luck getting back in the water.

[dan hufferd]

I would just plug the live well inlet and get back to the fish, might salvage the day.  I fish in the cold a lot, I have an extra plug in the boat just in case something freezes an busts. I sure hope it doesn't you never know.

[merc1997 Bo]

 

I would just plug the live well inlet and get back to the fish, might salvage the day.  I fish in the cold a lot, I have an extra plug in the boat just in case something freezes an busts. I sure hope it doesn't you never know.

sounds as though it is leaking before it gets there.

bo

[dan hufferd]

 

sounds as though it is leaking before it gets there.

bo

I should have been more clear, I would take the screen off and plug the outside intake, the water would never make it into the boat, unless there is a hole, crack or bad seal somewhere.

It wouldn't be a permanent fix but it might get you through the day. It might allow a guy to run some fuel out too.

[SplitG2]

Dan - Agree I could plug from the outside temporarily.  Still don't like the idea of no bilge but then again the next few months are prime time to be in the water.  We'll see. 

[mrgungho]

Not sure what your boat is but I just had to do this to my 92 champion..there is a removable floor under the batteries most times...I was able (by a miracle) to get inside the compartment and reach back under the fuel tank to get it all replaced.  TOTAL pain.  You can also get to the bilge easily if you do have this removable floor and they pretty cheap and just a few connections.  

 

I found out mine was bad in the middle of nowhere on BS about a month ago.  Luckily my bilge works but I had water up over the batteries before I looked back and noticed it!!!  Fun times!!

[SplitG2]

Interesting.  It's an older champion.  Will definitely look into access from the floor under the batteries.  Thanks for replying.