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I do hull repairs on boats and in cases where a "sealed" hull is accumulating water I rig the air output from a shop-vac to an access port in order to build up a pound or two of air pressure in the hull. If the leak then isn't obvious I take a spray bottle with a mixture of water & dish soap and squirt down the entire hull. Anywhere large soap bubbles appear is a location where water can get in.

Broadcove - good points. Although if there was a leak in the underside of the hull toward the bow, it may not have leaked out as my driveway is sloped and I almost always park her stern low. Implausible, I know...
It looks like I won't get out until Sun. now, so we'll see what happens then.

Chaps: I thought of a soapy leak detector as well - just trying to figure out what my access would be to put my compressor hose into (do I put a hole in my hatch and get a new one ?). I'm going to wait until after some sea trials, though.

Good thoughts guys, keep them coming !

dingahling wrote:Broadcove - good points. Although if there was a leak in the underside of the hull toward the bow, it may not have leaked out as my driveway is sloped and I almost always park her stern low. Implausible, I know...
It looks like I won't get out until Sun. now, so we'll see what happens then.

Chaps: I thought of a soapy leak detector as well - just trying to figure out what my access would be to put my compressor hose into (do I put a hole in my hatch and get a new one ?). I'm going to wait until after some sea trials, though.

Good thoughts guys, keep them coming !

For pressurizing the hull I would just duct tape over the access hole with the shop vac hose taped in there, it puts out a lot of air it does not need to be perfectly air tight.

DO NOT pressurize your hull....Pontoon boat MFG'rs only use about THREE or FOUR PSI and even that is VERY SCARY , there is a BUNCH of volume in those pontoons and under your deck . 10 or 15 psi in a large volume can blow your house up.

If any thing , use soapy water on the outside and do a vacuum test and watch for bubbles.

Welder - but doing a vacuum with soapy solution will draw the bubbles inside the hull, won't it ?

I'll take your word for it not to pressurize, but I would think that'd be the only way to see bubbles on the deck/hull...

If your on Long Island, I have a shop in Holbrook and build aluminum boats. I'd be glad to help with your problem

Welderbob

You pull the vacuum on the outside , you have to make a clear box with a foam seal to a shop vac .

Right now we are getting to technical , just put her in the water at the ramp and watch for water then go to plan "B" if ya have too and well go from there.

welder bob, thanks for the offer. If it comes down to repairs, I'll more than likely need someone with your expertise...

Update: plugged the scuppers yesterday and filled the deck with water up to the console- with the tilt of the boat, there was 4-5 inches of water against the stern wall.
Just opened the drain plug and removed a little more than 2 quarts of water.
So it's obvious (and makes sense) that there is a leak on deck, however small. There are no holes visible to my eye, but my deck is a mess (peeling deck paint, pine needles from the white pine she's parked under, not to mention all the sap drops...) and needs a good cleaning before giving it the once over.
I'm taking her out shortly to see if I get any water from the sea (and also got a report that Montauk is bass blitzing).
Will report about that later.

Was there a hatch under water when you filled the deck?

OR

Maybe someone drilled a small hole some where on the deck.

My bet without seeing any pictures would be Deck Hatch. Is the boat primarily used in salt water????? The taste test was primarily fresh water.

Park the boat on a incline. Transom down hill. Plug the scuppers, Fill with water only till the deck hatches are covered. Wait a while and see if water in your previously dry hull has some water in it????? I do not recommend compressing air in that volume.

We would love to see some pictures as the speak volumes.

I love my Pacific

Mark
2325 Wa Pacificskiff

The Armstrong deck hatches leak...no doubt. If it is sealing well it will be like removing a suction cup when you loosen the handle and remove it.

I just purchased an aluminum hatch that fits the opening perfect. I did have to turn down the OD on a lathe a bit, but looks like it will work just fine.

I'll let you know......

Yes,
only used in salt water. Sea trialed last night - 1 2/2 hr on the water. pulled the plug and a gallon+ came out.
On the 1925v , Pacific builds a stern wall (I'm sure it's called something else, but I don't know what it is) so that there is a pseudo swim platform before the transom (see photo from Pacific's web site)- and that's where the only hatch is -meant to access the gas tank/bilge. So when on put fresh water on the main deck deck and plug the scuppers, no water gets to the hatch.
I've no doubt there's a small hole somewhere near the stern wall, the question is , where did last night's water come from ? Some sea water did splash over the transom and cover the hatch momentarily, but it did not seem like there was time to get a gallon's worth into the bilge -furthermore, it tastes , to my unscientific tongue, like fresh water. I'd need a salinity tester to be sure(they're $90), but I'm not getting one- Anyone on AAB know of a homemade cheap test for salinity ?
Anyway, I'm thinking there was residual water in foam that got shaken out during the course of the sea trial- thoughts ?
I've got my son's football game to cheer on, but I'll post pics later.

The good news is that she feels like a new boat w/o all that water. It was so easy to get on a plane, and alot fewer rpm to hold a plane...and I caught 4 stripers...

You should have two hatches, one where you mentioned and the other between the leaning post and the transom. Here is a picture of mine on my 1925, it was used for a bait well I remove,but the fuel tank access for sender, pickup and fill are right under the hatch.

OK, pics of das Boot...

No hatch near the leaning post on my 1925V, just the one in the pic.
My hull # is in the 70's , so pretty early on. Seems as though changes were constantly occurring on the early serial #'s.

One pic shows the scupper tube height -1/4" above the deck, so that there's always residual water on the deck.
Does everyone else have this same issue or was it modified in later models ?

Yes, the newer scupper design is much different. There is a rectangular trap welded in now that has the scuppers below deck a couple of inches. It catches lots of, and all, water very quickly...in fact, I have lost mackerel through the scuppers. You can see them clearly in this video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g928mHPjzj4

I hope this problem gets figured out soon.

As mentioned the newer scupper design allows all the water to drain. Here is a picture.

Gawd, i love the new scupper design!

I really want to upgrade to the 23 HT...

I'm sure I could build you one right here on Long Island. I work with Bill Lincoln @Response Marine. He is the one that designed the Rock Salt line for Jay.

Welderbob

MacCtd - are the scuppers the same design on the transom side ? How old is your boat ? It looks like you did a good job cleaning the area where the bait well was, and your deck paint looks to be in great shape...

dingahling wrote:MacCtd - are the scuppers the same design on the transom side ? How old is your boat ? It looks like you did a good job cleaning the area where the bait well was, and your deck paint looks to be in great shape...

The transom scuppers on my boat are the same as you deck scuppers, my boat is a '05. It cleaned up pretty well but there are a spots where the bait well was that I plan to grind down and repaint this fall. You can see a little in this picture where the water line in that area from the water sitting there because it cannot drain.

Went out for 4 hrs this morning - just took a look in the hatch and only a handful of water in there, which leads me to believe that the water from the last outing WAS residual water from either the foam or nooks and crannies in the hull.
OR, as it was alot calmer today and no water came onto the hatch, maybe the last outing's water WAS from the hatch ( unlikely, to my mind)...
Anyway, I'll continue to look and try to figure this out.

I know this is off topic and maybe I'll start a new thread, but I've searched the forums and found the subject of deck painting discussed, but no one who had actually done it. I bring it up because as you can see from the pics she's overdue, and repainting may also help me find the cause of this leak...

dingahling wrote:Went out for 4 hrs this morning - just took a look in the hatch and only a handful of water in there, which leads me to believe that the water from the last outing WAS residual water from either the foam or nooks and crannies in the hull.
OR, as it was alot calmer today and no water came onto the hatch, maybe the last outing's water WAS from the hatch ( unlikely, to my mind)...
Anyway, I'll continue to look and try to figure this out.

I know this is off topic and maybe I'll start a new thread, but I've searched the forums and found the subject of deck painting discussed, but no one who had actually done it. I bring it up because as you can see from the pics she's overdue, and repainting may also help me find the cause of this leak...

You can get the paint from Pacific I believe but if you are planning on repainting the whole deck you might consider some type of truck bed liner paint you can buy at an auto store. I looked at a 23' Pacific last year that had been painted that way and it looked pretty, there was one for sale on here a while back as well that had tan paint that looked pretty cool.
What engine does your boat have on it by the way how does it perform? My 1925 has a Honda 90 which is adequate but if I had to repower I would go with a 150hp.

You can get the paint from Pacific I believe but if you are planning on repainting the whole deck you might consider some type of truck bed liner paint you can buy at an auto store. I looked at a 23' Pacific last year that had been painted that way and it looked pretty, there was one for sale on here a while back as well that had tan paint that looked pretty cool.
What engine does your boat have on it by the way how does it perform? My 1925 has a Honda 90 which is adequate but if I had to repower I would go with a 150hp

I ordered the FarWest paint 2 yrs. ago (my paint was de-laminating when I got it, mostly in the area where the water doesn't drain into the scuppers, I think) on the recommendation of Julie from Pacific. I just haven't gotten around to doing it yet...
Was curious what tips could be had...

Yr. 2000 Johnson 150 Ocean Pro - came with the hull. Smokey as hell but until I can afford an 23vHT with an E-Tec, this will do.
I do like the power of the 150, just doesn't idle as smoothly as the newer engines.

Hey
I had a boat come into my workshop about a year ago with a very similar problem, it's fix was the O-ring in the transom inspection port. Replaced this and it fixed the leak.
I've also had boats that have had rivets that weren't blind, which allow a constant flow of water through the center. And also saw a boat recently that had water coming in through the motor mount bolts.

Good luck with it, hope you find it soon

Cheers

Was the source of water ever identified?