Boat leaks-help!

Well ok you dont have to throw me a life vest but maybe just tell me about someone that fixes aluminum boats w/o breaking the bank. Place that stored my boat said they could help me but now they say they cannot, Seems like when you talk with these guys in November (when I store my boat) they have lots of time and can help you with whatever-now the boat places are swamped.
Anyway they said that because the boat has a floor the leak would be too hard to find (they knew I had a floor back in November!)
So if you know of someone or some place let me know (recommendations on this site have all been great!)
Thanks

Does your boat have live wells? The lines tend to leak more often than the hull. Try plugging the inlet / outlet holes of the live well and see if you take on any water.

First, fill your live well while on the trailer, check for leaks, id none, fill boat up with a few inches of water and wait for it to leak out, may have to adjust level of the boat to get equal coverage.

tim hurley wrote:

Well ok you dont have to throw me a life vest but maybe just tell me about someone that fixes aluminum boats w/o breaking the bank. Place that stored my boat said they could help me but now they say they cannot, Seems like when you talk with these guys in November (when I store my boat) they have lots of time and can help you with whatever-now the boat places are swamped.
Anyway they said that because the boat has a floor the leak would be too hard to find (they knew I had a floor back in November!)
So if you know of someone or some place let me know (recommendations on this site have all been great!)
Thanks

In case others have had issues with the same boat, what brand and model boat is it?

If it’s a riveted hull, you can sometimes from the problem by looking at them. If there’s a black ring around the rivet that means that it’s loose and things are moving. I had this on the transom of the 90 Lund Predator and that’s were the leak was.

SR

like Dustin said fill it with water and wait for it to leak out, take a marker and mark where its leaking, might be able to fix it with jb weld or something similar if its nothing major

Dumb question but to fill the boat do you just run a garden hose into the drain plug area?

It is a Northwoods boat but I don’t blame the brand-I use it a lot (arguably) and hard-good advice so far keep the tips coming—–Thank You

Check all the hose fittings and water pumps for live wells. All it takes is for a crack in the hose or pump housings to cause major leaks. For example I have seen where the factory has over tightened the hose clamps and broke the plastic pump hose fittings.

Jonesy wrote:

Dumb question but to fill the boat do you just run a garden hose into the drain plug area?

Yes or plug the drain plug hole and run the garden hose into the back,open cavity area (if that makes sense)

I thought I had a leak in my lund pro sport. It turned out that a mouse had chewed the hose for the speedo. Does it only leak when you move?

Not sure what a speedo is.

tim hurley wrote:

Not sure what a speedo is.

It’s what BK wears to the beach…

I think speedometer.

check the transom area for cracks, seams along the back. I have a Northwoods/Sylvan also and it just started leaking a bit and I found it coming in the back splashwell and going through a crack that formed all along the transom.

Where are you located? Hard to make good recommendation of a shop without knowing this.

Grouse

My welded crestliner leaked, filled it up from the inside to find the transom to the boat bottom weld cracked about 2 inches. Had that welded and all is good.

I live in Lauderdale, mn. I am close to Roseville and MPLS. Thanks

George’s in East Bethel does good work. I know guys that have had their boats fixed there and they were happy. George’s also did a warranty repair on my ranger trailer and did a great job.

Filling the boat to find a leak can work, but if its leaking under a support rib it will be very hard to find the actual leak… believe me I have tried!

I’d recommend Anchor Marine in Delano. Those guys do a great job! Aluminum or fiberglass boats. I’ve been very impressed with their work and reasonably priced.

Last couple of trips I have fished alone and have had no leaks-I have this port hole thing that I guess is where the water is expelled from,(bilge) could water be coming into the boat from that hole when I have an extra person (xtra weight) in the boat?
Can I seal that hole?
Thanks

Did you check along the transom ? Mine will only leak when it is rougher, obviously backing up and if I have people in the boat weighing down the rear. No water in the backsplash well, no leak.

Plugging the bilge hole will render your bilge inoperative, if you do that, you better hope that was the problem !!!

tim hurley wrote:

I live in Lauderdale, mn. I am close to Roseville and MPLS. Thanks

Then try Anchor Marine in Delano. High quality work at reasonable price. I had them do a leaker of my father’s and they did great work.

Grouse