Chivers marine meridian
Just wondering if theres anyone in the know about ali boats. I bought the meridian 2 years ago and ive had a lot of fun with it but i have had a problem with water in my sealed deck. After about 2-3 hrs of use i find the boat a bit sluggish. i found that water was getting in my sealed deck. i knew because running the bilge pump water would exit but only when we were moving. I have accidently left the bung out aswell so i know how it feels.
i took the boat back and they said they pressure tested the hull?????????well after i got the boat back the problem wasnt solved. Im sure they will help me out to fix the problem but i figre mabe i can find the problem and show them.
so what i need to know is
does water normally get in the sealed deck area?
besides the bung where could water enter?
how can i test for leaks
after 4 hrs of boating i recon i might get 10-20ltr water in the hull. i usually turn the bilge on and im right for a few hrs. because i sit lower in the water ,, i have water crashing over the rear entry door (through the gap) which gets water onto my deck in which the only way to get rid of is to drive and open the scuffers.
Id appreciate any information as im sure its not common for a new boat.
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15665
Date Joined: 29/11/05
cracks
For the cracks, maybe you could put the boat over dry cement and fill it to a set level, if theres no water evident on the hull or pavement, then you could eliminate a few areas of the boat?
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Walker
Posts: 151
Date Joined: 04/10/09
i was thinking smoke and
i was thinking smoke and compressed air
kaneo
Posts: 340
Date Joined: 09/01/08
thats bad mate,my 20 year
thats bad mate,my 20 year old westerberg dosent have a drop come out of the bung after a days fishing.have u replaced the bung and used some sealant before screwing it on?
PilbaraBrad
Posts: 3628
Date Joined: 16/05/07
water in hull
depending on how your fuel tank has been installed you could get water in your hull around the seems. Some tanks are rivited in and then sealant is put around the joins. You can check this by pulling up your carpet and having a look. Other sealed hulls actually have small holes in them in the corners, carpet is still over the top of them, these are usually hulls that dont have a breather. You need a breather (hot air expands etc) other areas are around your inspection cover, you can develop cracks around the plastic female threaded part. All sealed decks have some sort of access, how else would you get to your bilge pump to change out etc. I would be checking those areas as a start. another obvious one is the bung, but that is usually the first place you would check. I know it sounds stupid but make sure both the male anf female threads are in good condition.
How have you got your transducer mounted, it it screwed into the transom or is it on a fixed transducer bracket welded to the transom.
nev
Posts: 193
Date Joined: 04/02/09
Try lowering
the jockey wheel right down low then take the bung bung out, get the garden hose and start filling the hull. Try for 10 to 15 minutes , put the bung back in and jack up the jockey wheel and see if can see anything leaking? Could be around the bung hopefully.Had the same problem with the transom door, try using a stick on seal that will help to keep water off the deck. Boat retailers never seem to finish these things off properly ........
Walker
Posts: 151
Date Joined: 04/10/09
could be the door letting in
could be the door letting in water via the back (with the wave chop) and then getting into the sealed hull via holes i dont know about. im sure this is the problem
daniel_hughes
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 19/08/09
Used to work at trailcraft
Used to work at trailcraft and chivers. I'm an ali boat builder. Filling the hull up with water and looking for leaks works. If it is your deck that is leaking you need to make sure it is fully sealed (is it an island cab or runabout), fill hull with air and put water over deck and look for bubbles in the deck. If you have probs feel free to call and i may be able to help over the phone, 0404629667
Walker
Posts: 151
Date Joined: 04/10/09
Thanks Daniel for your
Thanks Daniel for your number. If my tests fail i will give you a buzz. im sure its something trivial and not sinister. I dont know much about my boat but im learning
Simon C
Posts: 801
Date Joined: 01/05/07
if you are constantly taking
if you are constantly taking water in through the back door - it will be getting in around your seat mounts - I had a Chivers barra that did the same thing(only when it was rough and i was taking water over the back)It did have a seat mounting point in the back end of the boat though.
NOHA
Posts: 914
Date Joined: 24/06/07
Cracks
What size is the boat..I know of 3 different 6.5 models that have cracked along the chine line just behind the cabin. That must be the point where that model flexes the most.
Jump underneath and have good look along the chines for cracking or as mentioned fill the hull with water and look for drips. If you have an air compressor stuff the hose in the bung and seal it in. Pressure up a little and squirt soapy water along all the hull welds and even the inside deck. Any leak will blow bubbles.
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Walker
Posts: 151
Date Joined: 04/10/09
5.5
5.5
just dhu it
Posts: 1081
Date Joined: 14/05/09
replace bungs
i would look at replacing the bungs in the transom, they only need a small crack or the seal has broken and as the other guys have said the air expansion will suck the water in through the smallest of gaps, also pull your carpet up and look at the access panel to the fuel tank and around the seat mount ensure that its sealed well , the only other thing is take the rig for a run or leave in the marina for few hours and ensure the water doesnt come in over the rear door and keep the deck dry to prove whether the water comes from inside the rig or outside
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
even my 26 fury gets water
even my 26 fury gets water in
Whole day on the water would have to empty 20-30 ltrs of water from the sealed hull. (glass boat)
Unforuntely its almost impossible to stop ALL water from entering the hull.
just dhu it
Posts: 1081
Date Joined: 14/05/09
expensive leak
Bodie i had spent a bit of money on a large glass boat i would definitley expect no water at all to get in, maybe its time for you to check for leaks as well
Tony Halliday
Posts: 2500
Date Joined: 14/06/07
use blue food colouring dye
use blue food colouring dye in the water, it will stain the inside a little, but washes out after awhile.
But it makes it easy to see pin prick leaks
good luck
Tony
Tony Halliday: ~Meals on Reels ~
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"It is always in season for old men to learn." Aeschylus (525-456 BC)
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Walker
Posts: 151
Date Joined: 04/10/09
thanks everyone for your
thanks everyone for your help...its a problem that has really bothered me...
all your ideas sound great. i think i might fill my deck with water and open my bung to see if water is getting in the top way. if that fails i will fill my sealed deck with water and put the bung in and then check for leaks..im pretty sure that will get me some answers. then i can take it back to chivers
they have already offered to weld the door closed so no water gets in the back...i hope i dont have to do this.
im sure its not cracks or my bung(replaced many times)i dont hammer my boat and its only 18 months old. i love her like its my second wife..mabe even more.
iana
Posts: 652
Date Joined: 21/09/09
Becareful pressurising.
Just be aware that if you pressurise any sealed area, the force even from 2 or 3 psi can be enormous. It may result in deformation of the deck or hull, structural damage etc.
If what you are filling up is open to atmosphere then that is OK.
tonyb
Posts: 188
Date Joined: 10/11/08
I have a genesis and can
I have a genesis and can get 10 - 20lts in the hull in rough conditions (12 months old) I have assumed some type of leak on the deck. It's a little strange really, sometimes there is not a drop and other times quite a bit. I usually put it down to the bung and maybe some sand around the seal or possibly the conditions and a small deck leak. I have a walkaround and originally had heaps of leaks in the cabin, took it back to Hayway several times but still had leaks. In the end I sat with the hose and found them all myself and sealed them up with silicone. It's amasing how much water will enter by a small area, most of my issues were welds that did not meet properly.
Walker
Posts: 151
Date Joined: 04/10/09
its funny how people put up
its funny how people put up there hand with the same problem. For what i paid for the boat brand new surely they tested it. welds tony! how slack is that and hayway arent cheap!!!!
Wrassassin
Posts: 102
Date Joined: 01/03/09
Something is definately
Something is definately amiss here.
I have a goldstar that's a couple of years old and i've been in some nasty weather with plenty of wash on the deck but never had a drop come out of the bung.
I don't understand how there could be a leak if they pressure tested it and gave it the all clear
iana
Posts: 652
Date Joined: 21/09/09
Just thinking about this
Just thinking about this, with mig welding you can get a condition that we called a "Cold weld". The bead looks perfect, but the weld has not melted into one of the surfaces.
This means that you could look at it and it would look OK, but under a load, away from the weld, the plate could move away, and leak.
However testing it from a reverse direction, so the load bears against the weld bead, it may seal up?
As I said just a thought!
PS if all else fails I know a method of testing to find leaks in sealed vessels, but it involves chemicals and gas. But works really well. Only if all else fails, but will find the leak.