My boat is dry now. But a couple of months ago, the bilge pump would cycle
every couple of hours. Was a small 1/8" corrosion hole (0.290 thick
aluminum hull) at the front waterline. A piece of copper wire was stuck in
the muck stopping the drain from the anchor locker. Was hard to find, but
one day pulled the boat and was at the correct angle to get the water
draining. I would check for a leak around the outdrive and the exhaust
manifolds if an I/O.
Bill

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 21:46:21 -0400, "C."
wrote:

Is it common for boats to have water in the bilge area almost all the
time?
I mean, you turn on the bilge pump and pump it out, then a few hours later
you look and there's some water down there again...

Should it be bone dry? Or is it more often than not a fact that some
water
will end up sitting there?

Good question.

Most boats aren't totally impervious to wind and weather - water can
sneak in through hatch covers, consoles and, believe it or not, sweat
from condensation. What makes matters worse is that inside the hull,
water can hide in the strangest places. You'd be surprised at what
high humidity can do to make things wetter.

My Ranger is a good example. I generally take it out once a week or
so and when I park it, I pull the drain plug and maybe a dribble. The
boat is parked at an angle I might add.

After a week, park it on a ramp and pull the plug, about a gallon
pours out. Just the way it works. I've noticed on days when there is
a significant temperature difference between the air and water, I get
water in the bilge - nothing major, but it happens.

That is the nature of the Ranger - just the way it is.

Simply put, in an open boat, you will get a little water no matter
what you do - that's why you have a bilge pump which is to keep the
excess water from forming.