Water at the Transom under the engine N30

[jfbs67]

Hi everybody !!! I just bought a 1980 Newport 30. Already started to work on it. However, I am finding water at the transom below the engine even though the sailboat is out of the water. I need to figurate out where is coming from; everything else seems to be pretty dry.
My question : Does the water supposed to go to the bilge? Does the transom has a drain? I don't think so, right?

I know the run some wires from the Transom to the bilge exactly at the middle of the berth. Is that the way the water should get to the bilge?

By the way, the bilge is super dry.
Any help I will appreciate.
Thanks.
JB.

 

[David in Sandusky]

There are a couple of reasons why water is often trapped in the stern behind the engine:

1. "Limber holes" through frames or pans are often plugged up, and just need to be unplugged.

2. On some boats (including mine) the pan under the engine has no drain (to contain any oil or fuel spilled or leaked from the engine) and it blocks water from moving from the stern to the bilge. I just soak the trapped water up with a sponge when this happens to me.

Finding the source of a leak is always a detective job. Check the air intakes for your engine. Ours are aluminum scoops facing aft, and open to the weather from that direction. After that, the hull deck joint is always a possibility. I'm really impressed that your bilge is dry!

 

[Benny17441]

Where it could be coming from is hard to tell as it could have been trapped back there from an event(s) that happened some time ago or it could be an ongoing issue. First get it dry and open up a "limber hole" and then observe to see under what conditions may it fill back up again.

 

[jfbs67]

Thank you so much for your comments. Today after I googled "Limber holes" I have learned a lot about them. I will be checking my boat this weekend. Also, I am going to check my air intakes. I do know they are all the way open to vent the stern.