www.iFourWinns.com

Ok I have had my boat for about a month now and it is my first one. I have noticed that I get water in the bottom and I thought I had it all figured out as just rain water. I have as part of my routine to flip on the bilge for the 30 seconds it takes to pump it out. So I believe that when I leave the dock the boat is free of water. Yesterday as I pulled back to the dock the bilge automatically kicked on and pumped for a good minute then I ran it longer for another minute. It has never had enough water in it before to come on by its self before.

So is this normal? Does everyone’s boat take on that much water?

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2006 Four Winns horizon 200

What I've found out with ours, is that people getting into the boat, after skiing, tubing, swimming, etc... either stand or sit on the sunpad, and/or the "couch" (it's the sport seating option). The water draining from their swimsuits tend to go into the bilges.

What I do periodically, is when you "take off" in the boat, I flip on the bilge pump while the boat is in the "bow up" position - figuring that all the water is running to the back and if it's enough, the bilge pump will pump it out. I try to do that at least once an hour.

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Greg

1997 Horizon 200
1998 F150 4x4

Thanks for the input, I will give that a try. It makes sense, but for some reason it just made me nervous having the pump kick on. I guess that is what it's there for.

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2006 Four Winns horizon 200

Hey Greg, nice looking boat!
While I wouldn't worry about a little water check that none is dripping in around the transom shield-use a strong light and a mirror, the cooling hoses, drain petcocks and the water pumps can also develop small leaks.
Look for stains on the inside of the fly wheel and the underside of the raw water pump.

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'96 Horizon 200
"Have fenders...will raft"

No, I would not consider that normal. Many owners of newer Horizons report a small amount (~ a couple of cups) of water in the bilge after a day of boating. It's my opinion (although not proven yet, I hope to this year) that it's coming in through the anchor locker drain. What you're describing sounds much different. If you have enough coming in to kick on the pump, I'd be somewhat concerned.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

oops, guess I should have been clear with my reply. I don't have a lot of water in the boat, in fact, I just now noticed about half a gallon in there after 5 weekends of boating. I don't usually pull the plug after I put it on the trailer (though I have now). We do a lot of skiing and tubing and certainly coming out of the water right away (especially when the water was cold), does bring in water to the boat.

As for my method of running the bilge pump, I'm just "anal" like that...

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Greg

1997 Horizon 200
1998 F150 4x4

OK, that might not be much different than what other folks are seeing. I'm determined to get to the bottom of it, though. Ideally there should be none in there.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Well I guess I will start by just leaving it in the water for the day and checking for leaks. It normally sits on a lift so I don't ever pull the drain plug.

I have sat and watched the engine run for a few minutes and didn't see and obvious leaks.

Thanks again for all the input.

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2006 Four Winns horizon 200

Will, have you checked around the plug? It has been my experience that most leaks come through either the plug assembly or the lower unit bellows, unless there is some type of hull damage that you are unaware of.

You'll take on a lot more water than you would think just from people getting in out of the water over a weekend, so that IS a possibility. However, if your engine, hoses, etc. aren't leaking then I'd start checking the spots in the transom that have exposure to water (like the plug and lower unit). I'd probably pull it out of the water and give the hull a thorough check for cracks/holes in the fiberglass before I started a detailed hull inspection.

Mike, my anchor locker drains directly overboard at the bow. Does yours not do that? Is that a new feature on the 2007's? I just assumed it had been that way for awhile on the Horizons.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

Yeah they've been that way for awhile Paul. My theory isn't that it's water dripping off a wet anchor. My theory is that the drain hole is close enough to the water line that when coming off plane, splashing, etc., a certain amount is actually coming in through that hole.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

So put a cork in it! Easiest way I can think of to test that theory.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Yeah, I'm going to put a piece of duct tape over mine once this year and see if it makes any difference. It's not enough water to worry about, I'd just like to know for sure where it's coming from.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

I was pretty annoyed to doscover taht the bilge isnt at the lowest point in our boat thus there is always a little standing water unless i sponge it out....wet bilges corrode engines and parts

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Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

Mike, if that were really happening, wouldn't you just see the water in the anchor locker? Not sure how it would get into the bilge...

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

Paul, the anchor locker isn't really a separate compartment. That space runs under the deck all the way to the back. It's not unimpeded - stuff in the floor locker would be in the way, the fuel tank, etc. - but small amounts of water would be able to get all the way back.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic