Water from drain plug

[Cap'n Pete]

I get water out of the drain plug hole when I remove the plug on my 2019 Freedom 325. Happens most times. Is this normal? I get conflicting views from other Grady owners.
Any idea about where the water comes from? Not a lot, but it will run and drip for 30 seconds or so. It may be wash down water, but it also appears when I haven't used the hose to wash the interior. Not a problem, but just a question. I thought these boats ran dry.
My Pursuit OS255 ran with no water out of the drain and this is different.

 

[everwhom]

If you're brave (and boat in salt water) you can try tasting it. Personally I never do that!

A lot of boats leak a bit under the rub rail where the deck piece joins the hull, so it's possible you're getting a bit of water through the seam especially when it's rougher. My '03 330 had a pretty bad leak at that seam that I only discovered when opening up some of the aft berth panels for maintenance.

I will say that I ALWAYS have a small amount of water at the bottom of my bilge, but my boat is in a slip so hard to know the source. I've always assumed it's mainly rainwater entering through the anchor locker (which drains to the bilge). It's never more than a trickle and I've yet to observe the bilge pumps going automatically, though I know they must from time to time. But I've never looked down and seen it bone dry.

 

[Fishtales]

I'm guessing it is from your washdown after a fun day.
- Water drains to the bilge via the aft cup holders. If you wash the gunnels, you will get water in the aft bilge and it will run to the lowest spot.
- The shower floor will drain to a small sump. If this is gets over loaded it will spill into the bilge.
- The cabin sole drains to the bilge as well. I like to wash my floor and let drain till the pump comes on. It's my way of checking the front bilge pump.
- The sprayers can leak from time to time. If this happens you should hear the fresh water pump cycling. A rare thing but it can happen.

 

[SkunkBoat]

i can't quite understand what the complete question is.. need more info.

You trailer a 33'er? How often are you out of the water to pull the plug?

So, in the water your bilge pumps clear most of the water but always leave a trace. So part of your question should be whether your bilge pump is running often, implying you have a leak.
Most water pumps out when you accelerate and the boat tilts and all water runs back to aft bilge pump.

Most leftover water settles forward when docked. You can get washdown water from spraying anchor locker, pull-out type cleats, aftermarket rodholders that might drain to bilge, leaks in deck hatches and 6" deck ports. This water doesn't clear until enogh water that the fwd float switch is activated (I assume a 325 has a fwd pump) or you run on plane.

So if you wash down and don't run on plane before you trailer, you will normally see some water.

 

[glacierbaze]

A bilge pump only works as long as the impeller is completely flooded. If you watch, it will always suck air, and cut off while there is still water around the base of the pump, unless your pump is sitting in a recessed hole in the bilge, which is rare.
When it does cut off, the water in the hose between the pump and the through hull drains back into the bilge by gravity, so a bone dry bilge is just about impossible to have with that set up.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Don't forget the anchor locker . It too drains to the bilge after running all day I might get at most a 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of water. Sometimes I get no water . On the other hand I see guys at the ramp with other boats and they pull the plug and half the ocean or river comes pouring out.

 

[Cap'n Pete]

Thank you for the response. I don't trailer but do approach our marina up a river at low speed, so no running on plane at the end of the day. The parts of the boat that drain to the bilge were an impressive list and these seem to be the source of the water. I'm like SmokyMtnGrady and am getting at most 1/2 cup of water. Bilge pumps never come on unless they are being tested, so the water isn't too high there. I am now convinced that this is a "normal" thing and I'm seeing wash down water.

 

[SkunkBoat]

here is behind the scenes view of a grady popout cleat.
This cleat is midship above rub rail. Notice the drip mark on the balsa cored vertical side hull
That drip goes onto the foam on the chines and eventually dribbles its way to the bilge if it doesn't evporate first.
The ones at the stern can drip into the battery compartment.
The cleat is designed to add a hose barb so you can drain out to the deck or wherever you desire.
Rod holders and cup holder can have these too.

 

[seasick]

If you use your anchor, when you retrieve it, the line is wet. Now you store it in the locker and that water has to go somewhere. It will drain into the mid forward. It may not be a lot of water but it will build up over time. The mid bilge on a lot of Grady's doesn't drain aft when the boat is floating. Sea or rain water can also leak into the anchor locker. That will drain aft sometimes when the bow is raised and almost always when the boat is hauled on a steepish ramp. The water amount may not be enough to trigger the aft or mid( if present) pump. So if your bilge pump is not cycling to pump out water and all you see is a small amount when you pull the plug, don't worry about it.