Bilge Pump Running while at anchor

[gspersi]

I just bought a 2022 Yamaha 210 FSH Sport. So far every time we are at anchor the bilge pump comes on about every thirty minutes and seems to pump at least a gallon if not two. I open the engine compartment and cannot see water actively flowing in from anywhere. Where could this much water be coming from?

 

[Babin Farms]

Any through hull fitting. Next time your out pull the cleanout inspection cover and check for incoming leaks. It’s a very slow leak if it’s only coming on every 30 min so it may be hard to pinpoint. The other way is while it’s on the trailer is to put water in the bilge and see where it leaks out.

The ultimate leak finding thread <post if you find a new source!>

This is intended to be an ultimate leak finding thread! If you have a leak that isn't covered in this thread, reply and @Julian so I get notified to update it. First Question: Is the water in the bilge hot? If cold, move to section A, if hot move to Section B. SECTION A: Your leak is not...

jetboaters.net

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I just bought a 2022 Yamaha 210 FSH Sport. So far every time we are at anchor the bilge pump comes on about every thirty minutes and seems to pump at least a gallon if not two. I open the engine compartment and cannot see water actively flowing in from anywhere. Where could this much water be coming from?

Congratulations on the purchase! You’ve bought a great boat and I think you will find it as enjoyable of a boat as I have!

So there’s a few areas where water can be coming in at on your boat. The good news is with some time and a little effort you can achieve a dry bilge.

First, carefully inspect the O ring on the drain plug, as @Babin Farms eluded to, having the boat on the trailer with plug in and add water to the bilge is a great to check for leaks. Pull the bilge pump automatic fuse which is next to the batteries before you start this process so you can add enough water to fully cover the bilge pump without it coming on to increase the head pressure inside the bilge. Spray the plug O ring with silicone spray as well as the female threads to keep things easy to install and remove.

Next, I’m going to assume you’ve had your live well full? If you keep the live well full the boat will list to port.

-If so there’s a couple of places where water can leak from the live well. There is an aerator on your live well, it picks up air from the little black circle with MAX AIR written on it, above the live well on the transom, there is a small black hose that runs from there down to a nipple on the aerator suction side fitting, that’s the one with the microfiche filter screen. I’ve seen a few 210 FSH owners finding the little black hose not connected to this little nipple, and when the live well is full a small but constant flow of water is draining into the bilge. You can pull the transom mounted cup holder on the starboard side and reach down in there to check that it’s connected.

-The next thing to check is the tightness of all the fittings on the live well. You’ll have to pull the clean out tray gain access to a couple of them although you’ll be able to reach the aerator fittings from the aforementioned cup holder. The others will require a certain level of boat yoga to get to from the clean out tray area. These are plastic fittings so just snug on them or you can strip the threads. While the clean out tray is off you can check the live well fill pump and it’s hoses as well as all the other clamps and such for tightness and corrosion.

-The aft bilge area also gives you access to the deck drain scupper and the live well drain scupper, when you’re on the water use a bright light and reach down there to check for leaks around the scuppers and the associated hoses. These scuppers are plastic from the factory and should be changed out with stainless steel fittings.

Check this thread I did on the OEM scupper replacement
OEM scupper replacement

Also

Post in thread 'Scupper Valve Replacement'

Feb 19, 2025

These are the ones I used on my boat, GemLux are the oem supplier for the stainless fittings on our boats. On my boat there are two oem scuppers, one for the deck drain and another for the live well drain.

On some of the boats the outside flange sits between two raised areas so you need to make sure the flange will fit in that area if that’s how yours is, one of the members had to grind a couple of flats in his to get it to fit.

When you install the scupper do it dry to make sure everything fits correctly then pull it apart and slather on plenty of 3M 5200, put it under the flange...

• FSH 210 Sport

• 

Once you’re done in the aft bilge spray this area down with silicone spray to prevent corrosion and it makes it look nice.

Next will be the anchor locker drain. Once our boats this drain is barely above the water line, if anyone is sitting up front it will be under water, and if the one on your boat is anything like mine it will be bringing water into the bilge. @drewkaree did a great thread on this and the link below picks up with my contributions to that thread. Be sure and get the little stopper to keep water out of the anchor locker once you’ve replaced the crappy OEM thru hull.

Thread 'Replaced my anchor locker drain fitting due to leaks'

May 15, 2021

Do you have some mysterious leak in your boat and you can't figure out where it's coming from? Well, if you found this thread from a search, you're trying to track it down, and you've maybe even taken a look in there to see what people might be talking about, and if your boat is affected. My money is on EVERY one of the models that have an anchor locker drain having this issue with varying degrees, with the best situation being that the fitting juuuuuuuuuuust reaches inside the anchor locker.

I've removed the piece inside my anchor locker that would support an anchor that fits the...

• drewkaree
• Replies: 166
• Forum: Member Tips and Ideas

• 

Other areas of water intrusion

Back to the clean out tray…. This needs to be sealed after it’s installed, don’t glue it down. You may find that the OEM screws are stripped so get some larger screws and put them in, just snug. I also eliminated the clean out tray drain as our boats have a channel on either side of the clean out tray, and that drain can allow water to shoot up into that area if you stop fast, I got the block off fittings from marine east, this eliminates another possible leak area and it makes it easier to get the clean out tray off and on. Next, you’ll want to get a mechanical hatch riser from Jet Boat Pilot.

Clean out plugs;
I’d also suggest putting clean out plug seal replacement kits on your plugs, then get a few sets of O rings from @Spooky pantz.

Check out this thread. This find by @TeeNGee deserves the Nobel peace prize! This will eliminate water coming up from the clean out plugs and onto the clean out tray, thereby eliminating this source of water into the bilge.

Thread 'Another Clean-Out Plug Thread'

Nov 20, 2023

There has been lots of discussion about water on top of the clean-out plugs and that its fairly normal. Many people believe that water gets into the inspection port area from the swim platform when stopping, etc. and it fills the clean-out access tube.

I used to subscribe to that theory as well.... until I purchased the 275SD. The inspection access covers and clean-out ports sit pretty high up off the swim-platform. You would need to stop dead from 50mph or have a 3 foot wave come over the back of the boat to get water on top of the clean-out plugs. When I first started using the boat I...

• Judge
• Replies: 219
• Forum: General Discussion

• 
• 

Cup holders; None of mine were sealed properly when they were installed! This is ESPECIALLY noticeable on the cup holders on the storage pods, when water gets on the top it just trickles down onto whatever is in there. All of the cup holders need to be sealed up. Also, the bow cup holders drain into the bilge, I just plugged mine. So do the transom mounted ones I ran drains from mine as well as the rod holders there to the additional deck drains I put in, if I was to do it over I’d just run them onto the deck.

Rod holders; The forward mounted ones have drains that go overboard but the aft ones drain into the storage compartments. Again, routed these into the additional deck drains but if I were to do it again I’d dump them onto the deck.

Thread 'Adding Rod holders and rod holder drains.'

Apr 13, 2022

I added three zero degree rod holders, two were mounted 12” forward from the forward most 30° OEM rod holders, and the third was mounted in the transom behind the helm seat. These 0° rod holders I bought from Yamaha as the two OEM transom mounted rod holders are 0°







Interestingly there is a spot in the center of the transom where the non skid changes to smooth and it appears this space was intended for a 0° rod holder.



So, the reader has obviously noticed the chinger in the gel coat, and it’s circular shape, this was caused by a hail stone and...

• FSH 210 Sport
• Replies: 7
• Forum: Yamaha Center Console FSH 19x, 21x, 22x, 25x

• 

Once all these things are done you will have a dry bilge. On occasion I get a half a coffee cup full out of my bilge but that’s usually after I’ve used the raw water wash down extensively and I think it gets in through the removable seat back holes for the jump seats.

Check my signature links for other things I’ve done to my boat. One of the ones I like best is the addition of an electric pump for the raw water wash down and the additional deck drains

 

[gspersi]

Thanks for all the advice. I have not used the live well but I don't know if the previous owner did. I did notice last week the boat listing to port though, but the live well itself is and has been dry as far as I know.

I keep the boat on a lift which is similar to having it out on a trailer (the difference being I have to wade into the river to unscrew the hull drain plug). So this morning I went over and got in the water and unscrewed the hull drain plug. At least a gallon of water came out so that was all below the level of the bilge pump.

But when I pulled the drain plug a large chunk of clear silicone popped out. It looked like it had a partial molded shape of a fitting as if it was half the silicone that used to be around a hose or thru-hull fitting. It was good sized like 1" by 1" by 3/8'. So likely there is some thru hull fitting somewhere that is missing half its silicone. I did spray silicone on the drain plug/o-ring and both male & female threads before replacing it.

I did not have anyone around to see if any water I poured into the compartment leaked anywhere so that will be next to try.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Thanks for all the advice. I have not used the live well but I don't know if the previous owner did. I did notice last week the boat listing to port though, but the live well itself is and has been dry as far as I know.

I keep the boat on a lift which is similar to having it out on a trailer (the difference being I have to wade into the river to unscrew the hull drain plug). So this morning I went over and got in the water and unscrewed the hull drain plug. At least a gallon of water came out so that was all below the level of the bilge pump.

But when I pulled the drain plug a large chunk of clear silicone popped out. It looked like it had a partial molded shape of a fitting as if it was half the silicone that used to be around a hose or thru-hull fitting. It was good sized like 1" by 1" by 3/8'. So likely there is some thru hull fitting somewhere that is missing half its silicone. I did spray silicone on the drain plug/o-ring and both male & female threads before replacing it.

I did not have anyone around to see if any water I poured into the compartment leaked anywhere so that will be next to try.

Right on… next time out be sure and fill the live well, the boat rides perfectly level with it full..

 

[drewkaree]

Thanks for all the advice. I have not used the live well but I don't know if the previous owner did. I did notice last week the boat listing to port though, but the live well itself is and has been dry as far as I know.

I keep the boat on a lift which is similar to having it out on a trailer (the difference being I have to wade into the river to unscrew the hull drain plug). So this morning I went over and got in the water and unscrewed the hull drain plug. At least a gallon of water came out so that was all below the level of the bilge pump.

But when I pulled the drain plug a large chunk of clear silicone popped out. It looked like it had a partial molded shape of a fitting as if it was half the silicone that used to be around a hose or thru-hull fitting. It was good sized like 1" by 1" by 3/8'. So likely there is some thru hull fitting somewhere that is missing half its silicone. I did spray silicone on the drain plug/o-ring and both male & female threads before replacing it.

I did not have anyone around to see if any water I poured into the compartment leaked anywhere so that will be next to try.

Unless they use different sealants on the FSH, CLEAR silicone was likely done by the previous owner, to something that sounds like it wasn't addressed properly. If I had to guess, look at your scupper valve (the biggest drain fitting on the transom - you can view it through the cleanout tray area). The two colors of sealant that you should run across is the black sealant (the "afterbirth" is the common one, but that's usually found within the first year-ish) and grey, used for most everything else and to glue the 2 pieces of your boat together. White would be the other typical color, but like I said, it's possible they switched sealants over the years - you still have something to track down.

 

[gspersi]

Congratulations on the purchase! You’ve bought a great boat and I think you will find it as enjoyable of a boat as I have!

So there’s a few areas where water can be coming in at on your boat. The good news is with some time and a little effort you can achieve a dry bilge.

First, carefully inspect the O ring on the drain plug, as @Babin Farms eluded to, having the boat on the trailer with plug in and add water to the bilge is a great to check for leaks. Pull the bilge pump automatic fuse which is next to the batteries before you start this process so you can add enough water to fully cover the bilge pump without it coming on to increase the head pressure inside the bilge. Spray the plug O ring with silicone spray as well as the female threads to keep things easy to install and remove.

Next, I’m going to assume you’ve had your live well full? If you keep the live well full the boat will list to port.

-If so there’s a couple of places where water can leak from the live well. There is an aerator on your live well, it picks up air from the little black circle with MAX AIR written on it, above the live well on the transom, there is a small black hose that runs from there down to a nipple on the aerator suction side fitting, that’s the one with the microfiche filter screen. I’ve seen a few 210 FSH owners finding the little black hose not connected to this little nipple, and when the live well is full a small but constant flow of water is draining into the bilge. You can pull the transom mounted cup holder on the starboard side and reach down in there to check that it’s connected.

-The next thing to check is the tightness of all the fittings on the live well. You’ll have to pull the clean out tray gain access to a couple of them although you’ll be able to reach the aerator fittings from the aforementioned cup holder. The others will require a certain level of boat yoga to get to from the clean out tray area. These are plastic fittings so just snug on them or you can strip the threads. While the clean out tray is off you can check the live well fill pump and it’s hoses as well as all the other clamps and such for tightness and corrosion.

-The aft bilge area also gives you access to the deck drain scupper and the live well drain scupper, when you’re on the water use a bright light and reach down there to check for leaks around the scuppers and the associated hoses. These scuppers are plastic from the factory and should be changed out with stainless steel fittings.

Check this thread I did on the OEM scupper replacement
OEM scupper replacement

Also

Post in thread 'Scupper Valve Replacement'

Feb 19, 2025

These are the ones I used on my boat, GemLux are the oem supplier for the stainless fittings on our boats. On my boat there are two oem scuppers, one for the deck drain and another for the live well drain.

On some of the boats the outside flange sits between two raised areas so you need to make sure the flange will fit in that area if that’s how yours is, one of the members had to grind a couple of flats in his to get it to fit.

When you install the scupper do it dry to make sure everything fits correctly then pull it apart and slather on plenty of 3M 5200, put it under the flange...

• FSH 210 Sport

• 

Once you’re done in the aft bilge spray this area down with silicone spray to prevent corrosion and it makes it look nice.

Next will be the anchor locker drain. Once our boats this drain is barely above the water line, if anyone is sitting up front it will be under water, and if the one on your boat is anything like mine it will be bringing water into the bilge. @drewkaree did a great thread on this and the link below picks up with my contributions to that thread. Be sure and get the little stopper to keep water out of the anchor locker once you’ve replaced the crappy OEM thru hull.

Thread 'Replaced my anchor locker drain fitting due to leaks'

May 15, 2021

Do you have some mysterious leak in your boat and you can't figure out where it's coming from? Well, if you found this thread from a search, you're trying to track it down, and you've maybe even taken a look in there to see what people might be talking about, and if your boat is affected. My money is on EVERY one of the models that have an anchor locker drain having this issue with varying degrees, with the best situation being that the fitting juuuuuuuuuuust reaches inside the anchor locker.

I've removed the piece inside my anchor locker that would support an anchor that fits the...

• drewkaree
• Replies: 166
• Forum: Member Tips and Ideas

• 

Other areas of water intrusion

Back to the clean out tray…. This needs to be sealed after it’s installed, don’t glue it down. You may find that the OEM screws are stripped so get some larger screws and put them in, just snug. I also eliminated the clean out tray drain as our boats have a channel on either side of the clean out tray, and that drain can allow water to shoot up into that area if you stop fast, I got the block off fittings from marine east, this eliminates another possible leak area and it makes it easier to get the clean out tray off and on. Next, you’ll want to get a mechanical hatch riser from Jet Boat Pilot.

Clean out plugs;
I’d also suggest putting clean out plug seal replacement kits on your plugs, then get a few sets of O rings from @Spooky pantz.

Check out this thread. This find by @TeeNGee deserves the Nobel peace prize! This will eliminate water coming up from the clean out plugs and onto the clean out tray, thereby eliminating this source of water into the bilge.

Thread 'Another Clean-Out Plug Thread'

Nov 20, 2023

There has been lots of discussion about water on top of the clean-out plugs and that its fairly normal. Many people believe that water gets into the inspection port area from the swim platform when stopping, etc. and it fills the clean-out access tube.

I used to subscribe to that theory as well.... until I purchased the 275SD. The inspection access covers and clean-out ports sit pretty high up off the swim-platform. You would need to stop dead from 50mph or have a 3 foot wave come over the back of the boat to get water on top of the clean-out plugs. When I first started using the boat I...

• Judge
• Replies: 219
• Forum: General Discussion

• 
• 

Cup holders; None of mine were sealed properly when they were installed! This is ESPECIALLY noticeable on the cup holders on the storage pods, when water gets on the top it just trickles down onto whatever is in there. All of the cup holders need to be sealed up. Also, the bow cup holders drain into the bilge, I just plugged mine. So do the transom mounted ones I ran drains from mine as well as the rod holders there to the additional deck drains I put in, if I was to do it over I’d just run them onto the deck.

Rod holders; The forward mounted ones have drains that go overboard but the aft ones drain into the storage compartments. Again, routed these into the additional deck drains but if I were to do it again I’d dump them onto the deck.

Thread 'Adding Rod holders and rod holder drains.'

Apr 13, 2022

I added three zero degree rod holders, two were mounted 12” forward from the forward most 30° OEM rod holders, and the third was mounted in the transom behind the helm seat. These 0° rod holders I bought from Yamaha as the two OEM transom mounted rod holders are 0°







Interestingly there is a spot in the center of the transom where the non skid changes to smooth and it appears this space was intended for a 0° rod holder.



So, the reader has obviously noticed the chinger in the gel coat, and it’s circular shape, this was caused by a hail stone and...

• FSH 210 Sport
• Replies: 7
• Forum: Yamaha Center Console FSH 19x, 21x, 22x, 25x

• 

Once all these things are done you will have a dry bilge. On occasion I get a half a coffee cup full out of my bilge but that’s usually after I’ve used the raw water wash down extensively and I think it gets in through the removable seat back holes for the jump seats.

Check my signature links for other things I’ve done to my boat. One of the ones I like best is the addition of an electric pump for the raw water wash down and the additional deck drains

I'm not sure I want to fill the live well. Sounds like it would be introducing a water intrusion problem that I would have to solve and based on what I'm reading from your post about it there are multiple points to address and I would need a video to get through that. As I read through it was difficult to understand where all those parts are and how to "fix" them.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

8

I'm not sure I want to fill the live well. Sounds like it would be introducing a water intrusion problem that I would have to solve and based on what I'm reading from your post about it there are multiple points to address and I would need a video to get through that. As I read through it was difficult to understand where all those parts are and how to "fix" them.

Do you have a service manual? If not get one, they’re quite valuable.

Did you read the links I posted?

Here’s the good news, if you haven’t filled the live well it’s not the source of your leak.

Checking the fittings of the live well isn’t that difficult, I’d make you a vid but I’m not taking my boat apart to make one, just check the fittings tightness by trying to gently wiggle them from inside the live well with your fingers. With the boat on the trailer, use a bright light, I suggest a LED Mini Mag light, they’re small and very bright, and look down through the mechanical access hatch on the clean tray to see the inside of the hull drain and look for any water accumulated water sitting in front of the drain plug in the V of the hull, if there is any use a micro fiber towel or a sponge and remove it.

Install the live well drain plug and fill it with water up to the where water starts flowing out of the over flow drain, it’s high up on the starboard side, you should see the over flow drain on the left side when you install the live well drain plug, it’s up high. Then turn on the aerator to manual, if the little black air supply tube is attached you’ll hear a slurping sound from the max air fitting and you’ll see aerated water coming from the aerator discharge in the live well. Use a bright light and look down through the access hatch on the clean tray to see the inside of the hull drain and look for any water accumulating in the V, give this at least 15 mins, if there isn’t any you’re probably good to go on the live well. If you don’t fill the live well when you’re on the water the boat will list to port and want to pull to the right whilst underway.

My bet is your leak is coming from the drain plug O ring being bad, a leak from either the deck drain scupper or the live well drain scupper, the anchor locker drain or a combination thereof.

Before going out next time make sure the hull is dry inside, check it just before launch to make sure some water didn’t show up.

Just order a new hull drain plug and replace the one that’s in the boat now. Be sure and clean the drain hole with a rag once the old plug is out of the way and before you install the new drain plug to make sure the drain plug O ring has a clean surface to seat on. Next time when you first put the boat in the water look down in the V for water coming in, that’s the lowest place on the boat.

In the links I posted for you there are pictures of the deck drain and live well drain scuppers both from inside and outside, next time you put the boat on the water use the bright light to check for these two fittings for a leak, reach down there and feel around to the bottom of these fittings and see if there is any water coming in. When I replaced these two scuppers I didn’t use 5200 sealant and tried to rely on the supplied silicone gasket and it was leaking and I found it by reaching down there and felt it. Lesson learned, Always use copious amounts of 5200 on thru hulls at or under the water line when installing them.

Check your anchor locker drain, if it looks like mine did in the link I posted





and you had people up front whilst sitting still, the anchor locker drain will be under water, and water will be coming in there and filling the anchor locker and that water will go around the outside of the thru hull inside the anchor locker and drain into the bilge. Our boats are three pieces, the hull, the liner and the top cap. The anchor locker is part of the top cap and is separate from the hull.

In this picture you can see how close the anchor locker drain is to the water, maybe an inch with no one in the boat.



When it’s done it’ll look like this.