Bob’s Tips For Boaters #69 – Don’t Freak Out About A Little Water
Don’t freak out about a little water in the bilge.
Even if you can see water flooding in and swamping is a risk don’t freak out. Check to see where its coming from. If the Nautilus is backing out of a giant gash in your hull after a deliberate ramming… ok maybe freak out a little bit, but otherwise keep your head about you.
Look to see if water is flooding in or its just a little standing water. Then formulate a plan.
Minor: Keep fishing and keep an eye on it. Maybe make some minor adjustments in what you are doing.
It could be just water coming over the transom when you come off plane.
It could be a small leak in your live well.
Your livewell might overflow if left filling.
It could be a small leak in your boat.
Major: You need to do something.
It could be a large leak in your livewell.
It could be a broken thru hull fitting.
It could be that you forgot to install the drain plug, or that it came out for some reason.
Maybe you just rammed a giant rock at 100 mph and tore a hole in the boat big enough to swim through.
Maybe you have been rammed by Captain Nemo in the Nautilus.