Hull Taking Water When Planing

[chansonlaw]

3000 SCR 1998 with twin 4.3's---Starboard side is taking water in swim step area where, presumably, the deck is connected to hull. When not planing there is no problem.

Very difficult to get into the transom area where water comes in, but I was able to put some fiberglass patch in some of the hull/deck seam area. That "fix" cut down the leak, but still some water coming in. No overt sign of a bump/hit/collision on the rubrail in the area of the leak.

Rubrail takes about a 75 degree angle where it bends down to the swimstep and that part of the rubrail, which is nearly vertical, takes a lot of spray when planing. I think that is where the probelm water is starting.

Any one had a similar problem? Any one have an idea for the best fix?

Thanks.

[seapuppy]

welcome to the zoo.....might wanna introduce your self some for those of us that have been here a ton....

well..it's probably either in the boot for the outdrive or under the rub rail.....what I found is to use an awl to carefully pry the rub rail off...there are 4 or 5 major screws....pull those screws and rebed them with 4200 and then run the screws in....lay a bead of 4200 along the trough and smooth out flat..then re-lay the rubrail using a hair dryer and mallet to bang it back into the trough....you can use the the hair dryer and mallet to get the rub rail to lay flat by heating and banging until it's all smoothed out......


SP

[chansonlaw]

SP,
Thanks for the reply-sounds like you know what you are talking about. But, I don't know what 4200 is. Silicone?

Would the water be coming in where there are loose screws in the rubrail? Could there be a gap where deck meets hull? In retrospect I think there has been a small leak back there for a while (discoloration in the inside corner of the swinstep that I wondered about ) but it got worse last summer after I had a number of people on the boat and we were diving off the starboard side of the swimstep.

The leak was a steady flow before I did the first fix--may be 4 gallons after a 2 hour run. The flow reduced markedly after the patch, down to maybe a third of what is was.

Thanks for gettng back to me and I welcome any ideas you have.

I am fair weather crusier from Olympia Washington running regularly to Seattle and occasionally to our Sab Juan Islands and Victoria BC.

Run the 4.3's at about 3200 doing 20 knots and burning about 16 gallons per hour to do so. Sound about right?

Have a gear lub leak under starboard engine block that started last year after I had maintenance done on the outdrives by a pro mechanic. Will address that later after I am sure that I have this hull leak taken care of.

Take care.

[tglee]

[seapuppy]

yep...had a big leak in my 2455 a few yrs ago...found that the rub rail is the line where the 2 halves are joined...one of the weakest points on the boat...I boat in the sound also....live up in everett.....we go to the san juans a few times a yr...we're planning an 8 day run up into canada to thetis island ...maple bay..brentwood ..and sidney...
I had to make this repair also on my boat ..was getting water up into the swim platform....it could be loose screws...I doubt it..but maybe the swimstep flexing...take the rub rail off and do the repair I mentioned with Tglee's help with the silicone sealant...don't use 5200..that will really be perminant....the 4200 is what you need........
only take the amount of rub rail off you need to repair.....that way it will be a bit easier to rebed.......

if you ever make it up to the everett area...give me a hollar...would love to buy you a soda or beer!....

SP......and welcome to the zoo...