2006 Sea Ray 44 Sedan Bridge, water in both stringers.

rgaliardo

New Member
Jul 17, 2016
4
Ocean Beach, NJ
Boat Info
2006 44 ft. Sedan Bridge
Engines
Cummings
I have water in both stringers, The boat is dry docked for the winter. This year we did not put our winter cover on it. Checked on the boat today and water is dripping out of the stringer in the stern. Any ideas on how water is getting in the stringer?
 
What I would do is contact a qualified surveyor and have him inspect the boat. He can direct you on what repairs are needed and also may be able to direct you to a qualified repair facility.

If you truly do have water in the stringers to the level where it is dripping out you may have a very serious problem. You should not try to short cut the repair.
 
This boat uses the new type hollow structural foam stringer grid system. There have been several 44’s turn up with water in the stringers. The usual fix is to cut inspection ports in the top of the stringer and then to vacuum the water out. Unlike a wooden stringer boat, water in the structural foam stringers is not a structural problem but is more of an annoyance. The challenge is the finding the source of the water. All cases I know of have turned out to be leaks in the freshwater plumbing that find their way into the stringers.
 
Awesome! So much knowledge at the fingertips. Before long I'll be researching another boat and this is knowledge I didn't have.
 
I have water in both stringers, The boat is dry docked for the winter. This year we did not put our winter cover on it. Checked on the boat today and water is dripping out of the stringer in the stern. Any ideas on how water is getting in the stringer?
How did you discover this ? I have the 2005 44 ..
 
Frank, thanks for setting the record (and me) straight on this.

Who say you can't teach and old dog...,
 
How did you discover this ? I have the 2005 44 ..
We first discovered water laying in the floor storage under the galley floor. We first thought it was the drain hose that runs along the bottom side from the shower box overflow. We replaced the hose and still had water. We had a bad water manifold under the galley, so we had to have a new one made. Still was getting water. So then I laid in the storage compartment while we ran all the water lines and drains for 2 hours. Found no water leaks, so we tasted the water and it was saltwater.

We then ran the boat, while I laid in the compartment. When we got up on plane is when I noticed the water leaking through the stringer. The stringer fills with water with no way to escape except through pin holes. we drilled a 1 inch hole in the stringers in the stern on both sides. When we are up on plane the water comes streaming out of both stringers for about 5 minutes.

We talked to Sea Ray many times, they sent us some bulletins they had concerning this issue.
They said it is no way that it is the bow thruster, even though one of the specs shows the tunnel running through the stringers. They told us to pull all the thru hulls because the boat is over 10 years old and that the sealant probably isn't good anymore. They said there good be voids in the bottom and the water finds its way into the stringers. So we did this and still have water coming in.

We are considering having the bottom soda blasted to see if there are any cracks in the gelcoat that would allow water in somehow. We are also looking for a good bow thruster repair to grind down the tunnel and reglass it. I'll keep you updated.

Sorry, the website is posting the picture upside down and sideways.

IMG_1511.JPG
IMG_5657.jpg
 
My boat had some freshwater in one of the stringers and had been in saltwater its entire life. During the sea trial, the Cummins Techs and my hull Surveyor found it. While bringing the boat on plane, it would run out into bilge. When coming off of plane and idling around, it would run back into the hollow stringer. During haul out, the surveyor check everything humanly possible and, as Frank described, it was no big deal. A few months after getting the boat to Lake Lanier, GA, I cut a 6” hole in the top of the stringer to the starboard side and in front of the washing machine. I pumped maybe 20 gallons or so of freshwater out of the stringer over into the mid-bilge where it pumped overboard. I installed a nice inspection plate in the hole and can open when I want.

I am not positive where the water came from, but have a strong hunch from leaky plumbing as Frank also suggested. However, it could be rainwater. I am chasing drippy plumbing now. Another 44DB owner had a leaking shower valve that only leaked intermittently and had a hard time finding it.

It does not hurt anything, but I am anal about water staying on the outside of the boat. I will find it and post back when I do.

Bennett
 
My boat had some freshwater in one of the stringers and had been in saltwater its entire life. During the sea trial, the Cummins Techs and my hull Surveyor found it. While bringing the boat on plane, it would run out into bilge. When coming off of plane and idling around, it would run back into the hollow stringer. During haul out, the surveyor check everything humanly possible and, as Frank described, it was no big deal. A few months after getting the boat to Lake Lanier, GA, I cut a 6” hole in the top of the stringer to the starboard side and in front of the washing machine. I pumped maybe 20 gallons or so of freshwater out of the stringer over into the mid-bilge where it pumped overboard. I installed a nice inspection plate in the hole and can open when I want.

I am not positive where the water came from, but have a strong hunch from leaky plumbing as Frank also suggested. However, it could be rainwater. I am chasing drippy plumbing now. Another 44DB owner had a leaking shower valve that only leaked intermittently and had a hard time finding it.

It does not hurt anything, but I am anal about water staying on the outside of the boat. I will find it and post back when I do.

Bennett
We are very anal and meticulous, this water problem is driving us crazy. The boat is dry docked now and the fresh water system is winterized with pink antifreeze. The water we just found is clear so I believe the freshwater system is fine. My concern with the water in the stringers besides being anal is, I'm worried what will happen with the water freezing during the winter. How much damage is this doing? I did not shrink wrap the boat this winter, so it could be rain water entering somewhere.
I'll attach the info I received from Sea Ray, hopefully it will help you.
 

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We are very anal and meticulous, this water problem is driving us crazy. The boat is dry docked now and the fresh water system is winterized with pink antifreeze. The water we just found is clear so I believe the freshwater system is fine. My concern with the water in the stringers besides being anal is, I'm worried what will happen with the water freezing during the winter. How much damage is this doing? I did not shrink wrap the boat this winter, so it could be rain water entering somewhere.
I'll attach the info I received from Sea Ray, hopefully it will help you.

My theory is that you have rain water leak that can enter from anywhere up on the deck. Then as it gets down to the bottom you simply don't see if there's a crack or void in a stringer allowing the water to get in.

IMO, plumbing issues are not that difficult to discover. If you're not constantly running off the city water and use your WF from your tank, then any WF plumbing issue would give you good clue by periodically trigger the WF pump, which is easy to hear, especially at quite hours. Seeing your determination, I'm guessing you would have solved that puzzle by now.

Having said that I'd focus on searching for rain water entry points (rails, cleats, water and fuel fills, etc).
 
I am feeling your frustration and would be reacting the same.
As Alex suggested, plumbing would trigger the pump. Being on dry dock, the water found then must be rainwater. I guess that’s the best of all the senerios.
Given the age of our boats, and your experience l will be keeping a watchful eye. Information provided was appreciated. Keep us posted.
 
Agree with all of the above. However, in your post above, you state that you tasted and it was saltwater. If the guys had not seen the water in mine during the sea trial, I would never know it was there-no visible in any hatch, etc. I removed what was in mine and now have a small amount back. Seeing as how my dock is covered, I am eliminating plumbing leaks first. As Alex states, I hear my FW pump activate now and then for just a short burst so I know it is going somewhere. I would think an entry point that would be last thought of would be the top of the arch. I have inspection ports for my shower mixing valves and need to check there as well. I am 100% sure mine is either from plumbing leaks or rainwater as mine tasted fresh when it had been in saltwater all along. This weekend, I will start installing new cone washers on each female connector that is dripping and go from there.

Bennett
 
But.....the boat is 11 years old. It has probably been leaking somewhere from most of that time. That equates to a very slow leak that is going to be difficult to find, no matter the source.

The fact that the boat is winterized and the freshwater system is pickled with pink antifreeze does'nt mean much because the system isn't pressurized after you winterize. It isn't leaking in the winter; but when the system has pressure on it, you probably have a drip in the freshwater system somewhere.

If you are stored outside not covered, the one thing I would do very soon is to open the stringers up and vacuum the water out of them. Contact "bbwhitejr" by pm for the location he put his inspection ports because he was able to remove almost all the water from one port.

One other point, I know of 3 44DB's with mysterious water in the stringers and every one of them has been traced back to leaks in the freshwater system.

If you are sure the water in the stringers is salt water...........freshwater can pick up a salty taste from contact with the hull interior as it moves about.........and if your thruster was installed after the boat left the factory, the odds are the thruster tube is leaking on one end or the other where the tube is glassed to the hull exterior. Unfortunately, you can't see that leak with th boat out of the water, but once launched in the spring, it is pretty easy to see/find if you remove whatever gear is stored in that compartment.
 
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Hi friends I too Have the same problem I did took the boat out did the bottom paint then I change the water heater also did the thruster brand new and I believe I point out the leak right between under the kitchen and the water heater has anyone been lucky to have any good news I have spend lots of money and still have the same problem
 
Hi friends I too Have the same problem I did took the boat out did the bottom paint then I change the water heater also did the thruster brand new and I believe I point out the leak right between under the kitchen and the water heater has anyone been lucky to have any good news I have spend lots of money and still have the same problem
Hi Sergio,
After years of frustration, our problem may have been solved today. We had a fiberglass guy who worked for Sea Ray come look at the boat. He said the water is penetrating the boat through the transducer thru hull fitting. when the boat was made, the hole was made over a quarter inch too big and it it has a void in between the fiberglass. After the transducer was removed, water was still dripping out. The repair guy is going to fill the hole and drill a new one. He believes this is 100% our problem. I hope this helps, and I hope he is right. Good luck.
 
Thank you Mr Galiardo I feel we are going somewhere the pic you share is exactly whats happening to my boat this weekend I will pull the Fridge out to make sure we are not getting any leaks thru there and I will let you know of my findings I will really appreciate if you can keep me posted on the transducer option see if it works the hunt still going but like I told the survivor I hired once I don't give up and I will find the problem and try to fix it for all of us it seems everyone gives up of looking.
 
Hi Sergio,
After years of frustration, our problem may have been solved today. We had a fiberglass guy who worked for Sea Ray come look at the boat. He said the water is penetrating the boat through the transducer thru hull fitting. when the boat was made, the hole was made over a quarter inch too big and it it has a void in between the fiberglass. After the transducer was removed, water was still dripping out. The repair guy is going to fill the hole and drill a new one. He believes this is 100% our problem. I hope this helps, and I hope he is right. Good luck.
Would you have any pics of the hole where the transducer is, with the actual void? thanks Steve
 
Hi Mr Galiardo I just found Something really interesting and really don't believe it will be this easy the answers where in front on me please check your port hole in the kids bed room thats where am getting salt water coming in it goes under the bed under the port whole water sits there and then it migrates down i have exactly the same water symptoms do t spent your money on reopening the transducer check this first I will be fixing it this week and let you k ow.
 
Here are some photos
 

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