2000 185 Bow Rider Mystery Leak

[Jims185BR]

Hi folks - new to the forum and new Sea Ray owner. I recently purchased a 2000 Sea Ray 185 Bow Rider that is in excellent condition and has very little visible signs of use. Mechanically, it runs great and looks to have been well maintained. I only had a chance to get the boat out twice before winterizing it, but I noticed on the second time out that there was a sizable wet spot on the starboard side between the captain’s chair and rear bench seat (above the water line). The water was draining along the floor, under the rear seat and into the bilge. The hull is in great shape - shows no signs of damage or cracks in the gel coat. All of the bellows look great and no water is dripping out from the transom around the transom out drive flange. Water is not seeping into the bilge at any place below the water line. Any thoughts on where the water infiltration point may be?
Thanks!
Jim

 

[Pirate Lady]

Jim,
Bowriders collect water, even with a bow cover, rain will come down the windshield then under the cover to the floor and work its way to the back. There is no way to keep water out of a bow rider.
See this, any rain will roll down windshield and right under the cover.
I had one once, the carpet was always wet.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Hi folks - new to the forum and new Sea Ray owner. I recently purchased a 2000 Sea Ray 185 Bow Rider that is in excellent condition and has very little visible signs of use. Mechanically, it runs great and looks to have been well maintained. I only had a chance to get the boat out twice before winterizing it, but I noticed on the second time out that there was a sizable wet spot on the starboard side between the captain’s chair and rear bench seat (above the water line). The water was draining along the floor, under the rear seat and into the bilge. The hull is in great shape - shows no signs of damage or cracks in the gel coat. All of the bellows look great and no water is dripping out from the transom around the transom out drive flange. Water is not seeping into the bilge at any place below the water line. Any thoughts on where the water infiltration point may be?
Thanks!
Jim

Can you clarify if this was WHILE you were using the boat (and be descriptive as to the how you were using it)... or did you find the boat this way (see the "cover" comment above).

 

[Jims185BR]

Can you clarify if this was WHILE you were using the boat (and be descriptive as to the how you were using it)... or did you find the boat this way (see the "cover" comment above).

Thanks for the replies. This is not water coming over the gunwales. This is water that is seeping up through the floor in the single area described. I’ve observed the water trickling down along the top of the inner hull behind the rear seat and draining into the bilge while sitting at the dock.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Thanks for the replies. This is not water coming over the gunwales. This is water that is seeping up through the floor in the single area described. I’ve observed the water trickling down along the top of the inner hull behind the rear seat and draining into the bilge while sitting at the dock.

Right, but that's not what I asked. It's helpful (since we're not there) to know what's going on when you see it leaking.

 

[Jims185BR]

The last time I launched the boat, it was sitting at the dock for 20 minutes or so while I was working on some control and throttle opening adjustments. The boat was not yet running when I noticed it leaking as described above. I checked on it while I had it out, and it was still leaking as described above. No water was coming into the bilge from the engine, drain plug, or any places on the transom. I’d say about 5 - 10 gallons came in.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Good - thank you - that is helpful. Given that info, my first guess would be a leaking transducer - meaning, leaking BETWEEN the outer and inner hull but the water is NOT leaking into the bilge. Instead, the water is trapped between the two hulls and is then being forced up and out through a cavity it found in a small gap between the two hulls. Or, you have a small hole in the bottom of the hull

 

[RichieRitz]

Hi folks - new to the forum and new Sea Ray owner. I recently purchased a 2000 Sea Ray 185 Bow Rider that is in excellent condition and has very little visible signs of use. Mechanically, it runs great and looks to have been well maintained. I only had a chance to get the boat out twice before winterizing it, but I noticed on the second time out that there was a sizable wet spot on the starboard side between the captain’s chair and rear bench seat (above the water line). The water was draining along the floor, under the rear seat and into the bilge. The hull is in great shape - shows no signs of damage or cracks in the gel coat. All of the bellows look great and no water is dripping out from the transom around the transom out drive flange. Water is not seeping into the bilge at any place below the water line. Any thoughts on where the water infiltration point may be?
Thanks!
Jim

Depends on boat and many other factors -My 2021 VR4 Bayliner bowrider had bow and cockpit covers that let in zero water. You may have to get in under there and have someone hose it down to find a source (or two). Too many variables with older canvas, fittings, etc

 

[Jims185BR]

All good things to look at. The boat has a depth finder and I can get to the transducer but it doesn’t go through the outer hull. Do you guys know if these sit on the inside surface of the outer hull or are they mounted on top of the bilge floor?
I hope to get back on the water sometime in April. I’ll post up with what I find.

 

[Lazy Daze]

All good things to look at. The boat has a depth finder and I can get to the transducer but it doesn’t go through the outer hull. Do you guys know if these sit on the inside surface of the outer hull or are they mounted on top of the bilge floor?
I hope to get back on the water sometime in April. I’ll post up with what I find.

If it's the original transducer, it does indeed go completely through the hull.

 

[Scott215]

My bow rider always had water from rain

 

[Pirate Lady]

If it's the original transducer, it does indeed go completely through the hull.

Actually LD, in deference to your great knowledge, my last 2 SRs had in bilge mounted, not thru hull, factory installed.
Now I got this POS transom mounted transducer that stops working by July cause of slime/barnacles.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Actually LD, in deference to your great knowledge, my last 2 SRs had in bilge mounted, not thru hull, factory installed.
Now I got this POS transom mounted transducer that stops working by July cause of slime/barnacles.

I was only referring to the OP's boat. It's bilge mounted, but also thru-hull.

I couldn't tell you what your other boats had... don't even know what model they were

 

[Pirate Lady]

1986 18 bowrider
1986 21 Seville
1987 268
1989 268
All had transducer in bilge, not thru hull.
Maybe his was not factory installed. Who knows.

 

[Lazy Daze]

1986 18 bowrider
1986 21 Seville
1987 268
1989 268
All had transducer in bilge, not thru hull.
Maybe his was not factory installed. Who knows.

OK, those are going back W-A-Y too far for me to even attempt to try and remember

FYI... a transducer CAN be in the bilge and STILL be a thru-hull. They can be a "shoot" thru the hull (simply glued in place) or they can be a true thru-hull (drill a hole). In the later, the only thing typically seen on the outside of the hull bottom is a very thing, black, plastic disc (it only sticks out about 1/4"). There are much larger thru-hull ducers, as well - but those are typically used for fancier fishfinders.