Awful smell from water oozing from aft bilge mount bracket screws

Bill Gau

New Member
Jul 28, 2019
7
Boat Info
1985 340 sundancer with crusader 454's
Engines
Crusader 350
I know my boat was neglected by the previous owner and I have some deck rot issues and soft spots. Today while replacing the aft bilge, water started coming out of the screw holes. It really smells bad, maybe stagnant water. how bad is it that water is coming out of those holes and what can I do about it besides gutting the entire boat. Attachwd is a picture. Any thoughts would be appreciated..
 

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That smell is probably rotten wood that makes up that false floor. Is that a flat spot in the V of the bilge? It is probably just water trapped under that void and has rotted the piece. You can usually cut the bad part out and glass in a new section if the rot didn’t travel to adjacent areas.

You could also drill a couple more holes to see if the wood that comes out is wet or rotten. Smell the shavings and you’ll know quickly if it’s rot
 
Bill, was the boat surveyed at purchase? If so what did moisture meter and hammer pinging look and sound like? If not its time to check moisture. You can buy a meter or hire a qualified surveyor to check for you. If it was me and its feasible I would hire a trusted surveyor. That is where i would start. JC
 

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