JackLabs
New Member
- Apr 24, 2020
- 23
- Boat Info
- 300 Sundancer
- Engines
- Twin 5.7 Mercruiser w/Bravo III
Boat - 2004 Sea Ray 300DA
OK.... last year was my first year with the boat. I had some water sitting between the stringers pretty much all summer however only heard the pumps come on a couple of times. I was led to believe that some water in the engine bilge is kinda normal. I launched the boat last Thursday. From the launch location to the marina is about a 8 minute low speed drive. By the time I tied up in my slip and shut the engines down I heard the bilge pump come on. I quickly popped the hatch and saw water in the center between and stringers and also outside of the starboard stringer where I had NOT seen it last year. Of course when I launched it was all dry. I watched the water for a bit and determined that it was about a 8 minute cycle between the pumping cycles. I ran back to the marina and grabbed "my" technician. He came aboard and within a couple of minutes (and some very contorted positions) he was able to locate leaks coming from behind or around both transom plates. We then pulled the boat out pretty quickly and put it back inside. Pulled both bilge bolts and drained it. I sat with the marina service manager for a while and he explained to me what I was up against. obviously the engines need to be pulled and transom inspected. He was pretty pessimistic about where I stood and painted with pretty broad strokes about possibilities. Later in the afternoon he and I went back to the boat and he brought a small metal hammer and "pinged" the entire transom. He said (much to his surprise) that the entire thing sounded really good yet and his optimism raised a bit. The plan is to start pulling the engines and see whats up.
Of course this has all had me in a tail spin and thought I ought to head here and ask some questions of guy who have been around the "boating block" a few times.
- anyone been here before on a similar boat to mine?
- anyone know the transom construction on a 2004 300DA? is there wood? manager used the phrase of "damage to the substrate"
- is this typical for a 17 year old boat?
- where do you think I stand?
OK.... last year was my first year with the boat. I had some water sitting between the stringers pretty much all summer however only heard the pumps come on a couple of times. I was led to believe that some water in the engine bilge is kinda normal. I launched the boat last Thursday. From the launch location to the marina is about a 8 minute low speed drive. By the time I tied up in my slip and shut the engines down I heard the bilge pump come on. I quickly popped the hatch and saw water in the center between and stringers and also outside of the starboard stringer where I had NOT seen it last year. Of course when I launched it was all dry. I watched the water for a bit and determined that it was about a 8 minute cycle between the pumping cycles. I ran back to the marina and grabbed "my" technician. He came aboard and within a couple of minutes (and some very contorted positions) he was able to locate leaks coming from behind or around both transom plates. We then pulled the boat out pretty quickly and put it back inside. Pulled both bilge bolts and drained it. I sat with the marina service manager for a while and he explained to me what I was up against. obviously the engines need to be pulled and transom inspected. He was pretty pessimistic about where I stood and painted with pretty broad strokes about possibilities. Later in the afternoon he and I went back to the boat and he brought a small metal hammer and "pinged" the entire transom. He said (much to his surprise) that the entire thing sounded really good yet and his optimism raised a bit. The plan is to start pulling the engines and see whats up.
Of course this has all had me in a tail spin and thought I ought to head here and ask some questions of guy who have been around the "boating block" a few times.
- anyone been here before on a similar boat to mine?
- anyone know the transom construction on a 2004 300DA? is there wood? manager used the phrase of "damage to the substrate"
- is this typical for a 17 year old boat?
- where do you think I stand?