Where is this water coming from?

[chicy724]

Hello! We have a 2016 Hurricane boat, and discovered water leaking out of the corners transom trim pieces. The water is not usually as much as it looks in the pics; these were taken just after a rain and I had slit the caulking to let more water out.

We are trying to work with a repair shop but it seems there is an indefinite timeline of when they will get this submitted to the manufacturer for approval to work on this and many other warranty items.. they are waiting on a contractor to estimate one set of items and they can't seem to get the guy to get it done and it has been a month. they won't submit the order without this other set of items for some.. I have tried.

I noticed that the aluminum trim piece under the engine was warped up a bit, and they sealed that up thinking that was the problem. It rained the next evening, so the caulk had just a bit over 24 hours to cure.. I do not know what type of caulk they used or how long it takes to cure. I noticed when I got home that they did not seal it perfectly, so I did my best to fix it, and that did not seem to fix the problem. Now, it looks pretty well sealed to the eye, even so. Maybe somehow it is still not sealed up perfectly, but I am just not sure After it rains, water is still leaking out the trim. I have also been taking a shopvac to the bottom trim corners after rain.

Also after we got it home, I noticed they also did not re-caulk the starboard side corner of the trim, and that is how I realized quickly that it was still getting water in there because it was leaking out after it rained. It needed to be re-caulked because I had slit the caulking in the bottom corners so water can run out.
Unfortunately, our options for who we can use for warranty work is limited in our area. We already had an awful experience with one and things are not off to a good start with this one based on this and the fact that one of their employees caused damage to our boat while backing another boat in next to ours. They are going to fix it but who knows when! I really hope things turn around!

Anyway.. any thoughts on what could be causing this leak? I just want to get this figured out and fixed so I can enjoy the boat, not worry myself sick about my boat rotting out, and not have to spend my evenings after rain storms with a shopvac to it.

Thank you in advance for reading, and for any thoughts you provide!

 

[GA_Boater]

Where's your boat cover?

 

[Watermann]

I have to say that I've never owned a new boat like yours but if I did I would probably still obsess over the care of it like I do my restored ones. You should never leave your brand new or old boat out in the elements unless you want a nasty weathered rotten boat in short order. It should ALWAYS be covered up especially when it rains. Boats are not bathtubs designed to hold water, they are designed to not take on water from under the hull.

What would you do if you bought a convertible top car? Do the same with your boat and you won't ever have to worry over water running out everywhere after wind driven rain thoroughly soaks it's interior or replace all the vinyl and ripped, fadded out seating.

 

[chicy724]

I appreciate the responses--- it always has the cover on it, with the poles up. The cover is on in these pics. It is only uncovered when we are using it, cleaning it, or letting it air out for a short while. If you mean a full cover -- we are working on getting one, but have to have it custom made because of the ski pole on the back... that takes a while.

And unfortunately I do not have a shed, garage or other covered area to keep it indoors. Originally our plan was to garage it but it is too tall.

 

[Watermann]

My guess as where to look for where the water is getting in is to check up higher up around the gunnel area above where you're finding the water in the transom cap as gravity will of course pull the water down to the lowest point.

Sealing that water in below without finding where it's coming in above is a bad idea, the guys who did that are not my idea of a knowledgeable repairman.

 

[Scott Danforth]

get a full cover. a custom cover takes 4-6 hours with the mobile canvas guy and 3-4 days if you drop the boat off at the shop your boat is a 2016, you probably added the ski pole shortly after procuring in 2016 and its now 2017.

the water is probably coming in your rub strip from anywhere on the hull, traveling aft and collecting under that cover. pull the motor, pull the trim, seal the rub strip, modify the trim to allow rub strip to drain, replace trim, replace motor.

 

[REN3G8]

probably a hollow panel behind it that's keeping water inside after you pull your boat out of the water... then it just comes out through the screws.

maybe talk to the dealer and see if they can seal that up

 

[chicy724]

probably a hollow panel behind it that's keeping water inside after you pull your boat out of the water... then it just comes out through the screws.

maybe talk to the dealer and see if they can seal that up

I ask you.. a hollow panel behind what, specifically? The white trim pieces? Thanks

I did leak-test once before we brought it to the servicer. I ran water along the metal plate which wasn't sealed up at the time and water rushed down through the bottom of that, but water did also start coming through those corners. Not sure if it was coincidence.

 

[chicy724]

get a full cover. a custom cover takes 4-6 hours with the mobile canvas guy and 3-4 days if you drop the boat off at the shop your boat is a 2016, you probably added the ski pole shortly after procuring in 2016 and its now 2017.

the water is probably coming in your rub strip from anywhere on the hull, traveling aft and collecting under that cover. pull the motor, pull the trim, seal the rub strip, modify the trim to allow rub strip to drain, replace trim, replace motor.

Hi!
I found a cover on iboats, but needs to be modified to accommodate the ski pole. That is probably what we will do. I was quoted $1400-$1600 for the custom cover. In the end, I don't know what modifying the semi-custom will cost but I cannot imagine it is $1000.
The ski pole was already part of the boat package on the lot, and was installed when we purchased it from the dealer.

Wow- that sounds like a lot and I wouldn't know where to start. To clarify- do you mean modify the white trim I posted pics of above, which leak water from the corners currently, to allow the rub strip to drain? Some people call the rub strip trim, so I want to be sure I understand.
I will be hard pressed to find a place to even do that it seems. Maybe it is because of busy season, but these shops are slow, and/or seem to be taking the easy way out when I need something fixed.
I would hope this is a warranty item- but I do not know what category under which it falls; limited lifetime hull or the 1 year general (which we are just a tad over a month away from and why I want these servicers to get moving!)

 

[MH Hawker]

a cover is not just about the price, a well made cover out of sumbrella material will last 10 plus years, while the up front cost is high it is well worth it

 

[REN3G8]

I ask you.. a hollow panel behind what, specifically? The white trim pieces? Thanks

I did leak-test once before we brought it to the servicer. I ran water along the metal plate which wasn't sealed up at the time and water rushed down through the bottom of that, but water did also start coming through those corners. Not sure if it was coincidence.

yeah, the white trim... sorry I don't mean hollow, more like there's enough room behind it to hold water if it gets in there maybe through a break in the seal, and eventually it comes out through the screw since that's the only hole going out... might even be getting in through the screw, then coming back out.