Mysterious Water Leak inside Swim Platform

[RittSea]

I have been experiencing a mysterious water leak on the inside of my integrated swim platform. I read in this forum to check the rubrail. I did so and resealed/caulked it. I also added engine hatch sealing to give it a tighter fit. But it seems that sea water is still making it's way inside the swim platform and it's affecting the electronics for the drive trim and trim tabs. Anyone else experiencing this? And if so, what was the fix?

I have a 2013 Sea Ray Sundancer 330.

 

[ttmott]

That's a lot of water. Assuming you removed the rub-rail to seal the shoe-box joint -how far up the sides did you clean, prep, and re-seal?

 

[RittSea]

I removed and resealed the rubrails from back of the swim platform around to about two feet on each side. I even sealed the screw heads. So I'm not sure that much water could have come through the joint.

If I come off of plane too quickly, my wake spills over the swim platform and leaks (poors actually) into the engine compartment. When I turn on the bilge pump, a LOT of water gets pumped out. That's why I fortified the engine hatch sealing foam strips, because it wasn't a tiny leak.

I'm wondering if I should/could run the boat at speed and come off plane with the hatch open, and then watch how the water is getting into the hatch?

 

[Pirate Lady]

You have a thats-not-good situation. Yes, I would definitely have some one knowledgeable in the engine when you come off plane. Don’t you do it while driving.

 

[mrsrobinson]

Is your freshwater dock connection back there as well? On a prior boat mine was in the swim platform Stern locker. It had broken and it was letting in a lot of water when coming off plane.

 

[ttmott]

I had water collecting under the swim platform also and found out it was defective sealing on the shoe-box joint. I had my maintenance gals pull the rub-rail off, clean the old caulking out and injected 3M 5200 to completely fill that joint. Problem solved.

 

[RittSea]

I had water collecting under the swim platform also and found out it was defective sealing on the shoe-box joint. I had my maintenance gals pull the rub-rail off, clean the old caulking out and injected 3M 5200 to completely fill that joint. Problem solved.
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Thanks for the pics. I'm gonna check out the rub railing and hull fitting once again. But as I recall, there was no gap that I could see. Certainly nothing like what you show in your pictures.

 

[RittSea]

Is your freshwater dock connection back there as well? On a prior boat mine was in the swim platform Stern locker. It had broken and it was letting in a lot of water when coming off plane.

That's a great point. Yes, I do have the transom locker and dock connection at the stern. I didn't think to check this area, but it makes sense. I'll let you know what I find!

 

[ttmott]

Thanks for the pics. I'm gonna check out the rub railing and hull fitting once again. But as I recall, there was no gap that I could see. Certainly nothing like what you show in your pictures.

If you take the rub rail off you might be surprised how big that gap really is. It would be near impossible to lay up the hull and superstructure fiberglass to fit without gaps.

 

[Pirate Lady]

 

[William Knop]

I wanted to touch base on here as I am having a problem with my swim platform. I am in need of the splash rail portion of the front port side of my platform and running into deadends everywhere trying to locate one. So was hoping for some helpful input from here?? I need this piece for the port side. Any helpful ideas??? on where to fine one?