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2000 Sunsetter LXi Water Leak


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Just in case we have the dreaded HDS leakage problem, does anyone know where to get it fixed in the San Jose CA area, and if it is covered under the hull warranty? We are original owners and have never hit anything with the prop.

Shaft packing was checked and dripping several drops per sec and has been repacked/tightened. Hot water shower was also dripping a little, but neither could account for the bilge pump coming on every 15-20 minutes out on the water. It is pumping out a lot of water! The drive shaft area was checked while running the boat and no water was seen coming in (other than dripping at the shaft packing nut). However, the carpet became soaked through from the bottom on the sides of the boat. No one had come into the boat yet from skiing so we are sure it didn't come over the top. Would water be entering between the floor and the hull from the HDS box and then draining into the bilge? The boat has <200 hrs on it.

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The tracking fins are secure. All the hoses were checked yesterday by a local boat mechanic. He also mentioned it could be the HDS box. The battery was disconnected to prevent the auto bilge pump from coming on and the bilge filled with water with no leakage seen coming out of the boat. I'm going to try to get it out on the water this weekend for further tests, but I'm at a loss on the wet carpet and qty of water. The pump is handling it, but we have plans to be on a lake over the 4th long weekend and I think I'll cancel the slip rental and trailer it in and out each day.

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I had a 1999 sportster lx and water was all the way up to the rub rails within 15 minutes of leaving the ramp. I do not know how long we were having the problem but i suppose it would only get worse if it is the HDS box. It was not a fun day but malibu did take care of it and sent me a new boat about 4 weeks later. pray that it is not the box and it is something else.

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It sounds like you've done your homework and looked at all the obvious stuff. It's pretty safe to think HDS even at your hours. Seems like everyone has a different HDS leaking symptom but the common link is unexplained water in the boat. If you are the original owner of the boat it will be covered (or if you are the 2nd owner and did the proper ownership transfer stuff).

I had noticed over time more and more water in the boat when I pulled the plug at the end of the day. I'll never forget the day it really went: my wife was free skiing down the river and she was out there for a while. When I pulled back the throttle to swing around to pick her up after the run my feet got wet! I put the boat back on the trailer, pulled the plug and the boat drained for a while. People at the launch assumed I forgot the plug and were commenting so. :Doh:

You could take the cover off and inspect the box. I'd say if you did that then I'd line the fix up at the dealer first so that you don't have to bother putting it back together or you could do a temp fix with silicon. FWIW, I've heard that's all some dealers do for the fix. Mine went to the local fiberglass shop and he did it right and I never had a problem again.

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Before even taking the cover off and looking at it...

On the trailer fill up the bilge with water until it's just over the HDS cover. If it leaks out of the boat it's the HDS. If it doesn't, it isn't.

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Do you have a heater? I thought the same thing last year till I felt the water in the hull and it was hot. Come to find out my core was leaking really bad......replace the core and the hull was dry as can be.

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Before even taking the cover off and looking at it...

On the trailer fill up the bilge with water until it's just over the HDS cover. If it leaks out of the boat it's the HDS. If it doesn't, it isn't.

Not a 100% true. Before mine busted to flood stage, filling the boat didn't reveille it was HDS. My buddy has a sportster and it didn't work for him either.

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