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Water in Rear Locker After Surfing


CrystalSurf

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We have an '03 Sunscape 21 LSV that does not have integrated ballast tanks. For surfing, we use a 750lb fat sac in the rear locker, a 400lb sac on the seat, a 400 lb sac in the bow, and the wedge.

The issue is that I get a fair bit of water in the rear locker even if I don't spill any water when filling the sacs. I thought it might be water from the bilge area since we are leaning the boat so much...but I've emptied most of that water before filling the bags and it still gets just as wet. I also thought it might be coming through the rubrail since the water line reaches the rail...but the carpet is dry up there in the locker. My only other thought is that water could be coming through the bilge exit hole on the side of the boat as sometimes the boat leans over that much. Any ideas or solutions?

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Our 07 v-ride takes water into the rear locker only when surfing regular (left) side. I think it comes through rear corner between the fiberglass and locker sunpad when we slow down to pick up a rider. Only the back half of the locker floor is wet. We have 750's in each locker and wakeboard with them mostly filled with no water leaking etc.

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Same problem. Sometimes as much as a gallon. There is a lot of water that splashes up on the sun deck and runs down the hinge for the locker on my boat. However I have not determined if this is the only source. I do have a hunch that it may be the through hull for the ballast drain/vent as the carpet was wet from that point. The water could also be splashing the rear of the locker when you stop to pick up the fallen rider. I have yet to watch for this.

I do know that it isn't the rub rail and I have checked all the fittings.

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It could be the swim platform bolts...I'll check that. I don't think it is from the wash coming up the back of the boat from slowing down to pick up a rider...I'm pretty nervous about swamping it, so we do a very measured slow down.

Also, we usually surf the goofy side, so that is why I was thinking it was from the bilge exit hole (on the starboard side).

What do you guys use to dry out the locker? I've been using a synthetic shammy.

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Same problem. Sometimes as much as a gallon. There is a lot of water that splashes up on the sun deck and runs down the hinge for the locker on my boat. However I have not determined if this is the only source. I do have a hunch that it may be the through hull for the ballast drain/vent as the carpet was wet from that point. The water could also be splashing the rear of the locker when you stop to pick up the fallen rider. I have yet to watch for this.

I do know that it isn't the rub rail and I have checked all the fittings.

I think we reaaaalllly need to get out and investigate this further this week :biggrin:

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It could be the swim platform bolts...I'll check that. I don't think it is from the wash coming up the back of the boat from slowing down to pick up a rider...I'm pretty nervous about swamping it, so we do a very measured slow down.

Also, we usually surf the goofy side, so that is why I was thinking it was from the bilge exit hole (on the starboard side).

What do you guys use to dry out the locker? I've been using a synthetic shammy.

Wet Vac and sun.

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We have an '03 Sunscape 21 LSV that does not have integrated ballast tanks. For surfing, we use a 750lb fat sac in the rear locker, a 400lb sac on the seat, a 400 lb sac in the bow, and the wedge.

The issue is that I get a fair bit of water in the rear locker even if I don't spill any water when filling the sacs. I thought it might be water from the bilge area since we are leaning the boat so much...but I've emptied most of that water before filling the bags and it still gets just as wet. I also thought it might be coming through the rubrail since the water line reaches the rail...but the carpet is dry up there in the locker. My only other thought is that water could be coming through the bilge exit hole on the side of the boat as sometimes the boat leans over that much. Any ideas or solutions?

I noticed the exact same thing when I replaced the hard tanks the 750's on my vride. If anyone discovers what its from, please let me know

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I noticed the exact same thing when I replaced the hard tanks the 750's on my vride. If anyone discovers what its from, please let me know

I also have a 2005 Vride. Try this test. You will need VAB(bodies) have everyone sit on the back corner of the boat with the trunk hatch open stand inside and look down at the transom. You should see a small pocket that allows you to reach the nuts and bolts that hold the swim platform on(This assumes you do not have the rear ballast tanks). Make sure that corner is underwater, then see if you see any water purcolating up in that small pocket. I believe its coming from the swim platform mount. I completely resealed the mount but it still leaks a little, but not from the bolt location it still seeps up through the fiberglass at the bottom of that pocket. Looks real weird. You also get some water through the hinge from the hatch. Either a following sea or riders sitting on sundeck and dripping water runs to the hinge flows along hinge to rear and drips off onto fat sacks and flows to rear of compartment because thats the lowest point. I have spent a lot of time trying to figure it out. One last thing that helped a lot especially if you have water also in the bilge area. Check your mid ballast tank if you use it it might be leaking from the 90' elbows which have a tendency to crack, They will spray water when filling and drip water while underway do to the list. You can check this by looking through the access port beside the driver. Sealing or replacing helped keep water out of bilge and that back pocket. Easy way to check surf but don't fill the mid ballast tank and see if there is less water.

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How did you reseal the swim platform bolts? Did you remove them, clean it out and then jam a bunch of silicone around the area before rebolting it? Or did you just put more over top of the existing stuff?

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How did you reseal the swim platform bolts? Did you remove them, clean it out and then jam a bunch of silicone around the area before rebolting it? Or did you just put more over top of the existing stuff?

Option one above.

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Option one above.

The first, removed everything cleaned it up resealed using 3m 5200 adhesive/sealant. This helped, but did not stop it completely. I still have water coming through the bottom of that pocket through the fiberglass. It looks like osmosis, it just slowly builds up the longer that corner is under the water line. I still think more comes from the riders drip drying on the sunpad before entering the boat through the piano hinge on the side of the hatch. All in all the fixes both the mid ballast tank and the swim platform bracket have eliminated most water. now the pocket only fills up a little more than halfway during a full afternoon. Before it was filling the back quarter of the locker.

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  • 1 year later...

I'm resurrecting this thread as I finally got around to figuring out from where the water was coming. It is leaking through the D-bolts that go through the transom above the swim platform.

I haven't fixed them yet, but my plan would be to: unbolt them, clean out any silicone, put in new silicone, and rebolt them.

A couple of questions....1) what should I use to remove the old silicone?, 2) what kind of new silicone should I use?, and 3) any advice on how tight I should retighten the bolts?

Thanks!

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Interesting, now I gotta go check mine as well. Also you might be interested that I found my swim platform bolts were loose on that side. However I pinned it to a leaking fitting on the 750. The reason I know the main source of the leak was the 750 is that I stopped filling it until it was about to burst and the water wasn't nearly as bad. This year I decided to seal the fittings once and for all.

About the D bolt, use marine grade silicone. I like to clean the old stuff with a dry shop rag. Just keep rubbing. As far as tightening I would just do it by feel....but I have a lot of experience and hesitate to tell someone else that. I doubt there is a torque spec.

Please take this as information only and perform at your own risk.....if you crack the Gel coat I am not responsible.

Choke way up on the wrench/ratchet and use the strength in your wrist to tighten.

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