Crack in Hull

[Stallworth98]

Purchased this 1988 Searay Seville Bowrider about a month ago. We have taken it out a handful of times with no issues; however, when measuring for a new trailer - this was found. Water has never seeped into the boat. Any suggestions on using Marine Tex and repairing on our own? Is there something I may be missing?

 

[matt167]

That's unfortunate... It means your summer is over with the boat ~ basically and unfortunately

Crack is showing brown, which is wood rot, and that means stringers. And that usually includes the deck and transom as well. The crack is the sign of the boat structurally failing

 

[Scott Danforth]

^+1..... What he said

 

[Stallworth98]

The boat was only used in freshwater and was well maintained. I’ve had a few quotes and no one has said the boat is done for.

 

[Grub54891]

Of course they will fix it. They just want your money. You really need to check further for any damage inside, it looks like it's been that way for awhile. Any flotation foam is saturated. You won't see water in the bilge till it gets through the foam.

 

[Stallworth98]

Do you think we have at least one good trip before getting it fixed ?

 

[Grub54891]

That is a loaded question. It could be fine, it could fail tomorrow , or 6 month's from now.

 

[racerone]

No way that I would go out in warm water more than 3' deep in a boat like that.----Time to park that death trap.

 

[RGrew176]

A survey prior to purchase would have caught that issue and saved you some headaches.

 

[Chris1956]

That needs to be fixed from the inside, IMO. I expect you will find the fiberglass is failing around that area, for some distance. Is that directly under the ski locker?

I had an '88 SeaRay Seville (same hull). There was a piece of plywood between the floor of the ski well and the keel portion of the hull. It served to support the hull and had been stapled in place. Over the years the staples rusted away, and the support rotted and fell over, allowing the hull to collapse. That kind of looks like what you have.

In my case the fix was to tear out the ski locker floor, and lay some new fiberglass cloth over the collapsed section (after returning it to it's original shape). I then made a new support for the keel section of the hull, and a new floor and walls for the ski locker. My theory was that the hull was supported by the ski locker.
My fix worked well.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I absolutely would not use that boat until it's repaired. You would be risking your life and that of your passengers.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Do you think we have at least one good trip before getting it fixed ?

look at your family. is their life worth risking it.

if the hull breaches and your foam is water logged, can you all survive the boat sinking in under 20 seconds. remember, it will be 10-15 seconds prior to you realizing what is going on.

The boat was only used in freshwater and was well maintained. I’ve had a few quotes and no one has said the boat is done for.

no, anything man-made can be re-made. so the boat is not done for. it will just take lots of cash and time.

remember, fresh water rots wood, where salt water doesnt. the fact your boat is a 1988 SeaRay means that it is 34 years old and was filled with wood and foam, of which is rotten and oozing out the hull crack. Boats are designed to last 15 years and either get a full restoration or be replaced.

to do a proper restoration, you will need to pull the interior, pull the motor/drive, uncap the boat, don on the PPE and fire up the saw.

here is a link to the DIY sticky in the hull restoration forum. read links 14, 15, 18, 2, 3, 4a, and 4b in that order. after that you will have an understanding of the task at hand.

 

[flyingscott]

I will bet that costs more to fix than the boat itself is worth even if you do it. You are only seeing the crack gaurantee it is 100x worse once you get in there. Pull the drive and engine sell them scrap the hull buy a different boat.

 

[racerone]

Fact.------A lot of junk is dragged out of sheds and fields for all the novice boaters / eager buyers these days.---Never seen anything like it.----I would not launch that boat until it had a complete overhaul.----Most folks just do not know that boats have wooden framework.----Ribs , stringers and transom.----These rot all the time !

 

[flyingscott]

I will be blunt Screw the complete overhaul. Go buy a different boat and chalk this one up as a learning experience.

 

[racerone]

Agreed----But some boats are easier to repair than others if you have time , tools and " how to " skill..----I regularly visit a shop that has a yard full of boats like this.-----Engines are removed and the rest crushed and scrapped.----No shop can do an economical fix !

 

[flyingscott]

The boat was only used in freshwater and was well maintained. I’ve had a few quotes and no one has said the boat is done for.

Really the boat was well maintained yet it has a crack in the hull? Really That is an old crack. Not to mention it looks like they hit something to cause that.

 

[hugh g]

Anything can be fixed, but it depends on whether you want to invest the time & money to do it. And no way in hell would I take it out again. If I was in your shoes, I'd pull the engine, drive, the whole works, gut the interior & part it out. Use the cash as a down payment on a boat that isn't a death trap.

Whover sold that to you........Well, never mind.

 

[3rdtimesthecharm]

I will bet that costs more to fix than the boat itself is worth even if you do it. You are only seeing the crack gaurantee it is 100x worse once you get in there. Pull the drive and engine sell them scrap the hull buy a different boat.

I totally agree. A $200 marine survey would have saved you a lot of money.

 

[JimS123]

My buddy had a similar issue and he paid many thousands to fix it. Then he decided to sell it and got back roughly 1/3 of what he had spent.