Bayliner 185 Sprung a Leak

[acevedor2]

Ok - so not terribly dramatic, but I noticed that the starboard side carpet near the hull was always wet - never could figure out why. Finally figured it out today. It's leaking in the starboard stern - where the top and bottom sections of the boat are put together - in the seam. I was able to use a hose and see it leaking inside (in the corner above where the trim pump sits in that starboard rear cubby hole)

My questions are:
1 - Is this covered under their hull warranty (the boat is a 2008 Bayliner Bowrider 185 (F18 Flight))? I would think so since it is where the two pieces of the boat come together.
2 - If for some reason it is not covered and I have to repair it, how do I go about doing it - what is the best method?

Thanks everyone!

 

[Rickmerrill]

If you don't get an answer here from someone that knows about Bayliner's hull warranty just call them. Is the opening letting water in underneath the rub rail?

 

[pckeen]

You should call them - if it were me, I would be arguing that this is covered under the warranty. Here's a post from 2010 on a similar topic:

 

[acevedor2]

OK - So i called the local Bayliner dealer's service department. They are booked for a month and can't even look at it until then. According to him though, the hull warranty, does not cover under the rub rail where the top cap and bottom hulls meet? Are you fricking kidding me? Again, I am fairly certain it is leaking from the stern quarter where the top cap (half) mates to the bottom hull.

I am going to give Bayliner a call - if I can ever get their number...There is no number on their website - only a contact form which I filled out a week ago and haven't had a response from...I love this boat, but unless something changes in the customer service response here, I will never own another one.

All of that said, how hard is it to reseal this? Do I have to remove the two halves of the boat and reseal? That would be an incredible amount of work and a shame since the boat is in nearly new condition. Could I add sealant inside the stern area (where the trim pump is mounted) in the hopes of keeping the water out? What do you all think are my options. Appreciate the assistance

 

[greenbush future]

I'm gonna suggest to see what Bayliner will do before you touch the boat. I expect it wont be a tough fix, but ya might snap a couple pictures both close up and then back away a bit. Put them up here and you will get the right advice about how to fix this. This isnt uncommon in older boats, but newer one's usually don't leak, are you the original owner ?
Get some pictures up.

 

[500dollar744ti]

I re-did mine. I removed the rub rail all the way around the boat, and cleaned the dirt from the area. Got a couple tubes of 5200 for a caulk gun, went around and squeezed a good bead up in the gap then re-installed everything. Hasn't leaked since.

Ideally the cap should be glassed permanently to the hull but very few manufacturers do that, they just screw the cap to the hull. Sometimes manufacturers seal the gap between the two and some don't. I reinforced mine while I was at it.

I think you are going to have a hard time getting Bayliner to cover it, they already sell their boats cheap and have very little profit margin, they don't have the money to make all these warranty repairs so they'll shove you some excuse and deny it.

 

[acevedor2]

I'm gonna suggest to see what Bayliner will do before you touch the boat. I expect it wont be a tough fix, but ya might snap a couple pictures both close up and then back away a bit. Put them up here and you will get the right advice about how to fix this. This isnt uncommon in older boats, but newer one's usually don't leak, are you the original owner ?
Get some pictures up.

Not the original owner. Purchase the boat in 2012 from the original owner who bought it new in 2010 (yes, it's it 2008). One thing I also found interesting is that there is a bead of caulk - regular silicone caulk - not 5200 - running the entire way around the bottom of the rub rail. I have posted some pics below. Is that normal? I just can't imagine them using regular caulk for that - and what would be the reason to even have caulk there? I also pulled back the rub rail just slightly in the area where I think it is leaking. I didn't see a gap, but I couldn't look from underneath the rub rail (again, it was caulked). What I did see was a rivet and screw - which presumably were used to assist in securing the top half to the bottom. Any thoughts?






[url=https://flic.kr/p/oKexo6]

 

[greenbush future]

I'm just guessing here, but as others have mentioned, Bayliner most likely wont do squat, but it is worth a try. I would get at it with a flashlight and darkness to try to see what the leak really looks like before I started putting 5200 on anything. Remember that stuff is rather permanent so if the top needs to come off, you might have a big job after applying all that stuff to stop the leak. I would be careful using it personally. Sometimes these leaks will be undetectable sitting on a trailer, might need the boat in the water, and under power to get water inside. Did the boat always leak, or just start? Did you bump anything or has anything changed?

Nice looking boat !

 

[acevedor2]

I'm just guessing here, but as others have mentioned, Bayliner most likely wont do squat, but it is worth a try. I would get at it with a flashlight and darkness to try to see what the leak really looks like before I started putting 5200 on anything. Remember that stuff is rather permanent so if the top needs to come off, you might have a big job after applying all that stuff to stop the leak. I would be careful using it personally. Sometimes these leaks will be undetectable sitting on a trailer, might need the boat in the water, and under power to get water inside. Did the boat always leak, or just start? Did you bump anything or has anything changed?

Nice looking boat !

That's what I am afraid of too, that they won't do anything. And the shop wants $125 an hour and can't even look at it for another month...I'll probably check another dealer. I forgot to post the picture of the inside rear cubby where the trim pump is. If you look at the picture, on the right side, you'll see two thin "water trails" - follow them up to the seam - that's where it is leaking.

I actually don't have a problem with it in the water ironically. I have noticed it for several months actually, but I chocked it up to the canvas cover I have letting rain water in while it's on the trailer - since it's stored outside. So I would keep drying off the carpet. I took it out a couple of weekends ago and noticed it so I dried the carpet while I was out on the river. It was about 95% dry when we returned home. I wash the boat every time I take it out, so I washed the boat as soon as I got home. When I got in the boat right after I washed it, the carpet on the starboard side was soaked. So I knew something was up since I didn't spray any water in the boat. After some investigating I looked int he cubby and saw water coming from that seam. My boat is stored "bow down" my driveway with a slight starboard list because of the shape of my driveway. I know - It should be stern down to drain, but with my driveway, I just can't store it that way. So the water appears to be coming from that corner seam and running forward down the starboard side.

Also, fast forward to a couple of days ago and we had A LOT of rain. The starboard side carpet got soaked. I had standing water over there it was so bad. That's the part that has me stumped a little because my cover comes down over the rub rail and that seam...

Thanks for the compliment on the boat. She is a great boat and looks nearly new. I am fairly retentive

 

[Rickmerrill]

No it's not normal to have silicone there. PO's attempt to stop the leak. You can see it doesn't work. Best to pull the RR off and start checking for leaks. You can probably get away with only removing enough of it to get access to the corner.

 

[acevedor2]

So I think I am going to try and seal the inside of the cubby and I am gong to remove the rub rail on the stern quarter and see if I can see where it's leaking. Two questions for you guys:
1 - Which sealant should I use. I am thinking 4200 because I know 5200 is permanent. Also does 4200 come in both fast and slow cure?
2 - My understanding is that when you remove the rub rail and re-install, you are supposed to put the screws in a different location than when they came out. Is that correct? What is the danger in reinstalling them in the same holes? I imagine the risk is that they won't grab. Again, I only intend to do about a three foot section on the quarter to start with.

Thanks!

 

[Rickmerrill]

Hum, I'd wait on choosing the sealant until you have the whole picture of what's going on behind the rub rail but in this case a good argument could be made for either 4200 or 5200. I don't see the regular cure 4200 on sale anymore and don't see it on 3m's website. Sealing the inside of the cuddy kind of reminds me of fixing a roof from the inside but that's just me. I think your boat cover must be leaking. If water pools on canvas it will start working it's way thru. So you probably have two issues, easy enough to test out the cover. Three issues actually, you really should start thinking about ways to get the boat parked level and bow up; are we talking about inches or feet?

 

[acevedor2]

Hum, I'd wait on choosing the sealant until you have the whole picture of what's going on behind the rub rail but in this case a good argument could be made for either 4200 or 5200. I don't see the regular cure 4200 on sale anymore and don't see it on 3m's website. Sealing the inside of the cuddy kind of reminds me of fixing a roof from the inside but that's just me. I think your boat cover must be leaking. If water pools on canvas it will start working it's way thru. So you probably have two issues, easy enough to test out the cover. Three issues actually, you really should start thinking about ways to get the boat parked level and bow up; are we talking about inches or feet?

Thanks. Boat cover leaking makes sense. Nice cover, but you are correct, I am sure it will leak with enough water and it rained like the dickens the other day. As far as level I am talking about a somewhat negative grade - so probably not feet. Getting it and keeping it level, while ideal, it likely not going to happen. I temporarily parked it behind my house - which is almost exactly level and I parked it stern down, but unfortunately my driveway is angled down. I can keep it there for the short time.

I don't want to pull the rub rail without the sealant. I want to be able to pull it and fix it same day if possible. I agree that ONLY sealing inside the cubby is a poor option. But I think when COMBINED with fixing what, if anything, is happening under the rub rail, it's the right choice - no? I definitely don't plan on doing it half assed, the PO did that apparently and that's why we're here...

I am leaning toward the 4200. Not as strong an adhesive, but has nearly the same sealing power/effects. Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[Rickmerrill]

Yeah Ace, understand about the level I was thinking maybe you could use some blocks or a little ramp or something just to lift the bow. You actually want it higher than the stern so all water gets out of there. Maybe someone has some good ideas on that and will chime in. On the cubby I guess my thought was where is the water going to go. It could go horizontal to somewhere new. If the water is coming out where you are going to seal inside you might want to wait until all your leaks are fixed but no biggie. I think the 4200 will be fine. Hopefully the screws/rivets hold the hull and cap secure so your just sealing a small gap that won't have much movement. Oh, on drilling new screw holes, not a bad idea but if you get a good tight fit I wouldn't obsess about it. Screws into thin FG is iffy anyway. Would like to see pics of how it looks under that RR when you get it off.

 

[acevedor2]

Well I just heard back from Bayliner and as expected, they said:
"Thank you for your inquiry regarding your Bayliner. Occasionally, leaks can develop at the rub rail connection where the deck and hull meet. This area is sealed under the rub rail with a marine grade sealant. Over time this seal will require re-sealing to prevent water penetration. This is done by removing the rub rail trim and applying new sealant at the deck hull seam." Not happy about it, but I guess there's my answer. So I'll crack into it this weekend and try and reseal that quarter. I want to take it out next weekend if I get a chance so I need to get it done before then."

Separate issue - and I may need to post in another section - When I moved the boat the other day the stern drive was in the "mostly" down position. In other words, down but not quite vertical. I know, it should have been in the up position - feel like a bonehead. In order to turn it around, I had to take it down my driveway and down my block to turn around and go back up the driveway. I didn't go very far -less than 1/4 mile, and I never got above about 15 miles an hour because I never left my neighborhood. But I noticed today that the very bottom edge of the skeg was slightly scraped. Not badly, but scraped nonetheless. So I am guessing either leaving my driveway or coming back in it touched the ground. Now it's entirely possible there is no issue because I am extremely OCD. There really is no damage other than the bottom edge being very slightly scraped (I can post a pic if desired). My big question is - is there something I should check just to ensure there is nothing that got jarred or damaged that isn't visible? Thanks as always for the great help.

 

[acevedor2]

Hey guys - finally got around to removing the rub rail insert so I could get to the actual rub rail. Looks like its riveted. I assume this is fairly common. Most of the replacement videos, etc I have seen for the rub rails have people re-installing using screws. What is the preferred method? Also, if I reuse rivets, do I need to use different holes? If I use screws, any thoughts as to what size/gauge? Finally, is there any need to replace the rub rail? I am thinking no since it is in great shape - this one is also one piece. There are no seams. It's not one long piece, but a circular piece.

Pics are below. Thanks for all of the help!

 

[acevedor2]

Ok - just took another look inside and I think I am going to fight Bayliner on this one. Below is a picture of the stbd qtr inside where it is leaking. You notice a couple of things - 1) there is some discoloration near the edge - this makes perfect sense because of the leak. 2) zoom in and you will see that the corner was NEVER sealed from the factory. The bead of caulk goes right at the edge of the entire boat, but not at the corner where it is leaking. This seams to me to be a factory defect. Thoughts?

 

[acevedor2]

Bump...

 

[Woodonglass]

You can TRY to fight em, but I wouldn't hold my breath!!! But then again...You never know till ya try!!!! Good Luck!!!

 

[jimmy wise]

just take out three rivits 5200 inside and out. take an hour......they will screw you around for days