Re: New to me bowrider, have some questions...
Yeah I guess I didn't explain everything. I got distracted while I was posting.
Anyway, the marina found the problem area once they lifted it off the trailer. The bunks were hiding it. There were, in total, 4 small chips in the gel coat. One of which, was the problem area. They way they explained it to me was that it was right next to a chine, and it was a defect in the fiberglass. There was a void, which created a weak point in the gel coat. Their guess is that when they loaded the boat onto a roller trailer to sell it for the little old lady, one of the rollers rolled over the weak point, and popped the gel coat. So, they opened it up a little, re glassed and gel coated over it. They also fixed the other 3 chips as well.
Again, I wasn't there, and didn't see the damage for myself, but they told me that they have seen it before, where this void is there, but you'd never know until you damage the gel coat, then it gives the water a place to get it.
They must have done a pretty good job, because like I said, not a single drop of water came out of the bilge when I pulled the plug after being in the water for 3 hours.
I'm so glad it was something simple. I was honestly expecting the worst.
I have learned my lesson for sure! I got very lucky with this one. With the boat and the marina I bought it from. They could have very easily said it's my problem, but they did the right thing. I didn't pay a penny.
Steve