1988 21BR Deck to Hull Seam Leak

[johnskj]

Hi,

New Cobalt owner and new to Cobaltchat. Just bought 1988 21 BR in great condition and love the boat but think I have found my first issue.

Over the holiday weekend ran the boat for the first time on our lake. After pulling the boat after being moored for the weekend I noticed area of wet carpet on starboard side where the floor meets the sidewall.

I removed the battery box to get access to the bilge and found some water trapped between the outer most stringer and the chine of the hull. I cranked up the trailer to pitch up the nose and more water flowed into this location. I removed about a gallon of water with shop vac.

I suspect that the seam between the deck and hull under the rub rail is leaking somewhere letting water into this cavity where some of it gets trapped (whatever cant flow over the notch in the stringer in the stern. I did not find any water in the center tunnel of the bilge and the area under the engine was relatively dry. It did rain a bit over the weekend and the cover does not cover the rub rail area.

1. Has anyone had any experience with this condition and have any tips on repair?
2. Does this sound like the correct diagnosis?
2. Is there a drainage path underneath the frames that run across the boat? In other words if water is leaking between the hull and deck by the helm, will that water be able to run freely to the stern if the boat is pitched up or will it get trapped?

Thanks
Ken

[AsLan7]

.
Hey Ken welcome to the CobaltChat forum. So glad you found us!

Was the boat just sitting and picked up water? Wavy? Rain water can also enter that hull rub rail seam. There should be a way for the water to get to the bilge but I'm not as familiar with the 21BR. Others will chime in shortly.

Any pics?

Again welcome aboard mate!
.

[johnskj]

Had a bit of everything his past weekend.

1. Launch and pull out of the lake - although do not think the rub rails dip below water when launching and recovering, lots of freeboard on the 21BR
2. It rained 2 days. Boat fully covered but cover does not cover rub rail.
3. Ran the boat in about 1 foot waves for total of probably 3 hours

Attached are pics of the wet carpet and the water that I found trapped btw the outer stringer and chine when I cranked up the trailer. Assume this water had been collecting for more than just this weekend.

Thanks for the reply and interest in my situation. Look forward to joining the Cobalt family...wanted a 21BR since I was 18.

Ken