Need help finding leak.

[eyespyautomotive]

So I have a 2000 Legacy that is letting water in somewhere and i cant find it. I have checked all the hoses on the motor, the intake line, have inspected the rudder shaft and the driveshaft, all is good. Nothing spraying or leaking with the motor running. Inspected the boat bottom, no issues, no obvious holes or cracks. Had it all dried out good over winter, put the boat in last weekend and within minutes the bilge was all wet. Its looking like i will have to pull the entire back floor out and float it and see if i can figure it out. Anyone have any insights or thoughts on anything to look at?

[Patfan]

Have you checked the bolts that hold the swim platform on? My 1992 Sunsport was letting water in from there, I just backed them out put some marine silicone on and tightened them back up, problem fixed..........Something to check anyhow.

Good luck.

[SquamInboards]

Do you have a dripless shaft seal? Something like this: http://www.skidim.com/SHAFT-SEAL-1-OJ-DRIPLESS/productinfo/OJ2013/

[eyespyautomotive]

No its a standard packing seal type. I am getting a drip every couple minutes, so its not from there. This is a lot more water.

Had not checked the platform bolts, but i will.

[NorCalPR]

Does it fill with water while underway?

If so its not the back brackets

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[crystal waters]

Have you checked the seal between the deck and the hull all around the boat?

[roosm]

The obvious places would be all the through hulls, not sure how much hardware you have that is bolted through the hull, but on my 2002 Launch SSV it is quite a lot.
I have had various leaks over the years.
1) The rudder had hit something with the previous owner and the repaired glassfiber around the rudder was not a good job.
2) The bolts holding the rudder through hull in place looked but brass, but guess what, they weren't. So they rusted away enough to create a new leak.
3) The through hull for the fat sacs leaked where the pump was screwed into to through hull.
4) And most strange? I got a leak from around the waterline on the port side in the playpen. I couldn't figure it out and got the boat on the trailer, lowered the bow and actually filled her with water with a hose.
After a while I saw small drops of water coming on the outside of the hull. The paint, gelcoat and everything looked perfect, but still it came water through it.

I would try to get her as dry as possible in the bilge, float her in the water and poke your head down to see if you can see any leaks, if that doesn't work consider filling her with water and checking for a leak.
I am not sure I would have done this unless mine had already seen a lot of water on the inside, it was up to the starter engine which of course died together with the alternator at this point.

If is a decent leak and it is coming from somewhere you can see, you should see the water moving.

Good luck!