water coming into engine bay through a factory hole in the transom !! help
 

i have water coming into the boat on both sides through the hole in the picture....lots of water.... there is a identical hole on both sides of the transom....
anyone know what this hole is for ? where is it connected to ?
i look on the outside of the boat and cannot see anything that aligns with it .... the closest thing to these holes are the trim tabs...

can it be that water is seeping into my trim tabs , then makes it way through this large opening ?

the boat is a 2000 fountain classic 35'

Hi steve,
Is it possible that that is a drain from the area under the swim step which is actually behind the transom? My boat should be the same as yours, same year and model, but it is in Lake Havasu, AZ and I won't be up there for a few weeks. I will take a look when I am up there, but I can't remember ever seeing where water comes in, although it does come in somewhere.
David

drain holes for the side swim platform extensions. The trim tabs bolt holes are not in that void.

Does your rear rub rail see under water? The deck to hull joint along the rear is only sealed with a sealer, and scarce at that. The rest of the hull to deck joint is FG'd from the inside, but do to not being accessible at the rear, it's just sealed with sealer from the outside. If the rub rail is under water alot, water will leak into the bilge past the poor sealed joint. Mine did that all the time. I removed the rubrail along the back, cleaned out the old sealer, then filled the joint with 5200 solid. Did this on both my 27 and 32'.

This past week I had 6 people on the back of my boat and the rubrail was under water a good 2". Not a single drop inside. That saying alot do to the fact mine sits so low compared to the 35's.

yes i did at some point after running strong stop too fast and lots of water came over the rear deck.... must have filled up..then took some time to empty out....i will have to leave the boat in the water without moving it and see if it stops coming in at standstill...

thanks.

I know this topic is old, but my question is on topic:) I took off my rear rubrail that extends 2-3 feet from the tramsom to the bow and resealed everything good. I'm still getting water in bilge when I back down the ramp. Is it leaking around the ventilation holes in the swim platform extensions? Is it possible to seal around the vent tubes? thanks, Brian

Brian A friend of mine cut 2 1 foot chunks from a floating noodle and passed a section of rope threw it . stuffs one end in the vent hole on each side and ties the other to the swim cleat to keep it secure. works when launching and at the sand bar . US1 made custom one way flaps in his to stop vent tube reversion.

Leak
 

I took the rub rail off my 2001 42'-both the stainless insert and plastic rubrail-across the entire back and up each side about 4'. Leak stopped. Be sure to silicone all the holes and the screws as you put them in. Problem will be solved.

I am thinking it has to be the vent tubes. BK, take a look above, I sealed transom good. Blown, the water is not traveling up the tubes. Maybe sealant at the vent tubes failed? How do the vent tubes remove?

remove the screws and the clamp on the hose inside and they slide out if silicone is the sealer should pop free if 5200 they wont come out without some heat.

Thanks. Going to take my "mirror on stick" and look for the clamps or sealant on the tubes tomorrow.