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This whaler was used every summer in Orange Beach, AL until about 3 years ago. We purchased a pontoon boat (too many people in family for the whaler to carry), trailered the whaler, and it hasn't been in the water since. The whaler has been sitting uncovered for the last 3 years behind my in-laws house. I recently decided that I wanted to clean the boat up and get it on the water again. However, after looking at the boat a couple of days ago, I noticed about 2 inches of standing water inside the deck and water was slowly dripping from the hull. My question is, is this boat safe to put in the water? I've always known whalers to be unsinkable but if water is protruding inside the hull of the boat from the deck and there is obviously a crack on the bottom of the boat, could this boat sink? Could it sink either from water entering from the bottom or extra weight from the leaking rain water from the deck? Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Dripping from the hull where? Any photos? You can post photos to photobucket and provide a link to them in a response. Several things you could do. back the boat/ trailer down a ramp with the winch secured to the bow eye to see if the stern floats near the previous water line or at least the scuppers are above the water. Or, weigh the hull.
I winter in Ft. Myers and summer in St. Joseph, Michigan. It’s now about 12 years since I’ve joined this group. I gave my 1972 whaler to my daughter and sold the 17’. Bought an O’Day 28 sailboat and sailed on Lake Michigan. Yesterday I bought a 2005 130 Sport.
i wouldn't stress too much. the standing water on the deck has found an open screw hole and migrated from the top to the bottom. I assume the boat has been beached a couple times or more in it's life and the gelcoat has been rubbed off the keel. Fiberglass is not waterproof and so the water has found the path of least resistance out of the hull. Assuming when you get down to look more closely you don't find an obvious crack or hole, first seal up the deck, then let the water drip awhile. Once it stops dripping or you can't wait anymore, you want to waterproof the keel, either gelcoat and sand any areas where bare fiberglass is exposed or refresh the bottom pain if the boat has some.
Finally got the whaler over to my house, cleaned it up with a little pressure washing, and found that dripping water was coming from the bow compartment drain hole! Thank God! After draining 1/4 tank of gas, replacing fuel filter, and battery, this whaler is ready to go on the water! Thanks for all of the suggestions. Luckily, all the boat needed was a little TLC.
