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I'm on my fourth Whaler now, two 13' Sports, 1984 and 1988, A 1985 17' Montauk, and now a 1997 20' Outrage. The first three boats, I can't complain, I had never educated myself on water entering the hulls of Whalers. Both 13' Sports had sat on a mooring their whole life, thru hulls never inspected or changed, both boats sat low in the water with a 25hp Johnson and 30 hp Yamaha 2-stroke. The Montauk had been moored and had 65 screw holes in the deck for various clamps and attachments. None of the holes had been sealed. This is when I joined Whaler Central, and learned a bit about water logged hulls, attempts to dry them etc. The Montauk was sold due to the water issue. I felt that I was well armed to look for my next Whaler, finding a 1997 20' Outrage. This boat had been trailered it's whole life, no bottom paint, no damage to the exterior hull, perfect gelcoat, dealer maintained with 400 hours total use. No screw holes in the interior, no transducer mounted on the transom. Just four sealed small screw holes in the bilge, for the bilge pump and washdown pump. Screws appeared to have 4600 on them. After washing the boat, I continually found water in the bilge, I would sponge it out, it would re-appear. I found the water was leaking into the boat from the bilge thru-hull. Pulled it, transom is soaked ! Removed the two splash well thru-hulls...soaked. I now have a quarter inch hole drilled approximately 1.5" below the bilge thru-hull, with a cotton wick stuck in there, watching water drip out of the hull... Was this bad luck ? or are the majority of Whalers wet ? I know I should have had the boat surveyed, or weighed, but everything looked so good !