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When I got my boat, a crazed bass fisherman decided he knew how to install a trolling motor on the bow...but he didn't. When I opened up the area, water actually did not go that far from the intrusion site. Where my boat leaked was on the seating mounts and those dumb brass drain tubes. If you question it, you can take non invasive steps to remove the water but it takes time. Around the damaged area quarantine the area like a termite tent in clear plastic, and stick a small bucket of damp-rid inside sealing it completely in with masking tape. If you are not in the frozen tundra, put it out in the sun it'll go much quicker. I did this to the enitire boat and was highly effective, and it made its fighting weight before we sealed it up. See link:

http://i1320.photobucket.com/albums/u...620913.jpg

http://i1320.photobucket.com/albums/u...994f91.jpg

In the second photo you can see the large bucket of damp rid up near the access port the "hacker" cut in the bow, about 8" diameter hole. This worked well.