2007 Dauntless 220 Drain Plug

[Dallen9975]

This post is a first-time post reaching out for help.

I just purchased a beautifully maintained 2007 Dauntless 220. Yesterday, while on the trailer, I noticed some brownish water slowly dripping and leaking out around the white plastic) rain plug assembly. I started fiddling around with it and ended up removing the assembly. I would say about an ounce or less of water drained out--not from the bilge. The water was reddish-brown and smelled like resin. There was a ridiculously insufficient amount of marine sealant used on the install by my eye.

Obviously I was concerned about a wet transom but it seems to be dry and solid today. Can someone guide me to the part and maybe some advice on how to install it?

I'm tempted to replace all the thru hull fittings on the stern aside from the deck drains as they all seem cheap and not skillfully installed.

Thanks!

[jimh]

Dark brown liquids, often somewhat viscous, and having a smell like uncured polyester resin, are most likely, indeed, some sort of water and uncured-resin mix. I have seen, first-hand, leaks of that sort on beautifully-maintained Boston Whaler boat hulls that were 20-years-old (or older)--where you'd think that any resin would have long ago reached a hardened and cured state. This inexorable leaching of resin is, I think, a bit of a curse of any fiberglass boat with polyester resin lay-up where water that has gotten into the inner space between the double-bottom hull.

I think that the chemical process of the liquid turning into a foam creates water, and if that water is not completely vented out by the sprue holes in the clamped molds when the two sections of the hull are joined together and being infused with foam, some of that moisture is entrapped--forever--inside the hulls. If any hole penetrates the laminate skin, like a fastener hole, the water eventually it finds a way out .

[jimh]

As for a through-hull drain or a transom drain not being well sealed, you ought to contact Boston Whaler. A model 2007 boat might or could be under the ten-year warranty, and a failed seal at a through-hull or transom drain might be something that would be covered for repair under the original warranty against defect in manufacture--particularly so if there is evidence of poor sealing.

I very vaguely recall there was a bit of a campaign about re-sealing transom drains. Call Boston Whaler Customer Service on the telephone. Talk to Chuck Bennett or one of his fellow customer service specialists. At the least, they can give you detailed instructions on how to make a repair, and, at best, might be able to offer a dealer-provided remedy under warranty.

Boston Whaler boats are premium boats, and generally are made with the utmost care and craftsmanship.

[jimh]

See this recorded presentation made by Boston Whaler and hosted on youTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zby76eoKO-I

In this presentation, Boston Whaler recommends NOT doing this procedure yourself due to the need for some specialized tools.

[Dallen9975]

Thanks to all. I've watched that video. Also, put an email in to Chuck this weekend. He's helped me before in something.

Hopefully this is much to do about nothing but a replacement drain assembly.