Help need!! 2003 Shetland Family four taking on water

[Annabanana200]

Need help! Emailed Shetland boats with no reply yet. My dad and i have a Shetland Family four 2003(we have owned it 3 years with no issues, previously had a Family Four for 30 years) noticed that the boat was leaning to the right side and much deeper in the water at the back, it got worse over a few days. Took the boat out of the water and emptied the section at the bathing platform and under the back seat. Not much water in these compartments. When we rocked the boat we could hear lots of water in the full hull area. Been round the whole boat to see where the water has penetrated. In the bottom of the hull seen water seeping out of a very small cracked area. This area is also bizarrely soft to touch(unlike other areas of the fibre glass) We haven’t hit anything so don’t know how his has occurred. Haven’t got a clue where to start with this.
Has anyone had this issue before?
Could we bore a hole and insert a plug in the back drain department to drain it?
Or through the storage area in the floor?
It’s such a stress. Don’t know where to begin my fathers 81 and this is his pride and joy.

 

[coopec]

Other people have had problems with the Shetland 4 hull leaking.

Family four hull full of water
www.shetlandowners.co.uk › General Forum

Mar 17, 2016 - 10 posts - ‎4 authors
I took charge of our Shetland Family four mk 8 today and once on the trailer water started to leak from the little silver cleat that sits by the trailer eye on the bow. ... In fact the hull seems to be full of water- I can hear it sloshing ...

http://www.shetlandowners.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=3352

https://www.google.com.au/search?so...9k1j0i67k1j0i131i67k1j0i22i30k1.0.bJwk1_Ptnik

 

[macd]

In the bottom of the hull seen water seeping out of a very small cracked area. This area is also bizarrely soft to touch(unlike other areas of the fibre glass) We haven’t hit anything so don’t know how his has occurred. Haven’t got a clue where to start with this.

If by 'soft to touch' you mean an area of the hull has no rigidity, then this is serious. The GRP in that part of the hull sounds as though it's had it and needs to be cut out and rebuilt. If it's a small area, that's not necessarily a huge job for someone experienced, even a competent amateur. But it is not going to get better on its own.

 

[Annabanana200]

Thanks for your quick reply and previous thread link. Yeah not rigid at all, when you press it it easily bends inwards and the area around it.