CONTINUOUSWAVE

I'm considering the purchase of a 1980 Outrage 21 smooth-side banana hull. I'm currently a Montauk owner, but I have always been on the lookout for an older Outrage 21 boat. The boat's current owner launches the boat in and out of the water very infrequently.

During the course of a full day of boating on fresh waters, he'll notice the [sump pump is] running to empty some water that has accumulated in the sump. This happens two to three times during the course of a day. The indication is that water is not coming over the rail which would be the obvious cause.

For owners of similar models to answer: how often does your [sump pump] run?

Is there a known problem or concern with hull seepage on these [older OUTRAGE 21] models.

If so, how difficult is the repair?

Through some research, It has been indicated that the joint between top and bottom sections along the rub rail can be the source of water that accumulates in the sump. I'm willing to get into some repairs but do not want to have to tear apart the entire deck and hull to solve this one.

New poster here. Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide.

What do you mean by the words "hull seepage"? Please elaborate. I don't think this term is self explanatory. Usually I'd expect it to mean something seeping out of the hull. I think you are asking about a leak in the boat that is letting seawater accumulate in the cockpit sump.

The water can be a result of a leaky seam between the hull and upper cap. Removal of the interior gunwale trim will provide access to seal the seam.

On a boat that is not completely waterlogged (or heavily loaded), that rub rail should rarely be submerged and not allow enough water in to run the bilge pump. At most, you should only see some minor water wicking along the inside of the joint.

If you have a lot of weight in the stern and are not underway, water will run into the motor well. If you have a poor seal on the motor well deck plate above the bilge pump, enough water will run into the bilge to make the bilge pump occasionally run.

If you are running in a heavy sea, the rear bench gets pretty wet with spray and will also accumulate water in the bilge. Other than these scenarios, there should not be any ingress of water. I would find the water source before making a purchasing decision.

Edit: One other possibility - there are two small live well-sized plugs in the bottom of the motor well. Those could also be a source of leaks.