New Guy with questions and photos! Possible cracked hull?

[slc2001]

Hey Guys,
Brand new to the forum. I have been a long time lurker and just decided to register. I have a 1989 Ski Nautique 2001 with the 351 PCM. I have owned it for about a year now and loved every minute of it. I had the boat out last week and was pulling my buddy just like always. I got to the end of the lake to turn just as I always do. When I came back across my wake the hull slapped the water harder than I have ever felt. Immediately after the ride seemed to become rougher, the only way to describe it is a vibration directly under the driver/ front seat. I stopped and opened the engine cover to make sure nothing was broken. I didn't notice anything? I checked the motor mounts, and looked for any possible cracks. I didn't see anything out of the normal. Since nothing looked wrong we continued wakeboarding, the wake was fine and the boat got up to speed and on plane just like normal. After everyone was done riding I turned the bilge pump on and emptied water for about 2 minutes. I also emptied the Fat Sacks and headed back to the dock. The boat seemed to ride even rougher with the ballast emptied. It was a short ride back to the dock, I turned the bilge pump on again for about another minute. After getting the boat on the trailer and out of the water I opened the motor cover again to remove the plug and there was probably 4 inches of water in the bottom of the boat. I can normally ride all day and not have that much water in the boat. I am assuming I cracked the hull and water is entering that way. I crawled under the boat and looked for visible cracks but could not see anything... I searched and could not find anything that matched the same things as I described. I am planning on putting the plug in and filling the boat with water to see if it leaks anywhere. Other than that I don't really know what to do? Any help would be awesome! Thanks.
Here are a few pics also...

[Nautiquehunter]

Check the engine for blown freeze plugs or loose hoses.

[swc5150]

I'd be shocked beyond belief if the hull was breached. I'd drop it in the water and check over the engine completely for leaks. You could also check the shaft packing. We had a MC years back with a loose packing, that spit a decent amount of water into the bilge.

[TRBenj]

I find it VERY hard to believe that you could have hit a wave of any size hard enough to crack a Correct Craft hull.

[slc2001]

I find it VERY hard to believe that you could have hit a wave of any size hard enough to crack a Correct Craft hull.

I thought the same thing. What would explain the new vibrations? It definitely does not ride as smooth as before.

[Texan1554]

A vibration may mean there is a misalignment in your shaft/prop. Which could also be the source of your water. I'd check the shaft packing.

[swc5150]

A vibration may mean there is a misalignment in your shaft/prop. Which could also be the source of your water. I'd check the shaft packing.

My thoughts as well...

[slc2001]

A vibration may mean there is a misalignment in your shaft/prop. Which could also be the source of your water. I'd check the shaft packing.

I'll check that tonight and see how it looks. I saw a thread on alignment, I'll check that as well. I have been in boats with bent props/ misaligned shafts and the vibration is completely different feeling...

[TRBenj]

Misalignment will not cause a vibration. It can actually hide a vibe, as it will side load the entire drivetrain (shaft, strut, transmission). A vibration means that something is out of balance- either you picked up some debris on the prop or shaft, or something is bent. Or youre imagining it!

[madcityskier]

Could you have hit something in the water? I'm guessing you might want to check your tracking fins.

[slc2001]

Could you have hit something in the water? I'm guessing you might want to check your tracking fins.

I'm 99% positive I didn't hit anything in the water. The fins were the first thing I checked.

Misalignment will not cause a vibration. It can actually hide a vibe, as it will side load the entire drivetrain (shaft, strut, transmission). A vibration means that something is out of balance- either you picked up some debris on the prop or shaft, or something is bent. Or youre imagining it!

I say vibration only because that's the best word to describe the feeling. I wondered if I was imagining it but my gf noticed the same thing I'm feeling.

[shag]

I would rule out cracked hull. I had an 89 that slid off the trailer (not a CC trailer) on a slow curve on the way to the ramp, and the corner bottom of the hull dropped a few feet to the solid steel axle, and all it did was barely put a tiny chink in it. I carefully unloaded it at the ramp, and had that boat for about 10 years after. And yes, I about sh** my drawers when it happened.

[lucky7t]

I would rule out cracked hull. I had an 89 that slid off the trailer (not a CC trailer) on a slow curve on the way to the ramp, and the corner bottom of the hull dropped a few feet to the solid steel axle, and all it did was barely put a tiny chink in it. I carefully unloaded it at the ramp, and had that boat for about 10 years after. And yes, I about sh** my drawers when it happened.

I watched an older nautique literally fall off a trailer as well at about 10 mph and it didnt crack it either so I agree with you.

[bhectus]

Might be a good idea (and easy to do) to check where the floor meets the hull on either side, especially aft of the driver and observer seats, on either side of the motor box. My '83 had some floor separation behind the driver seat, about 18" long when I realized it. In rougher water you could feel/hear the hull side slapping it. I hope this isn't your case because it is an indication of wet foam and rotten stringers, which those boats are prone to getting.