[PlumLazy]

Originally Posted by mikeyt

ok, understood but....the fact still remains that you have a constantly wet ski locker so the water is getting in there & staying there for some reason. Do you have a water supply into the cuddy? It has to be coming from somewhere....

No there's no water supply to the cuddy or anywhere as far forward as the ski locker. The floor cooler is right behind the ski locker, but since the drain on it leaks (another pet peave) it never sees much water in it... just an inch of water or so and melting ice. It has no cracks and drains quite quickly when the plug is pulled. Water from the cooler almost immediately finds it's way to the drain plug at the transom.

I'm wondering if since the floor is NOT sealed with resin as it should have been (and you'd expect it to have been on a "high-end" boat)...maybe water has soaked all the foam in the compartments around the ski locker and that water is leaching into the ski locker keeping the carpet wet. I'm thinking maybe the oily film also in the locker is from whatever the wood was pressure treated with.

My bilge pump has yet to kick on by itself (yes it is working properly). My Cobalt's bilge pump would kick on a couple times a day when the kids were in and out of the boat frequently. Part of that is due to the differences in the sun pads, and that I make them stand on the swim platform a bit before entering the boat.

[ShabahZ280]

There's no doubt Mariah makes a great boat, but as much as I love the company and everything they've produced, I wouldn't consider it a complete top of the line boat. Every boat has it's downfalls, and none of us are claiming a Mariah is completely flawless, because that'd be a completely false assumption. When you really get into the "nitty gritty" of every boat, no matter who the manufacturer, you're going to find something that got overlooked, or might not be perfect, because boats are still built by hand, so there's the human element in there, and we all make mistakes and forget things occasionally. I have found many things in mine, and actually somewhat enjoy seeing a few because it reminds me that real people made these boats. However if I find something and there's a serious issue, I correct it, and keep enjoying my boat. There's also a little sense of pride that comes with repairing things, and it makes me appreciate the boat even more.

Cobalts have a reputation as a high end boat, there's no doubt they make nice boats, but it definitely shows....For example, a friend at a local marina paid $90k for a brand new 22 footer. When Mariah was still in business, you could pick up a top of the line Z302 for less than that. Comparing a Mariah to a Cobalt is like comparing a Cadillac to a Bentley. Close, but not that close.

Another brand that comes to mind is Doral/Doral International. They make great boats which are somewhat pricy, but their work force is made by probably the most dedicated staff members with the best skills in the industry. The average length of time employees are with the company runs around 22 years. That says something, and it shows in everything that rolls off their line.

That being said, if you plan to keep your Mariah and have some pride in owning it and enjoying it, there's always a little work involved. Whether it be tightening screws that work loose, cleaning the electrical contacts once in a while, fixing a torn seam in the upholstery, or fixing the wood and water drainage in the ski compartment, these are things that happen with our boats.

I'd suggest having a marine surveyor or engineer come and take some moisture reading tests and investigate the area in the hull around your ski locker. Sure it'll cost a little bit, but they'll be able tell you how serious the problem is, and recommend some options.

just my .02

[PlumLazy]

Originally Posted by ShabahZ250

That being said, if you plan to keep your Mariah and have some pride in owning it and enjoying it, there's always a little work involved. Whether it be tightening screws that work loose, cleaning the electrical contacts once in a while, fixing a torn seam in the upholstery, or fixing the wood and water drainage in the ski compartment, these are things that happen with our boats.

I'd suggest having a marine surveyor or engineer come and take some moisture reading tests and investigate the area in the hull around your ski locker. Sure it'll cost a little bit, but they'll be able tell you how serious the problem is, and recommend some options.

just my .02

I don't mind working on the boat... I went through the outdrive on my Cobalt and I have already put a new fuel pump in the Mariah. I know that there will always be work envolved when owning a boat... either you do it yourself or have a fat wallet , which I do not have. lol.

That's a good idea on the surveyor or engineer. How do I go about finding someone?

Thanks .

[ShabahZ280]

You can visit the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors website:

The Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors, Inc.® - (SAMS®)

You can search by state, and it'll list all the accredited marine surveyors in your area!