2008 Catalina 30 MkIII is leaking

[WindAndSea]

My bro and I like to sail, but after that last downpour, I noticed some nasty brown water dripping from the bolts on the starboard side of our Catalina boat.

So, we took all that hardware off, cleaned everything up, and got the holes ready to seal them back up with some 4200 goop.
I also got a bit curious and drilled a tiny hole underneath the side deck, between the middle and back chain plates, just to see if any water was hiding in there.

And wouldn't you know it, a little bit of water actually dribbled out! That makes me think the wood stuff inside the deck is wet around those chain plates.
the deck still feels solid when you walk on it. I'm gonna grab a moisture meter to be sure, but I'm betting it'll show wet.

will the 4200 be enough to stop the leaks from the top once I put the hardware back?
Or am I looking at a major, big-time repair job here? she's old but still a fantastic boat, and we've really taken good care of her.

 

[Gris Charnel]

I think just sealing the top with 4200 will only be a temporary fix and won't address the wet core. The water will still be trapped inside. maybe have it checked in a marine repair shop to make sure

 

[MikanoRun]

Good call checking under the deck, if it's just damp and the core's still solid, sealing with 4200 and bedding everything properly might be enough. But yeah, definitely use that moisture meter...if it's real wet or spongy, you might need to dig deeper later, for now it sounds like you're on the right track