by Starscream » Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:15 am
I hope for you that it isn't really a crack in the ballast tank. I've read that it can be very difficult and possibly expensive to repair.
I would check the ballast vent very carefully, hoping that the problem is there and not in the structure of the tank itself. I would load the boat up, fill the ballast, find some choppy conditions, and have someone below watch the vent valve very carefully. On late X's the valve is up front, on early X's it's somewhere else, near the stairs I think. I have heard of leaks coming from the vent up front, if the "bowl" surrounding the vent has been modified, damaged or removed, and the plug is less than a perfect fit.
Of course, since you may have a hole letting water in, be very careful that you have the appropriate bailing mechanism in case of emergency. It may work to simply open the rear gate-valve and drain the ballast at full throttle if the leak gets worse, but I wouldn't leave the dock without a high-capacity bilge pump, and certainly not with passengers who aren't aware of the situation and able to take care of themselves. Even then, in the US, liability would be a big issue if a friend did come along to help find the leak, and something bad happened.