Water in 18ft Bowrider - Bombardier Celebrity

Question
Good evening Ron, hope this note finds you well.  Need your help.  I'm in the process of purchasing a 1997 18FT Celebrity Bowrider by Bombardier.  It has a 135 hp Mercruiser I/O.  The original owner took very good car of the boat.  Unfortunately he ended up passing away and his family are in the process of selling his boat.  The boat was always stored in doors and covered.  The family decided to display the boat outside.  At first it was covered.  However, as more people came by to take a peak at the boat, they would end up leaving the cover off.  The family decided to pull the cover off.  For about six weeks, the boat was subject to all of the elements.  The family forgot to remove the drain plug.  Over the course of about six weeks, water had accumulated inside.  The water level in the engine compartment covered the oil pan.  In side the boat there was about two inches of water.  I removed the plug and I'm willing to guess that about 35 to 50 gallons of water was removed.  Amazingly enough the engine started and ran.  All electrical appears to be okay.  I checked the dipstick and the oil was perfectly clear with no signs of water.  The floor was sold with the exception of the wooden floor cover.  I suspect this is where the bilge pump is located.  Spoke with the local dealer and he indicated that the boat needs to placed in a dry vented area for several days to have the water evaporate.  He even suggested spraying the area with a 50/50 mix of bleach to remove any potential of mold & mildew.  My concern is the floor.  Will this six week period of being exposed to the elements reak havoc on the floor?  Also, I'm concerned about the starter which was submerge under water.  Even though it operated, what are the long term affects.  Appreciate any words of wisdom that you can share.  Thank you very much for your kind assistance.  Best regards,  Perry Lea

Answer
Hello Perry

Thank you for selecting the undersigned to reply to your question.

Initially, you say water "covered the oil pan", and upon checking the dip-stick, "the oil was perfectly clear". Obviously, the seal on the oil pan wasn't defective.

I'm surprised, with 2 inches of water inside the boat (engine compartment), the starter would have been submerged. Nevertheless, the starter should be removed and sent to a professional source for inspection, drying, cleaing & repairing if necessary.

Any plywood on board will likely be marine grade, which means the glue is impervious to moisture, and laminates ought not to separate.

Your dealer's method to eliminate mold & mildew sounds like the right approach but, first check the sollution on all fabrics to ensure it won't be harmful in any way. You might consult a local water damage restoration firm to determine what they use to permanently eliminate mold & mildew. There's no doubt the boat needs plenty of warm, dry air ventilation, and fans are very helpful.

Aside from the above, I recommend fogging the engine's cylinders to ensure there's no moisture that can affect the pistons and cylinder walls. Check the fuel gauge for quantity and add an appropriate amount of stabilizer, which may not have been done when the boat was originally stored.

Safe Boating
Ron