Leaking Hobie PA and how I fixed it

This tale may save someone some time and heartache.

About two months ago, I ran into a stump going full speed with the mirage drive.
I thought I was out of the stump field, but I was wrong.

Hit the stump teeth chatteringly hard enough to bend the front fin shaft about 45 degrees.

Earlier that day, in the same stump field I had high centered just about the worst I've ever high centered and had to rock back and forth and side to side for about 20 minutes to get off a stump.

Since that fishing trip, the PA has filled with water at a rate of half a gallon per hour.

I did multiple leak tests multiple times and could not find a crack or pin hole
Flashlight test inside and out at night with video camera inside kayak (at least three times).
Filled the kayak with ten gallons of red food coloring dyed water (four times).
Gently added air through a drain hole and sprayed soapy water all over and still couldn't find the leak (four times)

So I started covering the bases (most likely leak points)
1. Keel--sealed it with gorilla tape and a heat gun (still leaked the same)
2. Cleaned and silicone sprayed all the o-rings and gaskets (still leaked the same)
3. Coated the inside of all the scuppers with a layer of Lexel (still leaked the same)
4. Sealed all the outside of all the hatches with Lexel (no change)
5. Replaced the drain plugs (still leaked the same)

With the process of elimination that brings me to the mirage drive housing. No visible crack; but there must be a dynamic crack that opens with the drive in use.
Sealed the mirage drive housing clips (the click and go clips) on both sides completely with Lexel (Leakage reduced 98%)

Will see how long it lasts and how often I have to reapply the Lexel, but so far, so good.

Did you bend the fin support back or replace some parts?

I will suggest taking it to someone for plastic welding or attempting it yourself. This would be a better overall fix. You could also check to see if it is under warranty for that or if Hobie has a recommendation regarding repair.

I bent the fin rod back to it's original position.

If I localize the exact position of the defect, I'll plastic weld it myself (I've done it before on other kayaks)

I have the feeling that its located underneath one of the click and go clips (why it's not visible)
If the Lexel repair lasts a long time (more than six months), I'll just repeat the Lexel method
But, if the leaking reoccurs before then, I'll remove the click and go clips and look to go from there.

Good stuff! Is the inside of the yak red now?