another way to check for leaks is to clean the hull put it up on milk crates or if you have a trialer even better. Basically anything to get it off the groud even if it's only a couple inches. You could even roll on to a couple sections of pipe.

Next is to place your garden hose in you boat and turn on the water. Fill boat with about 2" then of water. The water inside your boat will make up for the weight of adding 300lbs of weight on the water. A gallon of water about 8lbs so 50 gallons give or take should put right at about 400lbs of evenly distributed weight depend on the angle of boats position. As an option to make use of this water you can add some cleaner and scrub the inside of the the hull thoroughly. That was just an option.

Next make sure your hull and dry and then carfully inspect it for leakes. Keep in mind you want to be looking at the bottom of the hull for water leaking from the inside out. I'm sure you already had that figured out but I thought I would mention just in case.

As an option if you don't have one installed already this a great way to test out your new bildge pump and if you plan on putting in to the water instead and your not sure if the boat leaks. I strongly recommend installing a bildge or at the very least taking a bucket or hand pump so you will have it if you need it. Hopefully you won't ever need it.

JerryG