The water went under the console, between the console pan and the deck. My boat has the step-down console - that step down section protrudes under the deck through a hole cut in the deck. The console pan is supposed to be sealed to the deck. In my boat, the joint between the deck and console pan was not sealed well and let lots and lots of water in. The water soaked into the plywood at the raw edge of the step down cut out.
The picture shows the starboard side of the bottom of the console after it was lifted off the deck and laid down on its bow or windshield side. You can see the screw holes and a couple of small dabs of sealant (bright white since sealant was cut to break the bond). The sealant was missing along almost the entire starboard edge of the console pan. The port side and front edges also had little sealant. That is where the water got in. You can see the dirt carried down by water. The boat was like that the day it left the factory.
