Boat Electrical Problem

check battery cabling to the motor - you're stating if you turn off the battery switch off,it stops,right ?
"everything metal" - i'm guessing you mean,helm(steering wheel,throttle) ?

odds are,there's a small break in the cabling to the motor - may be under the cowl on the motor - water's a great conductor of electricty...

 

You're getting shocked when you touch the gas cap? Is this happening when the boat is dry or just wet? Check to see if a ground going to the fuse panel got switched with a power wire. Has the boat been rewired or still have the original factory wiring? Those skiffs have very simple wiring, start off by following the power and negative wires (from the switch) that go to the power posts mounted in the rear hatch. Make sure no nicks or cuts exist. Repeat for wires leaving the fuse panel.

 

Does it steadily shock your or is it like a static electricity shock?

 

Okay 1st don't use the boat till it's fixed or you will be sorry!

Here is how to determine your issue.
On the batter switch you should have a your hot battery wire, your engine hot wire, hot wire for your switch panel, and the hot wire for the automatic bilge. (If you have one)

We need to isolate the systems that has the short, before we just go looking for a nicked wire. (Could take for ever) disconnect all the wire mentioned above (also any others you may have) and if you have anything directly wired to the battery. Back the boat into the water leaving it on the trailer hook up 1 wire (1 system) at a time when the shock happens that is your shorted system. Then you can chase the problem down in a manageable way!

Let me know if you need any further assistance.

 

Okay 1st don't use the boat till it's fixed or you will be sorry! X2 on this.

Were you in a marina or just anywhere out on open water when it would shock you? Were you barefooted or wearing shoes? Does it shock you with the motor off and battery switch on?

I know I'm asking several questions but the front cleat shocking you makes this a difficult problem. Fiberglass does not conduct electricity, electricity can flow along its surface if a sufficient coating of salt is present. Unless the cleat is electrically bonded there is no way for it to shock you. But it is shocking you so this means that you are completing a circuit between the cleat and the boat/water (=ground) if it is a dc shock. This means that a connection to the positive side of the battery exists when it should not. If this only happens when the engine is running then it possible for it to be an AC shock that originates from the alternator on the motor.

Following Creeks advice will tell you which circuit is causing the issue but you will need to investigate which side of that circuit is bad. I'd take a volt meter and wet floor of boat put positive lead to cleat and negative lead to floor and see what the voltage is.

 

We are concerned with the shock happening at the gas cap, this could ignite the gas vapor. Also especially in Salt Water galvanic corrosion would be highly accelerated.

 

I agree, sounds like resistance has built up in a connection.
Either a ground wire going bad or the connector itself making incomplete ground.
Circuit wants to be closed so juice is traveling back any way it can to the battery.
Probably grounding through the steering cable back to the console.
This is where a volt-ohm meter shines. Checking resistance in the connections
to find the location of the blockage or corrosion that is limiting but not stopping current flow.

I better not find out you're using wing nuts on your battery terminals! 

Wing nuts bad!

 

Imo I would love to give you advice but I think your better off taking it to a Good shop and having it fixed. You dont wanna end up on the 10 oclock news.

 

Disconnect and remove the battery.