Rain water trapped between floor and boat hull

[iggyw1]

I just bought this boat and took it out today for the first time. I had it in a repair shop for the past 5 weeks for motor repairs. . This boat was always garage kept until I bought it and took it for repairs. The shop left it outside for four weeks in very heavy rain. Long story short: The drain plug was in and the boat filled with a ton of water. The water got under the floor through some screw holes and bracket mount holes and seat box mounting screws etc. etc. The floor is VERY solid except for some small holes here and there from the previous owner doing things and adding things & removing things over the years. The boat is a 1965 Geneva fiberglass, 'V' hull. Model unknown. Has covered bow and level floor except higher under the bow. The hull is solid everywhere and the floor is solid except the screw/small drill holes about.

At the starboard side of the transom, (in the very corner of the rear of boat) there is a drain hole with a plug in it (rubber stopper plug) thru the transom for draining water that is "on the floor of the boat". The water I have is UNDER the floor and cannot get up to the drain hole. I do not believe there is any foam under the floor what so ever, as I can hear the water going all the way from the bow of the boat to the rear of the boat when I raise the front end up high. When I lower it, the water all gushes back to the front of the boat. There is a LOT of water. I thought of a few things I can do, but I am not comfortable trying anything until I get some opinions on things, or ideas on how to do it. Or should I take it in and have it done? I am pretty mechanically inclined and capable.

Can I drill a large hole ( about a 3" or 4" hole thru the floor) in the compartment where the portable gas tanks and the batteries are under the rear deck (splash tray?), then put in a bilge pump to get the water out that way? ( My old boat had no floor in that area and it was jut the boat hull back there so the water would all run back there and the pump was installed there (sitting on the bottom) and also had a drain plug thru the transom in the center of the transom where the boat hull is the deepest. This boat has the floor all the way to the transom, so there is water under it that cannot get out. The drain plug is at the top of this floor which is level thru the entire boat, except higher underneath the covered bow. ( Goes about 3" higher than the remainder of the floor).

I also thought about drilling another drain hole thru the transom at the bottom, above the hull yet underneath the floor, but in the center of the boat where the "V" is the deepest. I know I cannot just drill the hole ( which is about 1-1/2" large just guessing at this point). I would need to put in some type of liner or something to protect the wood where I drill this hole, and the plug will go into this liner, same as the existing drain plug which is above the floor now. Any ideas on these two plans?

I know the hull is solid and not leaking at all. The water trapped under the floor is strictly rain water and LOTS of it. Has to be gallons of it by the sound of it when I raise and lower the front end of the boat. I am raising it about 4 ft. up off the driveway and can hear the water rushing to the rear. Took it out today and could not plane the boat. 16 ft. boat, 75 HP and only got 10 MPH. Bow is staying up and I used a whole lot of gas!!! Motor is running great. Please respond with some ideas on how to do this or opinions or whatever you have. Thanks!

IGGY

 

[Woodonglass]

What kind of boat? If the Repair shop caused this, I think I'd be asking them to do the job of getting the water out. They should NOT have caused this to happen to your Boat! They ARE liable for this kind of thing. Does the Boat have a Bilge? Pix would be helpful

 

[jbcurt00]

I'd be contacting the repair shop & see what THEY are prepared to do for letting your boat fill w/ water, IF you thought it'd be stored inside. If you knew it'd be outside, and YOU left the drain plug in, then don't bother, they're not responsible.

W/out pix, I won't hazard a guess where it's safe to add a hole or 2.

Further evidence that not storing your boat bow up, covered & drain plug out isn't wise.

 

[iggyw1]

I cannot blame the repair shop for this mishap. I am the one that left the plug in it ( was not thinking on this one) and I left it outside knowing it was going to be outside. At the same time, I thought it would only be at the shop three - four days not weeks and weeks, but yes, it is my fault!! Cannot blame the shop for it. I have no idea how to post pix, but I think I know what I am going to do. I am going to drill a one inch hole at the bottom of the center of the transom just above the top of the hull of the boat ( gotta figure out how thick it is) then dry things out with an access hole cut in the floor just inside the transom ( where the gas tanks and batteries are stored. I will place a hair dryer or the like (small heater) in the area between the floor of the boat and the hull and let things dry out then put the plug kit in the transom. I did some research on line besides this forum and saw some pretty easy looking instructions on how to do it! Thanks for your replies guys, I appreciate the help. The plug kit I am thinking about is put in from the outside. It is a brass threaded sleeve that is mounted with adhesive and brass screws, and has a threaded brass tapered plug that screws into the sleeve. Looks and sound easy enough. The hardest part of doing it will be getting it as low as I can without hitting the inside of the boats hull with the 1" spade bit. Should not be too hard to figure out how thick the bottom of the boat is so I know where to drill, should it?

NOTE: Even though it is my own fault this happened, eventually I probably would have had to do this anyway as we get a lot of rain in Michigan and we just continue to fish in the rain, and the rain water would have accumulated over time anyway and probably did more damage as it would have been in there a lot longer had I not noticed it was there all at once.

 

[Axkiker]

Im having trouble picturing this but a thought is if you could drill a small hole and use a flexible tube attached to a wet vac you could suck a majority of it out. Then maybe do the hair dryer thing to allow the remainder to evaporate. I did this on a Baja I had some years ago. Water had gotten under a back section that didnt have an access point or drain.

 

[jbcurt00]

What boat, pix? I/O or outboard?

 

[jigngrub]

I cannot blame the repair shop for this mishap. I am the one that left the plug in it ( was not thinking on this one) and I left it outside knowing it was going to be outside. At the same time, I thought it would only be at the shop three - four days not weeks and weeks, but yes, it is my fault!! Cannot blame the shop for it. I have no idea how to post pix, but I think I know what I am going to do. I am going to drill a one inch hole at the bottom of the center of the transom just above the top of the hull of the boat ( gotta figure out how thick it is) then dry things out with an access hole cut in the floor just inside the transom ( where the gas tanks and batteries are stored. I will place a hair dryer or the like (small heater) in the area between the floor of the boat and the hull and let things dry out then put the plug kit in the transom. I did some research on line besides this forum and saw some pretty easy looking instructions on how to do it! Thanks for your replies guys, I appreciate the help. The plug kit I am thinking about is put in from the outside. It is a brass threaded sleeve that is mounted with adhesive and brass screws, and has a threaded brass tapered plug that screws into the sleeve. Looks and sound easy enough. The hardest part of doing it will be getting it as low as I can without hitting the inside of the boats hull with the 1" spade bit. Should not be too hard to figure out how thick the bottom of the boat is so I know where to drill, should it?

NOTE: Even though it is my own fault this happened, eventually I probably would have had to do this anyway as we get a lot of rain in Michigan and we just continue to fish in the rain, and the rain water would have accumulated over time anyway and probably did more damage as it would have been in there a lot longer had I not noticed it was there all at once.

Good to see you "man-up" and admit your own mistake.

The deck drain and sealed bilge is a common design in older boats, especially from the 60's.

I suggest installing one of these in your deck as close to the transom as you can get it:
http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/s...LA_014988463&gclid=CMyz8dbO7L4CFeKXOgodWh4AnQ
Tap around on your decking to find the stringers and install it in the center of the deck between 2 stringers. If your stringers don't have drain holes at the bottom you may need to install more than one, probably one in the center of each stringer space.

With these small deck hatches you'll be able to keep an eye on your bilge to make sure it's staying dry and you'll be able to suck any water out with a shop vac.

 

[iggyw1]

Good to see you "man-up" and admit your own mistake.

The deck drain and sealed bilge is a common design in older boats, especially from the 60's.

I suggest installing one of these in your deck as close to the transom as you can get it:
http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/s...LA_014988463&gclid=CMyz8dbO7L4CFeKXOgodWh4AnQ
Tap around on your decking to find the stringers and install it in the center of the deck between 2 stringers. If your stringers don't have drain holes at the bottom you may need to install more than one, probably one in the center of each stringer space.

With these small deck hatches you'll be able to keep an eye on your bilge to make sure it's staying dry and you'll be able to suck any water out with a shop vac.

I have thought about this same thing. If I put at least one of these in place. I can get the water out pretty well with a shop vac. It should not be an every day thing as I am certain the hull is not leaking, it's just rain water. The boat is in the garage when not in use. Thanks. Just have to figure out now how to get the 8" holes in the sealed bilge area. Wonder if I can rent some type of hole saw that large? There is probably drain holes in the stringers as the water moves back and forth very freely as I lift and lower the bow of the boat when its on the trailer. You can hear a very large amount of water in there.

 

[iggyw1]

Im having trouble picturing this but a thought is if you could drill a small hole and use a flexible tube attached to a wet vac you could suck a majority of it out. Then maybe do the hair dryer thing to allow the remainder to evaporate. I did this on a Baja I had some years ago. Water had gotten under a back section that didnt have an access point or drain.

It is actually a sealed bilge area, sounds about as you described in your reply. There is no access to get to the water so I can drain it. If I drill a larger hole in the floor deck of the usual bilge area, where my gas tanks are and the batteries are beneath the rear "dash board" (for lack of the proper name) with a hole saw, I can get in there, suck the water out with my normal shop vac hose, than cover the hole with one of those normal deck hole covers that are flush with the floor. Its not like any one will ever walk back there in that area, and if I ever get water in there again, I would have access!! Sounds like you got the picture.


JB Curt, Sorry, it is an outboard motor boat, Geneva (model unknown) fiberglass covered bow. Again, I do not have the knowledge on how to post pictures, sorry. I know it would be more helpful to everyone to post pix, but I do not know how! The boat, motor and trailer are a 1965 rig in show room condition, other that the water trapped beneath the floor from rain when I left it outside, plug in and boat level on the trailer. I screwed up. I realize it was not a wise move, but what's done is done. I am not looking for someone to blame here.

Thanks to all that gave me some advice in this matter, I really appreciate the help I received. I will now go at it and I will post on here in a few days how things turned out for me. Thank you!
IGGY

 

[jigngrub]

I have thought about this same thing. If I put at least one of these in place. I can get the water out pretty well with a shop vac. It should not be an every day thing as I am certain the hull is not leaking, it's just rain water. The boat is in the garage when not in use. Thanks. Just have to figure out now how to get the 8" holes in the sealed bilge area. Wonder if I can rent some type of hole saw that large? There is probably drain holes in the stringers as the water moves back and forth very freely as I lift and lower the bow of the boat when its on the trailer. You can hear a very large amount of water in there.

You'll have to cut the hole in the deck with a jig saw.


Edited:

Just because the water under your deck flows freely from front to back doesn't mean it'll flow from side to side. The stringers run the length of the boat with 3 or 4 spaces between them and may not have drainage from space to space.

When you think you have all the water out, check to see if you can hear more water flowing when you raise and lower the bow.

 

[kcassells]

I have thought about this same thing. If I put at least one of these in place. I can get the water out pretty well with a shop vac. It should not be an every day thing as I am certain the hull is not leaking, it's just rain water. The boat is in the garage when not in use. Thanks. Just have to figure out now how to get the 8" holes in the sealed bilge area. Wonder if I can rent some type of hole saw that large? There is probably drain holes in the stringers as the water moves back and forth very freely as I lift and lower the bow of the boat when its on the trailer. You can hear a very large amount of water in there.

Get the floor plate in hand first before you make any holes. Use it as a template. take the sealing ring, use the inside diameter as the template and mark the floor area. Then make a series of 1/2" holes around the drawing ring mark you made. Then get a jigsaw as stated above to "connect" the dotes. Save a lot of headaches later when you are about to install the new deck plate. They come in all shape and sizes. See if there is one that can work to your space to give you the most access for the future.

 

[iggyw1]

OK. Today I used a hole saw and cut a 3" hole in the bilge area on each side of the center stringer. Then I raised the front of the boat up. I got a whole lot of water out these holes onto the deck and out of the deck drain. About 5-6 gallons of water at least. I then vacuumed out the water from one side of the stringer. The water went down on both sides of the stringer, so I assumed that the water is passing thru the stringers. When I got the water out with the shop vac, I lowered and raised the boat several times and did not hear any more water at all. When I vacuumed the water out with my shop vac, I dumped 12 more gallons out of the vacuum while vaccuming. There was a total of about 17 to 18 gallons of water that was trapped under the floor.

I am now going to cut one hole a bit larger with my sawzall (making it a square hole) so I can put a bilge pump into the space below the floor. Won't see the hole at all with the batteries and gas cans in the area, and I have a vinyl cover that goes in front of all this too with snaps on it. I am not going to add a drain at the bottom under the floor yet, but I will at a later date if I see the need for one. I am very happy it was pretty easy to get that water out from between the boat.

 

[rocket rich]

BEEN THERE DONE THAT., JUST HOPE YOU DON'T HAVE AND PLYWOOD IN THE HULL>>

 

[iggyw1]

BEEN THERE DONE THAT., JUST HOPE YOU DON'T HAVE AND PLYWOOD IN THE HULL>>

After enlarging the holes big enough to really check things out. From what I can see, everything is marine wood and is covered with fiberglass. I looked at the marine plywood flooring that I cut out and it too is very solid and dry. The rain water just got in there a few weeks back and it never had water under there before from the look of things. The floor is suppose to be solid and completely sealed so no water gets beneath it I think. But thru the years, as people ( the previous owner) put things in or took them out , left screw holes in the floor in the bilge area. He had brackets that he removed for holding his old batteries in place. Never filled the holes that he left in the area where the brackets were. This is how the water penetrated thru the floor to begin with and got trapped under the floor. I am all set up now to install a bilge pump and a drain plug kit (if needed) thru the transom at its lowest point.

 

[Axkiker]

Prolly wouldnt be a bad idea to force some warm air into those holes you cut if you have the ability. Keep it circulating for a few days to dry everything out really good. Even if its not rotting out it could be molding.

 

[Woodonglass]

What is it about the wood that makes you think it is MARINE wood??

 

[iggyw1]

Prolly wouldnt be a bad idea to force some warm air into those holes you cut if you have the ability. Keep it circulating for a few days to dry everything out really good. Even if its not rotting out it could be molding.

Thanks for the tip. I already have my shop vac running on the blower mode rather than the suction mode and I also placed an old hair blow dryer that my wife wasn't using any longer in there. They have been going for a few hours now, and I will turn them off when I go to bed in a few, then turn them back on tomorrow. Drying things out very well. If it doesn't rain in the next few days, I will set it out in the sun too so it can help bake it and get any moisture out.