198 deck drains

[dxc64042]

I had a huge wave hit my 2008 198re and the water drained out of my deck drains quickly but it drained into my bilge.
I thought the deck was supposed to drain out of the boat not into the bilge. I see some hoses coming back through the bilge area to holes in the hull, are those hoses supposed to be going to the deck drains? It looks like it would be hard to access the deck drains, there's a piece of foam that looks like it's glued in place that might have to be removed? Also the specs on the boat say it has an auto bilge pump but that never came on, I didn't see a float to check, how does it auto start?
thanks for any help.

 

[Ejay]

Re: 198 deck drains

I have a 2002 228re and the deck drains also drain to the bilge, which to me seems like a really poor design. My bilge pump has an internal float which turns it on or I can manually turn it on from a dash switch. The water in your bilge may not have been deep enough to start your bilge pump, I would suggest running some water into your bilge with a water hose while on the trailer to check it. Do you have a dash switch for it and if so does it work? I am in the process of putting a second bilge pump in mine just for back-up purposes, since everything except the livewell seems to drain there. The hoses you see are probably the 2 going to and from the livewell and 1 going from the bilge pump out.
Good luck
Ejay

 

[dxc64042]

Re: 198 deck drains

My understanding was the newer boats don't drain into the bilge but I could be wrong. There should have been enough water to turn the pump on, it drained for a long time when I pulled the plug. The pump does work when I use the switch. I'll probably try to move the foam so I can access the deck drains and see if the hoses are supposed to be attached to them.
Thanks for the help.

 

[dxc64042]

Re: 198 deck drains

OK I was in touch with Hurricane support and they told me the deck drains do drain into the bilge on this boat, so I guess the only thing
that isn't working right is my bilge pump didn't auto start.

 

[Ejay]

Re: 198 deck drains

On my boat the deck seems to be higher than water level, I don't understand why they didn't drain it overboard. Check for a stuck float switch in the bottom of your bilge pump.
Earl