Livingston drain plugs

[bluegill_fly]

Pardon me of this is a dumb question, but I'm a boat noob with his first boat, so...

Earlier in 2012, I bought a 1984 Livingston 12 for a project (install some decking to make a mini-bass boat, basically). It was garaged at my old house, but there's no garage space at the new place, so it's been out in the yard under a plastic tarp for the last month. It sometimes rains even in southern California, and we've had quite a lot lately. Upon looking under the tarp today, I found about 8 inches of water inside the boat. The tarp apparently has some watertightness issues <g>

So, with an assistant, I pushed my now really heavy boat out into the middle of the driveway, pulled the drain plugs, and raised the trailer jack. All drained out now, but on both sides just inboard of the drain plugs, there is a groove in the floor with a small round hole at the front. These holes open into the catamaran hulls of the boat, and because they are lower than the rest of the floor they still have water in them. My questions, then, aren't about the drain plugs per se, but about these grooves and holes:

1) Both of the holes at the heads of the grooves are open. Should they be, or are there plugs that should be in there? If there should be plugs, are they rubber, or what? Can I buy or make them?

2) Because they are open, are my catamaran hulls now full of water? Are those hulls hollow or filled with foam?
2a) If they are now filled with water or waterlogged foam, what is the best way to take care of it?

3) What is the purpose of the floor grooves and the holesin the cat hulls?

4) Anything else I should know about them?

Thanks,

Jonathan

 

[kinaiahi61]

Re: Livingston drain plugs

From my experience with my 14, those are drains for the hull. The hulls aren't filled with foam and holes shouldn't be plugged. This allows the water to drain from the hulls. Just point the nose to the sky and let the water out. On my boat I cut out the floors, and the back foam. The foam was saturated and the floors were super soft. I glassed in new drain holes (PVC) that drain in the back. These are needed in case your hull is breached. You don't want the water trapped in there. Hope this helps.

 

[bluegill_fly]

Re: Livingston drain plugs

Thanks a lot! I did basically what you said today by sticking a floor jack under the trailer jack wheel and raising the bow, then using a battery filler to suction out the water until it was all gone. I have no fiberglassing skills so probably won't be cutting the floor out, but it's good to know that can be done. When I put decking in, I'll have a blige pump down there for sure.

Thanks again!

 

[bluegill_fly]

Re: Livingston drain plugs

I cut out the floors, and the back foam. The foam was saturated and the floors were super soft. I glassed in new drain holes (PVC) that drain in the back.

I've been trying to visualize what that looks like, I wonder if I could trouble you to post a photo of that when you have a chance? No hurry, just whenever you can.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[kinaiahi61]

Re: Livingston drain plugs

I cut out the floors, and the back foam. The foam was saturated and the floors were super soft. I glassed in new drain holes (PVC) that drain in the back.

I've been trying to visualize what that looks like, I wonder if I could trouble you to post a photo of that when you have a chance? No hurry, just whenever you can.

Thanks again for your help!

Sorry been busy. Here's some pics

 

[bluegill_fly]

Re: Livingston drain plugs

Wow, thanks so much! That's really great, and your boat looks awesome, the pilot house on the front is amazing. I guess you must be doing ocean fishing. I see a palm tree sticking over the roof of the house, are you in southern California? I'm in San Diego. Been strictly freshwater all my life, but may try pier fishing in the bay this year.

Thanks again!

 

[kinaiahi61]

Re: Livingston drain plugs

Yah I fish in the ocean and I live in Hawaii. Really sea worthy with the cab. Only thing is it can't handle the abuse. We have pretty rough water here. I'm about to fix it for the third time. Good luck with the Livingston. Caught some mahi, Ono, tuna, and bottom fish off of it. I built it for functionality.

 

[Noslo_2]

Re: Livingston drain plugs

So on my 10' Livingston if I cut out the square fiberglass and remove the foam floatations in the to put a battery down in there I won't be hurting anything?

 

[joshuawbingham]

Re: Livingston drain plugs

So on my 10' Livingston if I cut out the square fiberglass and remove the foam floatations in the to put a battery down in there I won't be hurting anything?

Actually, removing that flotation foam is a bad idea. You can do it, but the foam is there for a very important purpose. Also, removing it may violate Coast Guard regulations (If you are governed by them in your waterways). It does seem like a good place to put a battery, though. I would recommend that you cut an access hatch and remove just enough foam to fit a marine battery box inside. Install the box and use flotation (closed cell) foam to fill in around it. Cut a nice aluminum or stainless hatch and add recessed deckscrews and nutzerts (in the fiberglass) to batton it down. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!