No drain in rod/ski locker?

[27E_20]

Hey guys. Im new to the forum and new to boat ownership- need some advice. I bought a 1990 Stratos 290 SF a few months ago and have discovered that at the beginning of an outing when I open the storage compartment to get out my rods, its always wet, sometimes even pooled up inside the compartment. It is stored outside, and Ive got a good cover on it, but somehow water still pooles up inside there.

I cleaned everything out and felt/looked around the whole compartment for some sort of drain plug, but there was none.

So I guess my question is: Is there some way I can add a drain without punching a hole through the hull- or - is there even supposed to be a drain there in the first place?

Thanks

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: No drain in rod/ski locker?

Welcome to iBoats!

R U 100% certain that the water is coming in from the topside and not from a leaking hull? When you are out on the water have you checked to make sure there is no water coming in there? Does the boat have a bilge area for water to drain into at the stern? Are there drain holes in the bilge to allow water from below deck to drain into the bilge? Pics of the interior of the boat and the ski locker will really help us to help you. There's a link in my signature that will help you post your pics.

 

[27E_20]

Re: No drain in rod/ski locker?

The thought of a leak in the hull somewhere terrifies me. I guess no, not 100%, but I cant imagine where it would leak in at. I recently took it to a fiberglass guy to fix a spot on the keel, which turned into installing a keelguard and a wet sanding/polishing, but he didnt mention anything to me about possible leaks.

Yes there is a bilge area at the stern, but I dont think my pump(s) work- yet another thing I need to replace. There does seem to be a good amount of water that comes out when I pull the plug after getting the boat out of the water. Cant say that Ive noticed water coming in while out on the water.

I plan on going to the boat this weekend- will definitely post pics. Thanks for the response.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: No drain in rod/ski locker?

Before you get on the water again. Take the plugs out and tilt the bow of the boat up and make sure Any/All waler is out of the boat. Then launch the boat and make sure no water comes in during the launch. Then go for a nice ride and try to make sure you get no backwash over the stern. After 1/2 hour or so check the Bilge for water. If it's there, the hull is leaking some where. Do you have a live well? The fill tube might be leaking.

 

[oops!]

Re: No drain in rod/ski locker?

e gads ...I dont like the sound of this one.

follow woodies advice....bow high....drain boat

Yes there should be a drain in the ski locker.
chances are ...there is carpet in the locker.....if you still have water in there after this weekend.....pull up the rug....look for the hole on the lowest part of the bulkhead nearest the back of the boat.....

so you are saying that water collects in there when the boat is tarped?

and when you go boating there is an unusual amount of water in the boat?

this is indicative of a few different problems.

but first off......after you get all the water out of the boat.....before you put the boat in the water.....go weight the boat on the local truck scales and report the weight here.....as well....more info on your boat ....like motor size....number of batterys.....ect.
we are trying to find out if your hull is waterlogged

 

[27E_20]

Re: No drain in rod/ski locker?

Yes, I have two livewells that I use for storage, and will probably never be used for fish since I catch and release. So thats something else Id like to do is somehow seal the intakes/fill tubes so I wouldnt have to worry about water possibly coming in through there.

The rod/ski locker is carpeted- when I checked it out before some of the carpet was peeling off the walls of the compartment, so should I remove a portion of it towards the stern of the boat to see if theres some kind of plug?

Yes, It seems that water does collect when the boat is tarped. When I take the cover off and go through the process of loading up the boat, I open up the rod locker and it always seems wet while every other compartment/deck surface is dry. To me when I pull the boat out of the water and pull the plug, yes it seems like theres an unusual amount of water that drains out- but, with me not knowing what is normal- Im not sure ifs it a problem or not.

I did weigh it after I bought it- with the trailer its somewhere around 3800lbs
1990 Straots 290 SF, 200hp Johnson, 3 batteries, two 20 gal. fuel tanks

 

[oops!]

Re: No drain in rod/ski locker?

I was afraid of that.

I was also hoping you had an I/O.

But that narrows down the field.

Without seeing the boat....im guessing.....but i know that 3800 is a really heavy boat.

I regret to inform you that the floatation foam in the boat may be soaked.

Under the deck of your boat.....where you cannot see it.....is a pour in expandable foam....kinda like the stuff used for insulation in hardware stores.

After time....when exposed to water.....this foam breaks down an becomes like a sponge.
It cannot be dryed out or drained.

Removal and replacement is the only way.
The problem is that the wet foam traps water next to any wood surface like a stringer or a transom. rot soon starts.

I am also guessing that you have a bad livewell fitting under the deck of the boat some where and that is letting water in the boat while under way....the water gets in the boat.....the foam absorbse it...when you get home you tarp it.....the water runs where it wants....and you see it in the locker.

You have 4 choices.

Ignore it....the boat will still float....but it will condem the boat in 3 years or sooner.
Fix the boat.....rough cost...1k (or more depending on the presence of rot). (a pro will be 2.5k)
Sell the boat as a project boat....if you turn a blind eye to the water...and sell it....you are ripping someone off.
Scrap the hull, and swap the motor to a different hull


Ignoring it will cause you worries on the water....knowing what is lurking under the deck.
Fixing it.....is not that hard....just time and labour intensive and that is what these forums are for.
You could tru and sell the hull alone.....you might get 100 dollars for it....
You could Look for another hull. but to find one that can take a 300 hp and be in good shape is rare.

If you have any questions, like how to check for waterlogged foam....please ask away, we are here to help you.

cheers
oops

 

[rockitsauce]

Re: No drain in rod/ski locker?

I have a 93 stratos 178VF and noticed and am in the midst of a rebuild but I bet yours is not that different from mine in the rod locker area (its on the left side of my boat on the side without the console). Anyway there are 2 cut holes under the carpet that lead to a stringer portion of my hull (it is divided in 4ths by stringers). When I removed my deck, I discovered that alas, there were drains to the hull from inside the locker, but no drains from the stringer to the bilge so therefore water was trapped inside that portion of the stringer/hull. Foam soaked completely and about 2 inches of standing water. Pull the carpet up and take a look and I bet you see those retarded drain holes. They had to be factory on mine. Sure made for good job security for boat sales in the long run I am sure with that design.

 

[27E_20]

Re: No drain in rod/ski locker?

Here are some pics of my rod locker. Whats weird is that there's a drain on the deck, but inside the rod locker where the drain empties to, there's nowhere for that water to go. This time, when I covered the boat, I left all compartments open so they could dry out.

As you can see, there is no drain inside the ski/rod locker. So, would it be possible to add one? Maybe at the bottom corner of the compartment?





Im not 100% sold that the foam is saturated, but its not out of the question. Im leaning more towards the possibility that a livewell line is leaking somewhere. What do you guys think?

 

[rockitsauce]

Re: No drain in rod/ski locker?

Your stratos is set up quite a bit different than mine but notice how some of the same trends are going on, ie. nowhere for the drains to flow to the bilge. I added holes throughout my stringers and bulkheads to allow water to be able to flow from all the way in the front to the back with multiple routes if needed. I just did a 1" holesaw and then rubbed "peanut butter" or thickened resin in the edges of the cutout, not to fill the hole but more to protect the wood from moisture. On another note, I had my boat on the trailer with the jack all the way down in the front to have the moisture roll toward the bow of the boat. There is a hole in the bilge compartment where my front livewell drain hose goes to (through a bulkhead) and there was water in the bilge compartment that flowed forward and made me think that my hose was leaking as well. I figured out that the water had travelled up the outside of the hose from the back and just fooled me. If it hadnt have been tilted forward it would have just stayed in the bilge compartment.