Water sitting outboard of stringers

[allen.st]

I have a 1976 26' Rinell and my problem is that when it rains water gets in somehow and it sits on the outboard side of my stringers (boat is on trailer with drain plug out). Is there anything I can do to to get the water to drain from these areas? is there something that i can use to wick the water over the stringers? I am getting to fat to get in there and use a sponge. <br /><br />Thanks

 

[Realgun]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

You can cut a small hole so it can drian to the bildge. Be carful not to hole the hull.

 

[cuzner]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

If you drill, make sure you seal the holes!!!! Last thing you need is to be replacing your stringers<br /><br /><br /> Jim

 

[Bondo]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

Ayuh,......... Cutting in,+ sealing some limber holes is the Easy Way out.........<br /><br />Finding the Leak,+ Stopping it, is the Hard Way to get it done.......

 

[3boyzz]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

If it is a Reinell 268, like mine, there is no leak to fix. That boat is a cruiser w/flybridge. The access to the engine compartment is via two fiberglass panels, about 6' x 2.5', which also serves as the deck in the stern. When it rains, water runs off the panels and into the engine compartment. I have the same problem. In the next few weeks I plan on using a holesaw to cut through the stringer. I then want to use 2" pvc pipe to line the hole, with marine silicone to hold it all in place.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

You guys are not serious about cuttin your stringers I hope. That is the surest way to introduce wood rot into the stringer core. If you absolutely must make the hole small and liberally seal with 3M 5200 inside the hole. Oh and silicone is OK for sealing leaking windows but not where you need to keep water away from wood.<br /><br />Skuba - in my view it is better to have to get down in the bilge once in a while with a sponge than to replace stringers.

 

[allen.st]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

Thanks all, yes mine is a 267 FB cruiser with 2 engine lids so keeping water sealed out will be a tall chore "S" someone has already replaced the stringers some time ago but they are still solid as I had to pull the Select trim motor mounts. I don’t really want to drill holes in them but I may have to. I have plenty of epoxy though. Has anyone tried any kind of fabric or rope and let it wick the water over the top of the stringer?

 

[allen.st]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

3boyzz what engine out drive setup do you have? I have tons of questions and few answers about the characteristics of the 26' Reinell

 

[richg99]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

Just an errant thought..but...what about using a a couple of large; semi-permanent; cut-to-shape; sponges that you leave down there, with string pulls attached.. They will absorb the water. Occasionally, pull them out, using the strings; wring them out and then put them back. I haven't seen your setup..but.maybe this will help. RG

 

[Bondo]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

I then want to use 2" pvc pipe to line the hole, with marine silicone to hold it all in place.

No Silicone..........<br />No 5200.........<br /><br />Epoxy them in place,+ Seal them up with Epoxy.........<br />This is a Permanent repair....... Epoxy is the Only thing I'd use.........<br /><br />BTW, 2" is rather Big....... You're Only Draining alittle rain water......

 

[3boyzz]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

Ok, epoxy it is then. I hit the wrong key, I meant 1" hole, just big enough not to get cloggged. The stringers are about 6" tall and are placed right where the hull goes from an almost flat bottom to a much deeper "V". It is easy to get several inches of water sitting there as all the water from the flybridge also drains onto the rear deck. In my opinion a well sealed 1" drain will be much better than 2-3" of standing water. <br /><br />Scuba Diver, I have twin Mercruiser 165s with pre Alpha drives. I can get up to over 40 mph with throttle left to spare, but I usually cruise below planing speeds.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

When water gets in through the access panels, if it drips straight down from the edge of the opening does it land on the outboard side of the stringers? <br /><br />or does it run along the roof & down the walls to get trapped by the stringers? Kind of like when you try to pour too slowly from a pitcher, the water just flows back down the side & into your lap?<br /><br />in which case a small straight edge of any kind, pointed at the floor, surrounding the hatch opening, would interrupt the flow of water and drop it into the bilge.<br /><br />does that make sense?<br /><br />how about tiny little gutters, like the ones that keep run-off entering your car? sorry, just grasping at straws, here.

 

[allen.st]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

richG99 Sponges might work ok, maybe stick the down with velcro??<br /><br />Jtexas the engine lids have about a 1" lip on them that set down into channels all the way around and the center brace in the center, there are drains in the 2 rear corners and I keep the bow raised and plug pulled, (already filled the bilge and got water in the motor once). there are a numbers of places it can get in but the most of it comes from the opening under the gunnals. There is sort of a storage area all the way around the rear deck like this and if the wind blows just a bit water gets into them and runs down and inside.

 

[allen.st]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

jtexas both lids together form an area 6'x 5' and the outside edges are over the outboard edge of the stringers if it does leak much from there so a straight edge would drop the water where it is anyway. I like the big opening, it give easy access to the enging compartmet which help a fat boy like me get in there

 

[allen.st]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

3boyzz I dont guess your merc uses select trim then does it? Mine is a 351 Ford and OMC 800 Stringer

 

[navigator336]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

Good thought JTexas. That would work. I suspect that the hatches extend well over the stringers closest to the keel though. Bondo, so the stringer "scuppers" are called limber holes? Another boat term that I wonder where it came from. Scuba diver, I doubt you'll find a wicking material that will work. I'm guessing if it had enough capillary attraction to get the water up and over the stringer that same capillary action would prevent it from dripping out of the material on the over side. Many boats come from the factory with the limber holes in them and the factory does like Bondo said and glasses the openings.<br /><br />You could also build a gutter around each hatch on the inside and pumb that to your deck drains. But as JTexas pointed out unless the hatch has a lip extending towards the gutter, water will "walk" along the underside of the hatch and drip all over the place.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

How bout dropping a couple of cheap bilge pumps where the water accumulates? No holes ---------

 

[allen.st]

Re: Water sitting outboard of stringers

SoLittle there is not enough room to put small bilge pumps there, it is only about 4" tall but the other side has a steep taper. Pumps would have to sit on an angle there for would not pump it to the bottom.<br /><br />Guess if I have to keep sponging it out it is good exercise