waterproofing storage compartments

[2MADAKAT]

I turned my bowrider into a full fledged fishing boat. The bow area now consists of two long storage compartments, a live well where your feet used to go, a small cooler compartment, and an anchor/chain locker. Problem I have is with the two long storage compartments. I want to store my life jackets in them, but the compartment is always wet whether from rain, swimmers, or big fish. I have no way to drain these compartments so I wondered if anyone knows of way to seal them at the lid like they do in the "real" fishing boats.

 

[jtexas]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

I built a casting deck that included a couple storage compartments. Main thing is, the lid needs to overhang the supports so when water drips down between the hatch and the deck, it drips outside of the compartment instead of into it. I added some self-adhesive "D" - shaped weather stripping from homeDepot, one strip on the lid, another around the rim on the inside, such that the two strips meet when its closed. Some of it came off, but my compartments are still dry.

 

[crab bait]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

you almost have to engineer it yourself.. since you built it.. an we can't see it..<br /><br />JTEXAS & you,, i find where it's more efficent to not have the 'two foams' meet .. but upper an lower foams lay offset side by side when closed..the upper on the outside of the two..

 

[jtexas]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

that sounds better, crabbait, cause my strip is inside the compartment so if water gets to it, its probably too late anyway.

 

[2MADAKAT]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

Tell me how to put a picture on this site and I will show you what I have. I have no way to overhang my compartment lids as they fit snug into their spots.

 

[jtexas]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

1. join a picture-hosting website; www.photobucket.com is a good one<br />2. upload your pics there<br />3. highlight & copy the URL<br />4. return to iboats, click on the "image" button on the "post a reply" screen<br />5. paste the URL into the dialogue box<br /><br />for example, the code for linking this pic<br />

<br /><br />is:<br />{IMG}http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a235/jtex/fishing/boatmods003.jpg{/IMG}<br />except use [ and ] in place of { and }<br /><br />above is the back deck I added to my boat. Note the two gas tanks underneath.<br />These two compartments are "dry":<br />

<br />I wasn't sure stuff would really stay dry in there, but it does.<br />The port side is only 4" deep but it's good for things like tools, wallet, cell phone. The starboard side compartment isn't watertight at the floor, so whatever's on bottom might get wet if enough water comes in the boat, but I put life jackets in there anyway.<br /><br />the back edge of the deck opens for access to bilge, battery & a big of stowage space.<br />

<br /><br />before this, the back seat fisherman had gas tank & battery underfoot & the outboard staring him in the face if he tried to face the stern.

 

[2MADAKAT]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

Pictures definitely make it easier to discuss stuff. I am going to try to upload some tomorrow.<br />Jtexas,<br />I noticed on your back deck, you used door type hinges that are exposed on top. Most bowriders have two storage compartments under the front cushions already. I cut doors out of plywood that fit the opening to those compartments and then piano hinged them onto one side of the fiberglas. To keep the door from falling in, I screwed small blocks to the other three sides. I can see now, where I will have to build a ledge for the whole door to sit on and then gasket it with foam or something to keep the water out.<br />I just wondered if anyone else had already played with a set up like this.

 

[jtexas]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

I think piano hinges are better, they fit down in there out of the way; I went for the easier solution. I'm not carpeting it anyway. Be sure to get stainless steel so no worrying about corrosion. I think the main thing is the edge of the hatch overlapping the inside of the compartment - sounds like you're headed in the right direction with a ledge all the way round, give the water some place to go. I'd think about using bolts instead of screwing into fiberglass, or else put a piece of wood underneath to screw into.<br /><br />I just used plain old B/C plywood, painted with rustoleum, one coat each water-based primer and an oil-based topcoat. I'm not promoting that as a long-term solution, though; if I was glassing this deck in, I'd probably make sure it was EXT-grade ply and saturate it in resin first. There's a lot of good advice about that on this forum. I also coated the screws with 5200. And filled in any voids on the edges of my cuts with epoxy.<br /><br />Hopefully somebody with more directly-related experience will chime in.

 

[crab bait]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

i got plastic ( piano ) continue-us hinge.. it's pretty much the poop.. since it's plastic ,,it has no 'knuckle'.. no water leakage .. it'll hinge forever cause you can't open the lid broad enuff to crease/crack it.. last forever..<br /><br />plus,,it's userfriendly.. don't need perfection.. as it wont bind..<br /><br />boat supply..

 

[2MADAKAT]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

Hey Crabbait, when you say you can't open the lid broad enough, what exactly do you mean. I can open mine about 135 deg.

 

[2MADAKAT]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

<br /><br />Here is the first photo showing what I was talking about. How do I move more than one photo onto this site.

 

[crab bait]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

yeah,, i mean you can't over bend the hinge enuff to break it .. as in takin' a piece of plastic or say sheet metal an keep bendin' it back on itself to crease it an break.. it's not possible.. so the hinge will last forever.. <br /><br />if it could,, wouldn't last long at all..

 

[2MADAKAT]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

[/IMG] <br />I am trying again

 

[2MADAKAT]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

Okay boys, the picture thing is not working for me. I have four pictures in photobucket. How do I get them onto the reply page. I have tried what you wrote Jtexas but I must be stupid.<br />(besides frustrated with this modern technology)

 

[2MADAKAT]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

 

[2MADAKAT]

Re: waterproofing storage compartments

<br />Here is picture of my bow with all compartment lids down. The previous picture, (that I finally figured out how to get in), shows my cooler compartment and two life jacket storage areas.<br />Just behind the cooler compartment is my 30" live well.<br />As you can see, mould is growing on my paint in the cooler compartment and I want to make it air tight. thought?