Bilge area

[giterdone72]

I picked up an 85 Bayliner Capri Bowrider that I have removed the damaged deck areas and am planning to put down new stringers,a ply deck and fiberglass. The bilge area(i assume it is called)under the bow deck, is compartmentalized-cut off- from the battery area under the main seats. Is it important to have the bilge area the entire length of the boat open or drainable? or can I seal it off and allow bow deck water to drain back into the (lower) battery compartment and then to the transom drain as it looks to have been designed that way?

 

[81 beachcomber]

Re: Bilge area

i would not seal it off. everything has to be drainable otherwise water will just stay in there. good luck

 

[giterdone72]

Re: Bilge area

I was hoping to fill the void with pourable expanding urethane foam for boyancy/ reinforcement reasons if it'll be ok like that

 

[81 beachcomber]

Re: Bilge area

thats good, i was just saying have a drain hole at the bottom so any water that gets in there can drain into the main bildge.

 

[giterdone72]

Re: Bilge area

I have read of people using pvc cut in half down the length of the bilge, but how would this get all of the water out from the front unless there are holes down the length of the pvc? I mean usually the front would sit higher than the rear so it would get stuck in the rear of the bow portion of the bilge since it is blocked off by the battery compartment? make sense?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bilge area

make sense?

Nope,....

Everywhere in your boat should Drain to a pumpable bilge...
Drained hulls don't rot near as quickly as a hull with any Waterproof compartments,...
There's No such thing..
With Time,... Anything Sealed will become Waterlogged....

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Bilge area

The idea of running PVC pipe is sort of a good idea but the foam stops it from working.

The foam pours in as a liquid, then runs under the PVC and plugs it so no water can drain out.

You would need to tape over it and hope it seals well and keeps the foam out.

 

[HVAC Cruiser]

Re: Bilge area

That's how I did mine by cutting a length of 3"pvc in half then fiber-glassed over it to seal it. here is a link to the page
Hope that helps

Bill