cork in floor

[mort5029]

Hello all, was working on my flooring in my 1998 Four Winns Vistsa when I discovered a cork that was in a hole at the back of my cabin below the entrance to the aft cabin. I assume it is for drainage into the bilge in the event there is water. I am not sure if the previous owner plugged it himself or not. Was just wondering if i should leave it in or not. I was thinking no, as i think the hole is there for drainage. And i also installed a new pump in the bilge last season to pump out water. I attached pics. Thanks all.

 

[Scott Danforth]

the bulkhead looks rotten

 

[roffey]

Don't know why you would plug a drainage hole with a wine cork. Makes no sense to me.

 

[tpenfield]

I wonder if the cork was from a bottle of red or a bottle of white :noidea:

 

[mort5029]

No its not rotten I just ripped out the carpet and have not cleaned up yet...

 

[mort5029]

so then the cork should not be blocking the hole, my guess is the guy did not have a functioning bilge pump and water was rising into the bulkhead and he wanted to stop it from getting into the cabin...any Vista owners out there????

 

[roffey]

I know i'm stating the obvious but, you would think any leak in the boat would be investigated. Putting a cork in would be the ultimate band-aid fix. I suspect the boat is in good hands now and will be on the mend shortly...

 

[mort5029]

On another note, Here is the flooring , still need trim but better than carpet. Vinyl.

 

[MTboatguy]

Well that is a new one!

:lol:

 

[garbageguy]

hard to tell exactly what your boat is or where the close-up pics are, and what is around them, but maybe the previous owner was using that space as a cooler (for wine?) and plugged its drain with a cork - I'd take it out

 

[JimS123]

One of my first fiberglass boats had 5 plugs leading to the 5 compartments under the deck. They were kept in so that if water entered the bilge it would not find its way to the stringers. Then, in the Fall (or any other time) you would take out the plugs to ventilate the space and ensure the hull was dry. The owner's manual was very clear about the purpose of the plugs.

Last time I saw that boat (it was now on the 4th owner), it was 41 years old and the deck was still hard as a rock.

They don't build them like they used to!

 

[Ned L]

I would agree that it makes no sense to plug what looks to be a limber hole.

 

[roffey]

I think its a cooler,,, I have them in my boat and if I lost the plug I can see using a cork...

 

[nola mike]

I wonder if the cork was from a bottle of red or a bottle of white :noidea:

Perhaps a bottle of rose instead?

 

[mr 88]

Mu guess is the PO didn't want sometimes oily bilge water being sloshed up to that compartment when coming off plane. Some boats will have a shower drain into the bow section that is removed with a pump located in there. Those bulkheads are solid with no limber holes. If it was my boat and that section was always dry I might do the same thing and remove when in storage for the off season.

 

[mort5029]

Mu guess is the PO didn't want sometimes oily bilge water being sloshed up to that compartment when coming off plane. Some boats will have a shower drain into the bow section that is removed with a pump located in there. Those bulkheads are solid with no limber holes. If it was my boat and that section was always dry I might do the same thing and remove when in storage for the off season.

That makes good sense, the shower does drain into the bilge, I can see the cork being used to prevent splash up from bilge into the cabin. I think I will plug it for summer and unplug in the event water may go into cabin. Thanks

 

[JimS123]

That makes good sense, the shower does drain into the bilge, I can see the cork being used to prevent splash up from bilge into the cabin. I think I will plug it for summer and unplug in the event water may go into cabin. Thanks

That's exactly what my old boat's Owner's Manual said to do.