does anyone know what these holes are for

[blackhawkdown]

I can't get my photos to attach properly. Usually they are sideways when posted so when you view the attached photo take into consideration that these two holes are at the bottom of the front wall of my bilge. They are perfectly round and are not there by accident. Either the manufacturer put them there or someone else did afterward. What doesn't make sense is the if water gets into the bilge before the bilge pump dumps it out, the water will go through those holes and under the deck. That just doesn't make sense. Does anyone know what these holes are for? The boat is a '76 Renken.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: does anyone know what these holes are for

Although it doesn't seem to make sense, those holes are to let water from the interior side of that bulkhead & further up towards the bow OUT into the bilge to be pumped out........

You are also correct that if water rises faster then the bilge pump, water will flow into them. Many use a higher GPH 2nd pump set higher in the bilge above the intake of the primary pump. If water overwhelms the 1st, the 2nd comes on.

Hard to tell from the 1 pix, but is that sawdust around the left hole in the pix:

Which would be the starboard (right) side if viewed correctly.

May have been factory, or if there's other evidence of water intrusion, a previous owner may have drilled them. Either is likely.

If you use Photobucket for pix, I think you can rotate them via the edit/setting icon in the top right corner of each pix.

Or use any pix software, Mac or Windows, to do the same.

 

[blackhawkdown]

Re: does anyone know what these holes are for

Thanks for the help. I never would have thought that those holes were done for that purpose. No, that's not sawdust in the picture. I'd like to ask another question if I may. The deck seems to be in good solid shape. I can put my foot down pretty hard all around the boat and I don't feel any spongy areas. How can I know for sure that under that deck there are no rotten stringers? I can't see pulling up the deck only to find a perfectly solid set of stringers.

 

[Watermann]

Re: does anyone know what these holes are for

I can't really tell but it look like I can see layers of plywood inside those holes. Is there anything coating the inside of those holes, they look to have been done with a hole saw bit and are they 1" in diameter? if it were me, I would pick up a couple aluminum drain tubes, coat them with 5200 and push them inside the holes to seal the wood.

A 1976 boat has either been already re-decked over the existing deck or done right with new stringers, transom and decking. I would think you would be able to tell by lifting up some material from the deck, find where the deck is fastened to the stringers below and drill out a core sample to check for rot and moisture. If all is well then fill the hole with epoxy, cover it up and go boating.

 

[blackhawkdown]

Re: does anyone know what these holes are for

Thanks Watermann, that was great advice. Wish I could got boating but the engine is torn out and I am rebuilding it. It will probably next year before I'm in the water. Fingers crossed.