Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

[Fordiesel69]

I am a newbie at getting my boat wet. I never got one wet before, but today a 4 footer split over the bow, blew the bimini cover into the interior and a big wall of water filled the floor. We stopped, fixed the cover and turned on the pump. Water was puddling on the carpet and not really going into the bilge. By the time we got back to the dock, it was almost drained.

Do I need to rush right out tomorrow and vac it all up and shampoo with a very mild bleach solution to prevent odor? I was going to shampoo anyways.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

if its on the trailer now, I'd just open up the plug(s) and get the front end of the trailer up some. It will dry out just fine, it is a boat after all...

 

[diesel5599]

Re: Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

Oh that's nothing at all, as long as your drain plug is out you'll be good to go, you did not mention if it was an OB or I/O. If is an I/O I would take out the drain plug immediately, otherwise, if the starter is under water it will fail within 3 months or so.

I managed to dry land drown two boats before and they were still fine afterwards, but both needed the starter replaced shortly thereafter. To dryland drown your boat, forget to take the drain plug out and let a few heavy rains come through. I had a 22' cuddy and the rain waster was up to the bottom of the steering wheel by the time I checked on the boat. The entire cuddy was underwater.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

If it is on a trailer jack it up as far as possible and pull the plug, maybe if you are really freaked out you cna put a fan in it.

A splash of water is really no big deal, it is when they are constantly subjected to being wet,i.e. stored outside uncovered that you have a problem.

 

[ovrrdrive]

Re: Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

It's a boat and boats are made to get wet. If you want to keep the carpet smelling fresh though I'd flush it with plenty of fresh water and if the water was salt or really dirty I'd even dump a few buckets of soapy water in it and then flush it out really well.

 

[Philster]

Re: Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

Wave comes over bow. Water rushes through the boat.

Let the pump do what it does.

If you don't like the amount of time the water took to be pumped out.... drumroll please!... GET A BETTER PUMP!

As to everything else you are worried about: SHRUG. NO BIG DEAL.

I love iboats and how people cringe about boats being left to rot... but if you don't fully understand all the information about boats and exposure to the elements, you'll be a grumpy old dude real fast. Your boat can be exposed to sun, waves, lotions, an spilled drinks. You just can't leave it that way all the time.... 24/7/365.... with snow sitting in it, or animals pissing in it.

Please, enjoy the darn thing.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

If it happened to my boat I would shop vac the interior dry as possible open up the hatches and air dry weather permitting, there's a reason you find some 20+ year old boats in pristine condition yet 5 year old boats that are already deteriorated.

 

[Fordiesel69]

Re: Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

Well today is too bad, we have high winds and hard rains. I will have to leave it till tomorrow and hope the weather will be ok. I want to at least get the carpet clean as to not cause a musty smell.

People knock bayliners about rotting, as on a quiet windless night at the marina, one can hear a bayliner rotting away. I want to slow this process as much as possible. As of now, it was hardly used by the 2 previos owners, and has no sings of stringer, floor, transom rot.

 

[642mx]

Re: Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

I've been caught out in the rain while boating at least 30 times since I bought my Baja. Like some have posted, remove the plug and get the bow up as high as possible (I use a block of wood under the jack even).

It helps if you can do this in the sunlight. If its raining outside and you store it in a garage or barn, use a couple of fans to help it dry out. Don't forget to pull the bimini top out and let it dry too (I forgot this step once... it didn't take long to mold).

 

[NYBo]

Re: Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

We stopped, fixed the cover and turned on the pump.

I recommend adding a float switch to the bilge pump.

And Bayliners are no worse for rotting out than any other boats that use a significant amount of wood in their construction.

 

[jack gardner]

Re: Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

just a tip on the wet starter sif any way u can tilt remove and get wd 40 spray in starter asap dri out and usually within 24 hrs its servicable rear starer cover comes off east usually 2 long bolts pull cover and soak.in wd it works done it many times on boats salt and reg water .cars trucks etc hrs work well worth saving a wet starter

 

[Fordiesel69]

Re: Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

just a tip on the wet starter sif any way u can tilt remove and get wd 40 spray in starter asap dri out and usually within 24 hrs its servicable rear starer cover comes off east usually 2 long bolts pull cover and soak.in wd it works done it many times on boats salt and reg water .cars trucks etc hrs work well worth saving a wet starter

Starter did not get wet, like I said when the floor / carpet got soaked, it was not draining into the bilge very fast. The bilge was not overflowing. I just soaked the floor / carpet and did not want a foul odor or accelerate rotting.

I shampoo'd and have 2 dehumdifiers and an ozone machine in there. Should be good and dry by tomorrow night.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Got my boat SOAKED today. What now.

I'm sure your boat will be fine and odor free, especially with the shampoo job.

My 1985 Bayliner was garage kept before I bought it. It too is in great shape and no rot. Garages have that affect on boats.

The carpet is worn, so I pulled it out in the fall, and will put a layer of glass mat and resin down on the ply. Not sure if it will be finished off with gel coat or marine vinyl, but it does need something.