Help – Flooding Storage Compartment

[tperk100]

My '97 boat and its scuppers sit so low in the water that I have to plug my main storage compartment or else it will take on about 3 inches of water which does not drain out until on plane or trailer. The real problem is when it rains or I wash the boat, the compartment fills with water and does not drain unless I remove the plug........but then I got to remember to put it back in..... a PITA. I would like to fix this.

My scuppers are located on the bottom of the transom, under the water line (I suppose this is why the compartment floods). They are 1.5" ID. Pic attached. I have looked at numerous one way scupper valves, but cannot find anything that I think would work for me. It seems to me that a device such as these would have to mount almost flush with the bottom of the transom so that it will not hang down below the bottom of the hull.

I have tried unsuccessfully to simply improve the seal around the compartment hatch. Pic attached. Just can’t get it water tight. This might be the easiest fix if I could just figure out how to do it.

Another solution might be to install some sort of one way valve into or onto the compartment’s interior drain hole. Pic attached. This is 1.5” ID.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[tperk100]

Sorry.... Duplicate Post

 

[Sprig]

I’m thinking your boat probably sits lower in the water than it should due to the flotation foam in the hull being saturated thus the reason it doesn’t drain through the scuppers. You may have a lot of extra weight due to hull saturation. It’s a guess on my part but I would check that out.

 

[alldodge]

Looks like a live, maybe bait well to me, its should fill with water. Most come with a longer PVC pipe and rubber around the bottom.

Compartment fills with water, pipe goes in and keeps it full. Since you want it dry, place plug outside in the drain holes. This way water pressure will help push the plug in, when in the water

 

[tperk100]

Sprig,

How would I check for this?

 

[Sprig]

I may be way off base but some ways to check for water in the hull - have the boat and trailer weighed. You need to know the estimated dry weight of boat/motor/trailer. If the weight is 500lbs or more, a lot more you have a saturated hull. You can also look for soft spots in the floor and hull. You can tap the bottom of the hull and hear soft spots or saturation. Look for bubbles in the hull. How low the boat sits in the water can be an indication. If it’s heavy from water you may notice less response than you use to, slower to get up on plane, acceleration. You can use. A moisture meter but few people have those.

 

[Grub54891]

To me that looks more like a livewell for fish. After all it is a sportfish boat.

 

[mr 88]

Basically you have poorly designed drain system . The scupper's should be a few inches above the waterline , not on the bottom of the boat. How in the world does rain water enter that compartment with the gutters that appear to be well designed ? Makes no sense to me , sure it's not getting in there some other way. That should be almost water tight under normal conditions. Fridge door sealant tape and a recessed cam latch comes to mind. Not saying you do or don't have water in the hull but if it was bone dry it wouldn't make a difference with that setup. I bet that was a livewell at some time and that's why the through hulls are under water.

 

[tperk100]

Thanks guys,

I bought this boat 11 yrs. ago. It had this problem then and it has not changed.

Waterlogged? I sold my moisture meter when I retired from the home inspection business. I suppose it could be waterlogged, but unless I see signs of structural damage I’m going to pass on investigating this. I had three Ranger bass boats years ago. They shot out of the hole and ran like scalded chickens. This boat does the same. Top end is about 60 MPH.

I don’t think the compartment in question is / was a livewell. There is no pump nor standpipe. The water that the compartment will take on is only about 3 " deep.....MAYBE deep enough for some bait. The compartment runs all the way from one side of the boat to the other. This would be a lot of valuable waterfront real estate just to keep some bait. And OH...there IS another smaller bait well with pump and standpipe.

A poorly designed drain system? in a SCOUT Boat ?? Unless someone can convince me differently I wholeheartedly agree! I think but have not confirmed that the two underwater scupper / drains are for this compartment and the deck. Why would deck scuppers be underwater? Same reason as compartment scupper? Poor design or at least an unusual design? That's what I think.

So far sealant tape and recessed cam latch is the most appealing solution to me. Anyone have a better idea?

Thanks again

 

[Scott Danforth]

those plastic thru-hull are past their prime and there is no sealant under them. the one hole has a big gouge in the gel.