Help I'm Sinking

[EMW73]

I have a 15' duracraft flat bottom boat. I think the boat sits to low in the water. I'm not a little guy 6'2 280 so I'm sure that doesn't help. I took the boat out today in the river and the river was flowing fast with the higher levels of water. However My first time out with this boat,I launched the boat then put the motor in reverse to get away from the dock and when I did water started coming over the back of the boat! I'm sure the faster water had something to do with it but was wondering if that's normal? Couple owners before me decked the boat and was thinking maybe they didn't compensate with added foam for the added weight. Is there anything I can do without ripping out all the decking and adding foam? Or is adding more flotation even the answer?. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Help I'm Sinking

I don't think foam will affect your problem. More foam won't change how much water the boat displaces. Foam will help if you capsize, but otherwise, it's just more weight in the boat. (Not much additional weight, but more weight nonetheless.)

 

[Maclin]

Re: Help I'm Sinking

What is the decking made out of? Was it original, or was perhaps more decking added than original? Just wondering if the decking is too heavy and already loading the boat past safe limits even before a pilot or passengers board.

The foam only helps if the water "sees" it. It will keep the hull afloat if it takes on so much water as to capsize or swamp.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Help I'm Sinking

it's not unusual to ship water over the stern in reverse against current, if you go too fast for those conditions.

first look at how the boat sits in the water with the motor and no one in it. That's where your answer lies.

If it's low, there's a weight issue. Look at what's inthe stern and move it forward--gas tank, anchor, etc. Do you have a battery? move it.

Is the motor too big?

You may need to move forward, too.

Or you could have waterlogged foam in the hull. Is it a sealed inner hull or a bilge?

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Help I'm Sinking

Depending on how old the boat is and how well it has been stored, it could have water saturation under the floor. Very common with older boats and even some newer one's. Have you inspected the floors, foam under floors? Moving weight around will help, but if you have water logged floors, that is what is most likely causing most of your weight issues. Got an pictures of the boat, outboard, everything?

 

[EMW73]

Re: Help I'm Sinking

I can never upload pictures on these forums. I think it was a bad day to test out the boat on a fast moving river. Next nice day I get I'm going to take it out on a smaller inland lake. The boat seem to sit okay in the water without anyone in it. I'll let everyone know how the next outing go's!

Thanks

 

[NYBo]

Re: Help I'm Sinking

It's a combination of poor weight distribution and going in reverse. Is this a tiller-steered motor? You then have an awful lot of weight at the stern.

Adding foam will add weight and make the problem worse.