Addressing an annoyance and help with another.

[Winerocks]

I’ve been addressing annoyances as they’ve come along. All have been just that; annoyances. One that I addressed this weekend was rattles in the tower. Our BRP power-plants vibrate as they rev, and sound like a hive of murder hornets. I love the sound. Unfortunately these vibrations carry through the boat. I had an annoying rattle on both sides of my boat around the base of the wake tower. There are cables that run into the tower from the base; speaker wires and a support cable. The support cable has a big weight at the bottom. This weight was swinging back and forth, banging against the hull and causing the annoying rattling. My solution was to wrap the cable in plastic, and the weight in a piece of foam noodle. The results were remarkable, no more noise. To access the weight and cable easily, you have to remove the side panel. Two Philips head screws and voila!


It was a tight squeeze and will never come off...until it comes off.
What I also came to realize was that the back panel of the side cushion is made of plywood. Scarab advertises “no structural wood”, but clearly uses it in non-structural areas. Pressure treated and definitely not marine-grade. What I found was wet and a there was a bit of mold. Water pools in the vinyl at the low points. Not a new problem in boats, but not something I expected in a 2015 boat. A right solution would be to cut out a small piece of the vinyl and sew in a piece of screen so that water can drain. I’m not afraid of doing this, but it will be a pain, and I’m willing to bet the vinyl is glued to the foam.


Any suggestions on how to deal with the water other than tearing it all apart?
Also, all the side cushions except the one at the bow are wood-backed FWI.
Appreciate the help.

 

[Dean P]

I’ve been addressing annoyances as they’ve come along. All have been just that; annoyances. One that I addressed this weekend was rattles in the tower. Our BRP power-plants vibrate as they rev, and sound like a hive of murder hornets. I love the sound. Unfortunately these vibrations carry through the boat. I had an annoying rattle on both sides of my boat around the base of the wake tower. There are cables that run into the tower from the base; speaker wires and a support cable. The support cable has a big weight at the bottom. This weight was swinging back and forth, banging against the hull and causing the annoying rattling. My solution was to wrap the cable in plastic, and the weight in a piece of foam noodle. The results were remarkable, no more noise. To access the weight and cable easily, you have to remove the side panel. Two Philips head screws and voila!
View attachment 129284
View attachment 129285
It was a tight squeeze and will never come off...until it comes off.
What I also came to realize was that the back panel of the side cushion is made of plywood. Scarab advertises “no structural wood”, but clearly uses it in non-structural areas. Pressure treated and definitely not marine-grade. What I found was wet and a there was a bit of mold. Water pools in the vinyl at the low points. Not a new problem in boats, but not something I expected in a 2015 boat. A right solution would be to cut out a small piece of the vinyl and sew in a piece of screen so that water can drain. I’m not afraid of doing this, but it will be a pain, and I’m willing to bet the vinyl is glued to the foam.
View attachment 129286
View attachment 129287
Any suggestions on how to deal with the water other than tearing it all apart?
Also, all the side cushions except the one at the bow are wood-backed FWI.
Appreciate the help.

That's a good find/catch/fix!

Overtime those staples will rust and let go. If planning on keeping the boat you may consider replacing the wood with marine whiteboard. This stuff is great and will never absorb water nor let you down. Food for thought...

 

[Winerocks]

I considered that option as well, and when the time comes to replace the wood, I will do it with whiteboard or a similar product. The problem of pooling water will still exist. Maybe a stainless grommet would allow drainage without being too difficult to install.

 

[Yellow Jacket]

What is the purpose of this weighted cable? I've noticed the rattling sound too, and I'm going to check it out. But mine is only on the port side. Nice fix, I'll definitely copy that if I find the same thing. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Babin Farms]

Drill some 1" holes in the plywood to let water out. It won't get it all out but it will help.

 

[Winerocks]

What is the purpose of this weighted cable? I've noticed the rattling sound too, and I'm going to check it out. But mine is only on the port side. Nice fix, I'll definitely copy that if I find the same thing. Thanks for sharing!

The weight is to keep the cable from rattling around LOL. It is only on the Port side. The Starboard side has a gas cylinder and speaker wires. The plugs on the speaker wires do the same thing on that side; just not as loud. I Gorilla taped those to the hull.