Drains, plugs and bilge

[miketke]

I should probably know this, but I'll admit I'm not 100% sure where and how everything drains out. Since getting a slip this year I haven't pulled the main drain plug on the back any yet. I got a float recently that will allow me to get around to the plug and pull it each weekend in the future.

Now to my question. Where does the water from the floor cooler and storage area go?? I was cleaning the boat on Sunday and using the water hose pretty heavy to spray down the floor cooler and floor storage locker. I always assumed that drained into the bilge. I kept cleaning and every time I walked toward the bow water kept bubbling back up the plugs in the floor. I sat around for about 10-15 min and nothing came out of the bilge. Finally I sat on the back swim deck, thinking maybe more weight in the back would get the water to the pump. After about another 5-10 minutes it kicked on and drained a little soapy water.

I screwed in the floor plugs to keep any nasty water from coming back in and I decided I was done for the day and didn't want to hose anything else down until I could pull the main drain plug. Pushed the buttons to get it on the lift and as soon as it got on the lift the bilge kicked on 2 more times! Second question, why did it not continue pumping until empty and why did it kick on 2 more times after on the lift?

Thanks for all the info I'm sure will be coming!!

 

[Julian]

Drainage in these boats is not great. When you stood on the back of the boat, you lowered the stern some, which allowed the bilge to pick up more water. On your lift, the bow is very likely raised even more than your standing on the stern did....thus more water.

 

[Julian]

And the deck drain goes to your scupper, pretty sure all other drains simply dump to the bilge. Although the edge drain in your ski locker MAY also go over board, but I'm not certain of that.

 

[Julian]

Also, one day I'll measure this, but the area between the bilge and the transom wall can probably hold quite a few gallons of water before it gets deep enough for the bilge to be able to draw any out. My guess (on my boat) is that it will hold 4-6 gallons at least before the bilge (with the boat pretty level) can pump any.

 

[Kevin M]

My ski locker drain goes to the bilge.

 

[miketke]

Interesting... I think I'm going to clean it in the future while it's on the list and the plug pulled so it (hopefully) all drains out. This first year at the slip has made launching and loading much easier, but comes with its own challenges.

 

[Julian]

All the ski locker drains go to the bilge for sure.....I'm not sure about the ski locker EDGE drain (which is in the lip of the groove around the lid). Pretty sure goes to the bilge too, but I seem to recall it exiting out the stern when I washed the boat once....which would make sense as the coast guard wants a self bailing deck, so putting drains in the ski locker edge and in the gas tank access door (on the 2003-06 models) would support the self bailing....

 

[txav8r]

Most of the internal plugged compartments drain into the bilge. But the bilge is very deceiving, it won't hold near the water you think it will. I used to think 5 to 10 gallons before the bilge pump would pick up the overage...now I think it is less than 2 gallons. It may be more on the newer 240 than on my older 230, but it isn't a significant increase. There just isn't very much room under the floor/engine tray, at least from the bottom of the compartments. So you won't see much in the way of accumulation without it moving forward and up. Like @Julian said, they don't drain well from a level position, the trailer won't raise it enough to get much drainage, and even on the ramp which is very inclined, I don't seem to get much. Sometimes you get what seems a flood, dry at other times. Not much rhyme or reason to it, but it is the way it is. Keep your compartments plugged and open when you wash or get water in them, then drain out the back transom drain plug. On the lift, well, your not able to do that every time I guess, but if you can, open and drain if anything is present. Enjoy that slip!

 

[bucks448]

All deck channels exit through the scupper, as long as your ski locker and gas tank seals are good. This is why you didn't get much from the bilge pump after a wash down on the water.