Help! Water between hull and deck??

[shaddad]

I think I may have as much as 485 pounds of water between my hull and deck. Here are the specifics. I have an Alumacraft VB 1650 RSC. It is a modified V with a tunnel hull. I have an Evinrude E-tec 40hp jet on it. The motor is not providing enough power to get it on plane. I should be getting 20mph, but I am only getting 12-15 mph, depending on how many people are on board and what they weigh. I had it weighed at a certified weigh station: 2,460 pounds. After subtracting the motor (260#), trailer (423#), spare tire (43#), trolling motor (40#), 3 batteries (170#), 9 gal gas and gas cans (90#), 4 boat seats (48#), anchor (15#), 2 tackle bags (31#), and contents of storage compartments (135#), I get a total of 1,205#. According to the specs on the Alumacraft website, this boat should weigh 720#. Thus, I have an unaccounted for extra weight of 485#!!!

So, my questions are: 1) What is included in boat weight of 720#? Side console? Storage compartment under seats? Seats? Sponsons? 2) How much is the extra weight for the high 27” transom? 3) Is there foam under the deck? What kind? 2-part poured in? Sprayed in? Foam sheets? Is there foam in the strakes? 4) This boat was partially flooded when I launched without putting in the plugs. Is there provision for water to flow out from between the deck and the hull or will it get trapped there? 5) How do I determine if there is water between the deck and the hull? If so, how would I remove it? 6) How would I take up the deck?

I spoke to Alumacraft Customer Service on July 26 and layed out the problem. The following day I got the following email: Good Afternoon: It was nice to speak with yesterday. I have reached out to Tech Support regarding what we discussed. Once I have more information, I will follow back up. Thanks – Krystl, Alumacraft Customer Service. She never got back to me!

I have been trying to get back in touch with Alumacraft all month about this issue. Their customer service number (844-345-4277) is “disconnected or out-of-service”. They are not answering their main phone number (507-931-1050). They have not returned my email nor has BRP (their parent company) returned my email.

I know there is a lot of expertise among the posters on this board and I am looking for some suggestions of what I might do to resolve this issue. The motor has been checked out by a certified mechanic and he could find nothing wrong with it. Having a jet is of no use if I can't get it on plane.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

My suggestion is to join the Alumacraft owners facebook page, Alumacraft Boat Owners. Its a private group, but pretty large and they are pretty quick about admitting new members. I'm sure there are other members at that group who have the same boat as you and can share their thoughts.

If you partially flooded the boat, I wonder if the wood in the decking and framing also got saturated?

Jim