My boat flooded!!! Help!!

[mraz72]

Just got off the phone with the dealer again.

they found water in one motor's air fitter and oil so they want to replace the oil/air filter in both motors and obviously replace the scupper value + whatever labor. They don't think there is anything else beyond that that needs attention. if so I consider myself lucky!

As far as the stainless steel scupper value, is that a direct replacement? I would definitely get that if it is.

I was thinking of replacing the scupper valve every year or two, just add that to the list of things the dealer does. I think the added expense is worth the insurance of not having an issue like I just had, it could have been so much worse.

@Julian, I know we have the same boat, I would/will be working on a high water alarm. What if this happened in a different location, with no help. Not sure what would have happened. I know you guys have done the Bimini thing in the past, this seems like a weakpoint...

I hear what some others are saying, the scupper hole (diameter) doesn't seem to be large enough to flood the boat so quickly. The speed at which the boat was flooded ( I say boat, but really engine compartment) made me think the motor was somehow sucking water into the engine bay. I was thinking loose coolant hose or something.

I'll post more when I find out more and I'll post when I finally get the boat back in my slip and all is well.

What a mess.......

 

[mark_m]

Just got off the phone with the dealer again.

they found water in one motor's air fitter and oil so they want to replace the oil/air filter in both motors and obviously replace the scupper value + whatever labor. They don't think there is anything else beyond that that needs attention. if so I consider myself lucky!

As far as the stainless steel scupper value, is that a direct replacement? I would definitely get that if it is.

I was thinking of replacing the scupper valve every year or two, just add that to the list of things the dealer does. I think the added expense is worth the insurance of not having an issue like I just had, it could have been so much worse.

@Julian, I know we have the same boat, I would/will be working on a high water alarm. What if this happened in a different location, with no help. Not sure what would have happened. I know you guys have done the Bimini thing in the past, this seems like a weakpoint...

I hear what some others are saying, the scupper hole (diameter) doesn't seem to be large enough to flood the boat so quickly. The speed at which the boat was flooded ( I say boat, but really engine compartment) made me think the motor was somehow sucking water into the engine bay. I was thinking loose coolant hose or something.

I'll post more when I find out more and I'll post when I finally get the boat back in my slip and all is well.

What a mess.......

Michael,

The stainless steel scupper should be a direct replacement. For my boat, it's way down below the waterline 100% of the time, so I had to replace mine. Do it once and then you won't have to worry about it ever again.

Agree on the coolant hose... perhaps they slipped it on and forgot to tighten the hose clamps.

 

[mraz72]

Thanks Mark, I'll call the dealer and ask them their opinion. Is the scupper replacement something I could easily do in the driveway? I'm thinking of doing this yearly or every other year now.

 

[mark_m]

Thanks Mark, I'll call the dealer and ask them their opinion. Is the scupper replacement something I could easily do in the driveway? I'm thinking of doing this yearly or every other year now.

With your boat, you could do it in the driveway in a few hours. If you do it and you put in a stainless steel one, you will never need to do it again. The plastic one, I suspect, got broken if someone was working in the bilge area and put some kind of stress on the plastic backside of the scupper where the hose gets inserted that runs to your deck drain.

If they do replace it with a plastic one, you are probably good for 5 - 6 years.

 

[Julian]

Thanks Mark, I'll call the dealer and ask them their opinion. Is the scupper replacement something I could easily do in the driveway? I'm thinking of doing this yearly or every other year now.

Was your bilge pump running????

 

[Beachbummer]

My thoughts....

The motor that swallowed water either runs or it doesn't.

If it runs, it needs to be started right now. Once the water is removed by cranking the engine with no spark plugs, and oil is replaced, (may take several attempts) it should be started and run hard for at least an hour to dry it off, and make sure all moisture had left the places it should not be. It is imperative that this work happen right away to prevent rust and to ensure engine life is not diminished.

There is a small possibility a valve is bent and the engine won't run. If this is the case, repairs will be required.

 

[zipper]

Now, if it can happen on a 2016 with the scupper above the waterline...I bet owners of newer boats will be checking/changing scupper and bilge pump more often.

 

[mraz72]

@Julian my bildge pump was on! It was pushing water out as fast as possible but didn't keep up. In about 5 minutes the engine bay was 1/2+ filled with water, enough so that one engine stalled.

As far as the scupper above or below water, it looks to me like it should be below water as the scupper is right near the jets just below the swim platform.

I'll post a pic of the broken scupper when I get it.

 

[GTBRMC]

@Julian my bildge pump was on! It was pushing water out as fast as possible but didn't keep up. In about 5 minutes the engine bay was 1/2+ filled with water, enough so that one engine stalled.

As far as the scupper above or below water, it looks to me like it should be below water as the scupper is right near the jets just below the swim platform.

I'll post a pic of the broken scupper when I get it.

BTW, nice job getting the hobbled boat back on the trailer and out of the water. I am sure that was not fun. Your effort to do so may well have saved your vessel from a complete loss situation.

 

[tdonoughue]

@Julian my bilge pump was on! It was pushing water out as fast as possible but didn't keep up. In about 5 minutes the engine bay was 1/2+ filled with water, enough so that one engine stalled.

That much water that fast WITH the bilge running I am going to hazard a guess was more than just the scupper being cracked. The even with the scupper completely snapped off I don't think you would get that much water against the pump that quickly. I would still be looking at all of the hoses on the engine and when you get it back, have the engine compartment open when you first put it in and start it to see if something is spewing. I bet you had cooling water in there actively being pumped into the boat...

 

[mark_m]

That much water that fast WITH the bilge running I am going to hazard a guess was more than just the scupper being cracked. The even with the scupper completely snapped off I don't think you would get that much water against the pump that quickly. I would still be looking at all of the hoses on the engine and when you get it back, have the engine compartment open when you first put it in and start it to see if something is spewing. I bet you had cooling water in there actively being pumped into the boat...

When you get that thing back, I'd unscrew and pull out that clean out tray and look at each of the hoses and make sure all are double clamped with stainless steel clamps.

 

[Beachbummer]

Keep in mind the OEM pump is not very large. 500 GPH (ideal) is only 8 gallons per minute. any hole underwater can most certainly allow a LOT of water to pass through,

The missing defense here, that I'm saddened to always share after the fact, is an audible and visual bilge alarm that alerts as soon as the high water level is reached. If you pump normally clears the water past the alarm float in 20 seconds, and it's been a minute with no respite, you know things are looking dire and need to act right away.

With your very little advanced warning, you were already in a loosing position before you were alerted to the problem. That's a bad place to start defending the boat. It is my humble belief that these boats should have an audible bilge alarm standard, along with greater pumping power out of the factory.

If anything could have been done differently, again, easy to speak after the fact, but for the potential benefit of future readers...is to have shut down the engine before the water was ingested. It's one pain level to remove water from the engine, but if the ingestion occurs with the engine off, generally no lasting damage occurs if the water is removed quickly and correctly. If the water ingestion occurs while the engine is running, the consequences can be more severe with a bent valve or worse.

Best of Luck, hopefully it's running and the engine head is OK. Get it running!

 

[tdonoughue]

@Beachbummer , all points well-made. Don't disagree at all. I was just thinking the size of the scupper (allegedly cracked, so a 'crack', but even completely removed) is, what? a 1" hole or so? Not pumped, but certainly with water pressure behind it. Then you have the bilge with a 3/8" hole, actively pumped. Yes, the bilge loses. But in 5 min? That is a pretty short time period.

You may be completely right and it may just be the scupper. But, were it my boat, I would be checking for more. Worst case you don't find anything.

Totally agree on the alarm. I added a 2nd bilge pump, too (redundancy at least, double capacity at best). I should have put it in the lower bilge, which is the other thing I would say about the stock design: an alarm and relocating the pump down by the bilge plug so you didn't start pumping 40 gal of water behind...

 

[mraz72]

Thanks again for everyone suggestions, I feel much better about the situation, but I'll feel even better when I get running again.

I'll check the cleanout ports and hoses etc when i get the boat back.

Another interesting tidbit was after getting the boat on the trailer, I tried to pull the boat up with my truck so I can see what was going on and nothing, tires just spun!! The boat ramp is on a decline going in AND lots of gravel, so even with 4L with the rear locked, nothing! That water must have added A LOT of weight. After sitting there and letting the bilge work for a few, the boat got lighter and I was able to move a bit further. I then waited in that position for more water to be pumped/drained. After about 15 minutes the bilge and scupper drain cleared the water and I was able to tow to the dealer.

 

[djetok]

Thanks again for everyone suggestions, I feel much better about the situation, but I'll feel even better when I get running again.

I'll check the cleanout ports and hoses etc when i get the boat back.

Another interesting tidbit was after getting the boat on the trailer, I tried to pull the boat up with my truck so I can see what was going on and nothing, tires just spun!! The boat ramp is on a decline going in AND lots of gravel, so even with 4L with the rear locked, nothing! That water must have added A LOT of weight. After sitting there and letting the bilge work for a few, the boat got lighter and I was able to move a bit further. I then waited in that position for more water to be pumped/drained. After about 15 minutes the bilge and scupper drain cleared the water and I was able to tow to the dealer.

Water = 8lbs per gallon

 

[zipper]

The scupper opening and hose are 1.5", The mounting hole is 2" dia. Flow rate for a 1.5" hole is 35gpm in a gravity/low pressure situation and increases with pressure.

Edit: requiring a 2100gph bilge pump. This chart is for pvc pipe, close enough. Appologize for fuzzy copy.

 

[GTBRMC]

The scupper opening and hose are 1.5", The mounting hole is 2" dia. Flow rate for a 1.5" hole is 35gpm in a gravity/low pressure situation and increases with pressure.

Edit: requiring a 2100gph bilge pump.

Can anyone verify the 2016 240 series scupper level (below or above waterline)? This below-the-waterline scupper placement was the single major design flaw on the SX-230 that I really did not like, but I thought this was fixed on the 24 foot models that replaced the 23 foot line. Somebody please confirm or correct me.

If the scupper IS above the water line, how could a broken scupper suck in water at that rate for a boat idling at a dock in calm water?

 

[BigAbe75]

Can anyone verify the 2016 240 series scupper level (below or above waterline)? This below-the-waterline scupper placement was the single major design flaw on the SX-230 that I really did not like, but I thought this was fixed on the 24 foot models that replaced the 23 foot line. Somebody please confirm or correct me.

If the scupper IS above the water line, how could a broken scupper suck in water at that rate for a boat idling at a dock in calm water?

Just a side note... my neutral is WAY not really neutral. I always have reverse movement. I couldn’t leave the boat idling tied to a dock if I wanted to.

 

[zipper]

Just a side note... my neutral is WAY not really neutral. I always have reverse movement. I couldn’t leave the boat idling tied to a dock if I wanted to.

You can counter that movement aft by just tapping one throttle forward, try it, you can balance it out to pretty much absolute neutral.

 

[suke]

Just a side note... my neutral is WAY not really neutral. I always have reverse movement. I couldn’t leave the boat idling tied to a dock if I wanted to.

I'd check your reverse buckets then. My 2020 I can have idling all day long and not move anywhere. Old boat that thing regardless what I did with adjustments I couldn't find a true "neutral".