Noob Question

[Nicktaxesaccount]

Hi everyone thanks in advance for any answers. First time boat owner this year. We bought a 21 Yamaha AR190. We are taking it with us on vacation in a week and it will be docked all week. My question is in regard to water drainage. My question is when it rains where does the water pool and how does it drain from the boat when it’s in the water? Similar thing I was wondering is if I clean it out with a hose while it’s trailered where does the water pool/drain? I appreciate any answers. Thanks!

 

[Crob83]

Hi everyone thanks in advance for any answers. First time boat owner this year. We bought a 21 Yamaha AR190. We are taking it with us on vacation in a week and it will be docked all week. My question is in regard to water drainage. My question is when it rains where does the water pool and how does it drain from the boat when it’s in the water? Similar thing I was wondering is if I clean it out with a hose while it’s trailered where does the water pool/drain? I appreciate any answers. Thanks!

The boat is self bailing and drains out thru the rear scupper valve below the swim deck. You have a drain in your anchor locker, ski storage area and engine compartment. They all lead to rear of boat to drain out. That's a whole another argument wether to leave them in or out while underway. To be honest I have left my boat in a few rain storms wet slipped and never had an issue. I also have never checked any of the drains to see if they are plugged or open....lol. Someone with more knowledge will chime in I'm sure. Once you get up on plane all the water should go to back of hull anyway to drain out if any is in there

 

[Ericd]

When on the trailer the water will drain out the rear bilge when you remove the plug. The carious compartments should also drain if their plugs are removed.

 

[Sonic Blue]

I was pondering the ski locker drain plugs the other day too. Those compartments drain into the bilge once you open that plug in the engine compartment. . I know there has been debate as to leaving them open or closed. I had an accumulation of water in my locker and drained it into my bilge. I’m sure it’s been said here before but I finally had the revelation that if you consider a hull breach from hitting something on the water…having that plug closed would prevent the boat from filling up completely with water and would likely prevent it from sinking to the bottom of the lake or ocean. I was always looking at in from the perspective of water flowing out of the boat… not water leaking into it…. So, i keep mine closed now, except to periodically drain anything that may have accumulated from rain or water sports.

 

[tdonoughue]

A couple of more items to consider on the issue of the ski locker drain plugs and pooling of rainwater/wash water...

On my boat, when it rains and I have no cover on, lots of water accumulates at the bow. When that fills to 2" or so, it overflows into both the self-bailing scupper AND the ski locker. In fact, I think I found that there is a gap in the gasket at the front of the ski locker and it fills up the ski locker pretty well (and then everything goes to the scupper out the back). If the plug is not pulled to the ski locker, none of that ski locker water makes it to the bilge.

Also consider that your boat cannot sink to the bottom. The hulls are filled with foam. You can flood your boat, and fill it up to the gunnels. But it will sit there with about 4" of the gunnels above the water and will not sink. Can't happen.

Also, also: If you have a gash in your boat and the ski locker plug is in, eventually, the space between the hulls will fill and then the water will enter the ski locker from the top and fill the ski locker. So having the ski locker plugged will not save your boat. But having the ski locker plugged will provide you time. First, it makes the space less in the hull for the water to fill up before reaching the stock bilge pump, so that gets started faster. Second, it will keep the boat more buoyant for longer (until the hull fills to the level of the top of the ski locker, the ski locker will hold the boat up).

From all of these considerations, I prefer to boat with my plugs in while underway. But when docked overnight, etc. or in the rain, washing, etc., I see the smarts in leaving them out to allow things to drain back to the bilge pumps.

 

[zipper]

A couple of more items to consider on the issue of the ski locker drain plugs and pooling of rainwater/wash water...

On my boat, when it rains and I have no cover on, lots of water accumulates at the bow. When that fills to 2" or so, it overflows into both the self-bailing scupper AND the ski locker. In fact, I think I found that there is a gap in the gasket at the front of the ski locker and it fills up the ski locker pretty well (and then everything goes to the scupper out the back). If the plug is not pulled to the ski locker, none of that ski locker water makes it to the bilge.

Also consider that your boat cannot sink to the bottom. The hulls are filled with foam. You can flood your boat, and fill it up to the gunnels. But it will sit there with about 4" of the gunnels above the water and will not sink. Can't happen.

Also, also: If you have a gash in your boat and the ski locker plug is in, eventually, the space between the hulls will fill and then the water will enter the ski locker from the top and fill the ski locker. So having the ski locker plugged will not save your boat. But having the ski locker plugged will provide you time. First, it makes the space less in the hull for the water to fill up before reaching the stock bilge pump, so that gets started faster. Second, it will keep the boat more buoyant for longer (until the hull fills to the level of the top of the ski locker, the ski locker will hold the boat up).

From all of these considerations, I prefer to boat with my plugs in while underway. But when docked overnight, etc. or in the rain, washing, etc., I see the smarts in leaving them out to allow things to drain back to the bilge pumps.

By the sound of what you ar saying, your deck is also pitched the wrong way and would benifit from some weight on the swim platform or jacking up the bow. Water should not pool in the bow and make its way into the ski locker past the seal. Rainwater should flow aft, both on the sole/floor and the gutter system around the ski locker hatch and fuel tank hatch flowing towards the scupper. It took me about 350# of water ballast on the swim platform to correct my issue with this. Using the ballast bag cured the problem and the ski locker stays dry. If you are on a trailer, jack the bow higher. For me the ballast bag worked while in a wet slip.

 

[tdonoughue]

@zipper , my boat does not do that on the trailer (then I have the bow high enough), but was surprised to find that the boat was that way 'naturally' on the water. I don't have a bunch of really heavy stuff in the bow lockers or anything, still have the batteries aft, etc. Yet my boat seems a bit bow heavy. The 350# is very helpful. Now wondering if I should be getting some of that lead ballast and putting it down in the bilge permanently...

Also consider that your boat cannot sink to the bottom.

On further consideration (assisted greatly by @zipper -- thank you!) this may not be universally true and I should probably have qualified it. Under normal circumstances, if you have the same year/model as mine and Yamaha QC was good that day and everything, your boat should not sink, but it may capsize or get completely swamped. Mine does have floatation (I have seen the foam between the hulls on mine between the gas tank compartment and the outer hull). But, if you are reading my statement to mean that you can go without a PFD because you will be fine with the boat--that would be wrong thinking that I do not and did not mean to encourage. Similarly, if you are tying anyone to a boat that is swamped that would also be a bad idea. PFD's are your best bet. If you have a line, hold onto it rather than tying it. If your boat does go under and Tim was wrong, we don't want you or crew dragged under by a boat.

Also, your boat, even if it floats when swamped or capsized, will not stay that way forever. Eventually the foam will get infiltrated and the boat may sink. The USCG standard for boats less than 20 feet is something like 14 hours.

I still think the best practice, therefore, in case of non-fire emergency is to instruct crew to stay with the boat, but not secured to it (and with their PFD's on). The boat is likely to still have some part above water and will be the most 'spottable'. It may also provide some additional refuge/floatation until help arrives.

 

[zipper]

@tdonoughue This is my fix, for draining the deck without water getting into the ski locker and then bilge. It all flows out the scupper.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/rain-water-pools-at-front-of-bow-floor-while-on-the-water.14264/