Rain Water Pools at Front of Bow floor while on the water

[zipper]

Ok, Not trying to whip a dead Mule but it is another water drainage issue with an 07 AR230. Last fall I posted about water visible in the ski locker drain and how high I had to jack up the trailer to drain it out. This is not about that now. It is about the boat sitting at the marina in the water. Water does get in under the bow cover gasket at the transition below the port side windshield. It then runs forward to the bow where the water will find level to the ski locker hatch. The depth is nearly 3/4" at the front of the bow floor and tapers to nothing at the ski locker well. Clearly the design is flawed and the water flows the wrong way and not out the scupper. Nothing heavy up front. Do the newer boats do this? There are a few ways to approach the problem. 1. Do not let any water get in the boat. Using the factory mooring/towing covers everything, the wife says no, we paid a lot of $$ for custom, so next option. 2. Install an automatic pump with suction tube in ski locker drain and just let the water accumulate there and pump it out. These 2 options are just accepting the design flaw and putting a bandaid on it. Bringing me to option 3. How much weight is needed via ballast bag on lower swim platform to change the cockpit draining to drain aft instead of forward. As my wife and I stepped onto the platform, totaling about 330#s we saw the water drain from the bow towards us. Thinking about adding ballast of 350-400# to correct deck drainage issue. This would only be used while docked at the wet slip and would help bilge water flow back to the pump to then be pumped out. The pictures are hard to see water levels but there is 3/4" forward of the carpet snaps, and the forward edge of the ski locker well is overflowing.

 

[Julian]

Option 4 - install a honking new stereo and tell your wife it needs 4 deep cycle batteries to power it....and install them in the back of the under seat storage area!

 

[zipper]

@Julian Im all set with stereo upgrades for a while, I will be adding another battery as soon as my Blue Sea 7655 add a battery kit plus comes from backorder, but still not enough weight to make the change in drainage.

 

[Scottintexas]

I'm not sure about how exactly how the water is entering or is running from the transition,
Could you put a bead of clear silicone to direct the flow to the outside?

 

[zipper]

@Scottintexas I am looking for a stick on low profile "weatherstripping" to place in front of the bow cover below the windshield to divert water runoff. But the issue of the deck water running away from the scupper is still a P.I.T.A.

 

[zipper]

@Scottintexas The leak is coming from the transition here, the gasket does not lay flat. The canvass shop added a snap there, but with how much/hard its rained around here its not 100% water tight. Had the water run the other way might not have even noticed the leak in the bow cover. Just odd that a deck does not self drain out the scupper until it reaches a certain un parallel level on the deck or drains into bilge thru loose seals. I did replace both my deck seals a month ago and re-adjusted the ski locker latch, but it still made its way thru.

 

[swatski]

I have never had a cover that would not leak at all (talking regular covers not wrap /tarping etc). So, I would think (weatherstripping notwithstanding) one needs to adjust a boat's attitude to promote drainage through the scupper (and into the bilge - from anything under the deck). It is big trouble otherwise - over time.

Now - @zipper - you made me wonder. I usually don't wet slip, but have had water pooling issues on land - I developed a habit of supporting the trailer jack with a cinder block and cranking it up all the way - or the water drains poorly.

Glad you posted, I will want to observe this now whenever I leave the boat in the water. Some kind of ballast in the stern may indeed by the most rational solution.

--

 

[zipper]

I have never had a cover that would not leak at all (talking regular covers not wrap /tarping etc). So, I would think (weatherstripping notwithstanding) one needs to adjust a boat's attitude to promote drainage through the scupper (and into the bilge - from anything under the deck). It is big trouble otherwise - over time.

Now - @zipper - you made me wonder. I usually don't wet slip, but have had water pooling issues on land - I developed a habit of supporting the trailer jack with a cinder block and cranking it up all the way - or the water drains poorly.

Glad you posted, I will want to observe this now whenever I leave the boat in the water. Some kind of ballast in the stern may indeed by the most rational solution.

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Thanks, I am glad you posted, enjoy hearing from you. I do dislike starting a thread that negatively reflects on the boat that we love, and I hate doing it just before the July 4th holiday and the Bimini trip, when everybody wants to be in the party/happy mindset, but I felt the need to inform folks of this drainage issue. I mean it is not a boat sinking issue if your hatch gaskets and bilge pump work. But there could be quite a lot of water on the bow and cockpit floors before the level reaches the scupper based on my observance and I do not like stepping into a boat with pooled water on the floor. I was wondering if Yamaha had corrected this issue in the newer hulls. Testing is easy and only involves a bucket of water poured on the bow floor to see which way it goes. Do this without people onboard or rear ballast, and as it would sit in a wet slip. I know 2 adults or 1 bigger adult approx. 350lbs boarding from the swim platform change the deck angle enough for the water to come aft to the scupper. I do not have any big friends that are willing to stand there on the swim platform when its raining, which it has done a lot lately, so I will be looking up some of your ballast bag/pump installs on the swim platform only. The decks of boats are supposed to get wet...its where the water goes that is important. I would have never noticed the issue, except for the leak in the cover. I might put a 4' level on the deck at the marina just to see what the potential water level would be between the scupper and bow. If you act on your "wonder" and test, please keep me posted. Sorry for the ramble, it raining out again.

 

[Bill D]

I couldn't agree more. It's important that all owners understand how our boats work.

Our decks have an absolute to self bail. All water doesn't make it out the scupper. (Without owner modification to make it so.)

An idle boat, in the water or on the trailer, will allow water to collect in the bilge forward of the bilge pump and transom drain plug.

The stock bilge pump setup will attempt to keep your engines out of the water but not completely Darin your boat.

As owners we have a responsibility to understand our machines and use them accordingly.

 

[Chillypilot]

You could install a drain in the bow to allow the water into the bilge.

 

[zipper]

@Chillypilot Thanks, but I am trying to keep as much water out of the bilge as possible, that is why I just replaced both the ski locker and fuel hatch seals last month. The cockpit deck should pitch back to the scupper and not forward. The deck design with "gutters" around the hatches leading to the scupper is good. But I think there was a miscalculation on the centroid or center of gravity of the boat. It sits bow heavy in the water and even the bilge water below runs forward to the ski locker drain and not to the bilge pump until enough weight is on the stern. I am trying to find a solution and the ballast bag on the swim platform while at the slip seams the easiest way. I do not want to run at speed with that weight so I would fill/empty the bag as I am covering up/opening up the boat. This is only when the boat is at rest, once you are in motion, fast enough, the water runs aft to the pump and scupper. I just dislike unseen water in the bilge with all the Balsa wood rot issues posted on this forum.

 

[Chillypilot]

Your absolutely right the boat does sit nose down in the water when at rest. I have the same boat and the same problem as you. I've just come to accept it as is. When I leave my boat I just pull up the bow carpet so it doesn't get wet. When I use the boat I soak up the cup of water that's there with a rag and go. My friends boat (Nautique) has the same problem but his boat has small drain in the bow. I don't think I'd worry too much about a little water in the bilge. All boats leak a little and if you wet slip there's always going to be a little water in the bilge.

 

[zipper]

My bow area carpet was also wet, and decided to pull it for a while. It soaked up most of the water that pooled there, and disguised the issue. Then I pulled it to dry it out and forgot to put it back in. I was pretty amazed at how much water was there, a lot more than a cup, the reason it was not any deeper in the bow area is because the ski locker latch was not adjusted tightly to the new seal allowing water to drain into the locker and bilge. Had that seal held water it would have been deeper. I understand its a boat, it is supposed to get wet. But water/moisture under a hot cover can grow mildew quickly. We have been living with it, but I will not accept how this boats deck will not self drain. I have to fix this for peace of mind while it sits in the water.

 

[zipper]

Ordered a Straight line Sumo Max 475 and a max flow pump, hopefully that will correct the problem.

 

[Matt Phillips]

Thats an interesting observation and one I never noticed on my 232...Although when I left it for a while, I always had the towing cover on it.

One question I have is how much fuel is in your boat when this happens? A full tank of fuel is about 300 pounds, and all of it located back behind the ski locker. MAYBE that would be enough weight to change tHe bow attitude while at rest? You may be able to test is using a level in that area.

 

[zipper]

@Matt Phillips I have not noticed much difference with the level of fuel, I usually keep the tank 3/4s to full rarely below 1/2 tank. Pour some water in the bow, forward of the ski locker and see where it goes. And I mean without people on board, because as soon as my wife and I step on the swim platform it flows back to the drain "gutters" around the hatches. It's become routine for us, My wife said to me today " are we going to stand on the platform and drain the water?" The Sumo max 475 Ballast bag is heavier than us and should fix the problem. I will try it first on the upper section, which is under the cover and out of sight. I get it...the water in the boat is a cover issue, but the lack of drainage to the scupper is a design issue.

 

[Matt Phillips]

Good points.

I have a 8.3 400lb bag that I used on the stern of my 232. It definitely gave it some sag. I liked that bag as it has a big old drain and can be drained in a few minutes.

One recommendation I would make though is put it on the upper-step as it may not stretch your cover. Additionally, throw a deck line around it a couple do items and tie it to your tow hook....just in case for some odd reason that 400+ pounds of weight decides to roll...you can insure it'll stay where you put it.

 

[zipper]

I do plan on putting on the upper deck, thanks for the other tips.

 

[zipper]

Update on the subject, I received the Sumo Max 475# ballast bag and pump yesterday. Did not expect it until Friday, that was quick getting here. We brought it down to the boat and installed it on the upper deck on the swim platform today. I filled it and tested the deck drainage with a bucket of water poured into the bow. Even with my weight forward in the boat pouring the bucket of water in the bow, the water immediately flowed aft to the gutters around the hatches and out the scupper. No pooling of water in the bow now, and it only takes 2 mins to fill/empty. It is successful in changing the deck pitch enough to drain the water properly. I did find that a full bag was too big to snap the cockpit cover over it, so I let out some water and ended up with about 400#'s back there. I wish I did not have to do this mod, but at least there will be no pooled water on the bow floor and no mildew on the rugs. Now moderate rain water in an uncovered stationary boat will drain out the scupper and not flow forward flooding the deck hatch seals, and leaking into the bilge.

 

[Bill D]

And now you're halfway to surfing!