Ski locker is a mosquito breeder

[tabbibus]

Hey folks. I opened up the ski locker today and a swarm of mosquitoes murdered me. Looks like I have stagnant water. I hosed it down to clean it and I don't think the locker is draining. I removed the plug but it doesn't drain. What's the next step in troubleshooting?

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Not knowing your boat very well… I’d try a piece of line trimmer line and start feeding it down into the drain hole.. maybe there is a fitting down there and some junk has plugged it up?

 

[TimW451]

I assume your boat is level since it is not draining. The boat needs to be tilted back, like on plane or more for the water to flow to the back and out the drain plug or bilge pump.

 

[drewkaree]

Hey folks. I opened up the ski locker today and a swarm of mosquitoes murdered me. Looks like I have stagnant water. I hosed it down to clean it and I don't think the locker is draining. I removed the plug but it doesn't drain. What's the next step in troubleshooting?

I don't remember if your anchor locker is one of the models that drains/overflows into the ski locker. If so, that's where I'd start, changing out the drain fitting. I don't recall the year(s) that had that setup.

Plug in, or plug out, when it filled with water? If it was on the water, add it to your checklist to pull the plug and allow it to drain as much as possible. It'll NEVER drain fully thanks to the fitting, but so little should be left, that the heat should dry out most of it, leaving a line after evaporation. I have a big sponge that I use to get out tons of excess both in the ski locker, and the anchor locker. Your anchor locker will never drain fully either, but the mosquitoes can get out through the top openings around the nav lights.

If it was NOT on the water, and the leftover water was from you cleaning out the ski locker, you were likely level, and never had a chance for the water to drain. Dunno what your jack is, but if you've got the ARK, lift it as high as possible and put something underneath that wheel, and make sure it can't roll off. Chock the wheels (both sides, just in case it wants to hokey pokey to the free side), and raise that nose as high as possible. If you don't have an ARK, get a car jack and either build yourself a platform out of bricks, 2x4's, 4x4's, etc and use the jack to raise the nose as high as possible. Next time you're pulling it out at the ramp, plugs out, and linger a bit while everything drains. IIRC, you wet slip - if that's the case, get a battery powered pump if there's too much to sponge https://www.amazon.com/TeraPump-TRHA01-Battery-Operated-Transfer/dp/B00APU2X0K Remove as much as possible, then sponge out the remaining.

There should be a seal around the lip of your ski locker, albeit a shitty one that will allow some water in, no matter what. See where the gaps are and add/fix/replace. The trough around the outer edge of that seal is supposed to direct everything away from the inside of the ski locker, and out to the deck drain, leading to your scupper, but it's nowhere near as efficient as it needs to be, hence the added seal.

There really is only 3 ways for water to get into your ski locker (4, if you consider wetsuits, skis, boards, etc). Anchor locker overflow, drain plug allowing water in due a bad or non-existent seal under the fitting, and over the top and around the seal due to rain or washing down the deck. Gotta determine how it got in there first, and see what's most likely. If the drain plug has a bad seal or no sealant at all, that never drains fast enough. That drain plug dumps directly into the bilge, and it's large enough that if it is plugged, you should be able to visually see the impediment without much effort, other than getting down in there to eyeball it.

Hope that helps you track down the culprit.

 

[tabbibus]

I don't remember if your anchor locker is one of the models that drains/overflows into the ski locker. If so, that's where I'd start, changing out the drain fitting. I don't recall the year(s) that had that setup.

Plug in, or plug out, when it filled with water? If it was on the water, add it to your checklist to pull the plug and allow it to drain as much as possible. It'll NEVER drain fully thanks to the fitting, but so little should be left, that the heat should dry out most of it, leaving a line after evaporation. I have a big sponge that I use to get out tons of excess both in the ski locker, and the anchor locker. Your anchor locker will never drain fully either, but the mosquitoes can get out through the top openings around the nav lights.

If it was NOT on the water, and the leftover water was from you cleaning out the ski locker, you were likely level, and never had a chance for the water to drain. Dunno what your jack is, but if you've got the ARK, lift it as high as possible and put something underneath that wheel, and make sure it can't roll off. Chock the wheels (both sides, just in case it wants to hokey pokey to the free side), and raise that nose as high as possible. If you don't have an ARK, get a car jack and either build yourself a platform out of bricks, 2x4's, 4x4's, etc and use the jack to raise the nose as high as possible. Next time you're pulling it out at the ramp, plugs out, and linger a bit while everything drains. IIRC, you wet slip - if that's the case, get a battery powered pump if there's too much to sponge https://www.amazon.com/TeraPump-TRHA01-Battery-Operated-Transfer/dp/B00APU2X0K Remove as much as possible, then sponge out the remaining.

There should be a seal around the lip of your ski locker, albeit a shitty one that will allow some water in, no matter what. See where the gaps are and add/fix/replace. The trough around the outer edge of that seal is supposed to direct everything away from the inside of the ski locker, and out to the deck drain, leading to your scupper, but it's nowhere near as efficient as it needs to be, hence the added seal.

There really is only 3 ways for water to get into your ski locker (4, if you consider wetsuits, skis, boards, etc). Anchor locker overflow, drain plug allowing water in due a bad or non-existent seal under the fitting, and over the top and around the seal due to rain or washing down the deck. Gotta determine how it got in there first, and see what's most likely. If the drain plug has a bad seal or no sealant at all, that never drains fast enough. That drain plug dumps directly into the bilge, and it's large enough that if it is plugged, you should be able to visually see the impediment without much effort, other than getting down in there to eyeball it.

Hope that helps you track down the culprit.

Thanks brother. My anchor locker is usually dry. I think that's old water. I'll get the pump and keep an eye on it. But I would expect when on the way that water should drain. I don't thing it is. Makes me think that drain is clogged

 

[fireflymedic]

If I extended my front jack all the way up water would usually start flowing out. Not sure from were but I always did this at end of day. Also always tried to wash it on a hill with bow on high side so deck water would flow out better.

 

[drewkaree]

How much water would you say is in the ski locker? My drain had no sealant, and actually allowed bilge water into the ski locker, and then drained slower than molasses to boot. Leaving the plug in, after sealing and a new fitting, and I'm only left with whatever comes in from the topside.

The plug parts would be the only thing else slowing drainage. I clipped the "tail" off before I could get a new fitting, and that helped slightly with drainage.

 

[tabbibus]

So I went today and used that electric pump. Took about 5 gallons out. All this while on the lift that is slightly bow up. Still had a small puddle left so I went out and cruised under plane so as to have my bow as high as possible. Most of the water would drain away. Then whenever I would slow down and the boat would settle back down, water would backflow up the ski locker drain and fill up again the locker. Ugh. This is frustrating. I may have to pull the cabin floor and look closely at that drain hose. what a pain in the butt

 

[Julian]

So I went today and used that electric pump. Took about 5 gallons out. All this while on the lift that is slightly bow up. Still had a small puddle left so I went out and cruised under plane so as to have my bow as high as possible. Most of the water would drain away. Then whenever I would slow down and the boat would settle back down, water would backflow up the ski locker drain and fill up again the locker. Ugh. This is frustrating. I may have to pull the cabin floor and look closely at that drain hose. what a pain in the butt

Is your bilge pump working? Just fixed another members bilge pump last week....was clogged and jammed.

 

[tabbibus]

Is your bilge pump working? Just fixed another members bilge pump last week....was clogged and jammed.

It didn't occur to me to check. I'll do that next time.

 

[drewkaree]

So I went today and used that electric pump. Took about 5 gallons out. All this while on the lift that is slightly bow up. Still had a small puddle left so I went out and cruised under plane so as to have my bow as high as possible. Most of the water would drain away. Then whenever I would slow down and the boat would settle back down, water would backflow up the ski locker drain and fill up again the locker. Ugh. This is frustrating. I may have to pull the cabin floor and look closely at that drain hose. what a pain in the butt

I dunno if you'll get the water out without putting it on the trailer, without a second bilge. If you're getting water in at any of the famous places (or some new and improved places too), it's just getting back down into the bilge, gathering up, and then coming out the lowest hole in your boat - the ski locker.

I wish I knew your boat better, as the drain hose for the deck on my boat is too high, IMO, for backflow to be filling the ski locker without a huge and noticeable amount of water coming back in from a bad scupper, especially since I no longer have the plastic scupper.

 

[tabbibus]

I dunno if you'll get the water out without putting it on the trailer, without a second bilge. If you're getting water in at any of the famous places (or some new and improved places too), it's just getting back down into the bilge, gathering up, and then coming out the lowest hole in your boat - the ski locker.

I wish I knew your boat better, as the drain hose for the deck on my boat is too high, IMO, for backflow to be filling the ski locker without a huge and noticeable amount of water coming back in from a bad scupper, especially since I no longer have the plastic scupper.

darn. do I need to worry about the scupper? It seemed in good shape.

My anchor locker is always dry. Seems to me that water is simply coming from the ski locker drain hole as back flow. Not from the locker or from above. I'll check the bilge to see if I'm accumulating water. I will also try and find the path of the drain hose. I may just put the plug on the ski locker and call it a day. But I worry to have water sitting somewhere downstream lol.

 

[Ronnie]

Sounds like you have a lot of water in the bilge. Don’t forget to pull the other plug(s) in the engine compartment. I noticed that a lot of water would build up in the area under the bow in my boat which doesn’t drain into the rear bilge and out the main drain unless the boat is on a relatively steep incline. The next time you trailer your boat pull all the plugs and if possible park on a hill or steep driveway for a few minutes to get all of the water out of the v in the hill at the bow. This should at least keep water from backing up the floor locker drain and back into the locker.

also check your cooling water hoses and connections, if the hoses detach at the hill fitting the cooling water would be flowing freely into the compartment and eventually the bilge.

 

[tabbibus]

Ok. More data.

Went out today and decided to look at some variables. Here what I found

- on the lift, with a slight bow lift resting stance, there was some water backflow into the ski locker from the drain. Bilge was nice and dry. And no water coming from the plugs in the engine hatch



- scupper valve area looks dry as well.


- Cruising with the bow up makes all the water go away from the ski locker but it won't see much in the engine compartment. Where is it going?

- I plugged the ski locker while dry. Then I came to a stop. Normally all the water would just backflow up. Only a bit seeped out. The bilge now has just a bit of water in it. Doesn't look like enough to activate it. I turned it on and no water came out.



So where is all the water hiding?

My next steps
- open up the panel in the cockpit and look at hoses there.
- jack it up on the trailer and open the outer plug.
- pray to the water gods

 

[Julian]

Again....have you confirmed the bilge pump is actually working? You've cleared the screen on it, and put it in water to see it pump? On plane all the water , or most of it, should be pumped out.

 

[tabbibus]

Again....have you confirmed the bilge pump is actually working? You've cleared the screen on it, and put it in water to see it pump? On plane all the water , or most of it, should be pumped out.

I have not Julian, thanks. I just didn't have time today. Next time I go out there I will put a hose there and fill 'er up. See what happens. Can you walk me through how to clear the screen? That sucker is wayyy down there haha.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I have not Julian, thanks. I just didn't have time today. Next time I go out there I will put a hose there and fill 'er up. See what happens. Can you walk me through how to clear the screen? That sucker is wayyy down there haha.

There are two spots on the sides of the pump housing where the tabs from the screen go up into the pump housing to hold the pump onto the screen, the screen is screwed into the hull and thus mounts the bilge pump to the hull.

Place your hand over the to of the pump with your fingers on the sides of the pump, locate the tabs and push them in fully, rock the pump back and forth gently and the pump should lift free of the screen.

Once you are done, gently push the pump back down over the tabs and you should hear them click into position. Gently pull / rock the pump to assure the tabs are holding it.

I think there may, not sure on this, be a place to push on the side of the pump to see if it works. It will be a small circle and state push to test.

With the engine bay open try the manual bilge switch to see if it runs.

Suggestion; While you‘ve got everything opened up you might want to give your bikge a thorough cleaning and remove all that small debris which could lead to a clogging of the bilge pump screen or lock the rotor and or foul the bilge pump float / sensor. Might be a good idea to remove the bilge pump hose and electrical connection and clean flush the bilge pump then test it in a plastic container.

 

[drewkaree]

My next steps

- jack it up on the trailer and open the outer plug.

After checking the bilge pump like @Julian recommended, if that's working, this should be your very next step. Leave the drain plug IN, at first, just to try to verify how much water you have in there. If you have a car jack, put it under a cross member and raise the trailer 5-6" and put something under the trailer jack wheel. Lower it down onto that. Open the cleanout tray inspection hatch, block the rear tires front and back so it won't roll, and stick a light into the bilge through that hatch. Have the wife or a friend start raising the front end of the boat, at least half as high as the jack will go. You most likely will see a fair bit of water flowing back into the keel area where your drain plug will be. Open the plug to let it out, and keep raising the front end of the boat as high as the jack will allow you to go. You'll be surprised at the angle compared to how it looks on your lift, and you'll see why you really aren't able to get it all out on the lift without that angle.

Ok. More data.

Went out today and decided to look at some variables. Here what I found

- on the lift, with a slight bow lift resting stance, there was some water backflow into the ski locker from the drain. Bilge was nice and dry. And no water coming from the plugs in the engine hatch

---------------------------

- Cruising with the bow up makes all the water go away from the ski locker but it won't see much in the engine compartment. Where is it going?

So you still have some water in there, although not enough to trip the bilge (if working properly and not clogged). Sounds like the 5 gallon range, could be more, could be less.

It's just staying in the very bottom of the boat, your true bilge. If you can get someone else to kneel on the lower swim deck with you, pulling the cleanout hatch might let you see the water draining back to the plug - still not all of it, since you're not on plane, but at least you should see some flowing back. You may have some water flowing in from other places. When you are testing out the bilge, run the hose over your anchor locker drain. Not directly into it, but just slightly offset from the center, so it's filling it up, but not shooting it into the locker. If there's any issue with that drain fitting, you should eventually see water coming out of the drain plug in the back, as the problem with a bad drain leads to water slowly dumping into the bilge. It'll take forever to fill it to drain out the plug though, so have the wife either holding the hose so you can look to see if there's a gap inside the anchor locker, or if you trust her eyes, have her look. Flashlight in there will help.

- scupper valve area looks dry as well.

- I plugged the ski locker while dry. Then I came to a stop. Normally all the water would just backflow up. Only a bit seeped out. The bilge now has just a bit of water in it. Doesn't look like enough to activate it. I turned it on and no water came out.

So where is all the water hiding?

Someone dropped an inspection camera in the ski locker plug to look around, there's something akin to a baffle with the supports or whatever they have in there that will slow the water flow somewhat. All that water just flows around freely in the true bilge. It sounds like you don't have much, so you just have to track down how it's getting in. Got a GoPro?

Stick a little cork or rubber plug in the cleanout tray drain - shouldn't be more than $3-5. Set up your GoPro in the cleanout tray area, and if you have a ton of water coming up the cleanout tubes, get a rebuild kit, seal your cleanout tray, and either keep the cork/plug for that fitting, or install a check valve (complete removal is an option, but you have some more decisions to make with that).

While you're poking around under the cleanout tray, take a look at the inner "tub" of your boat - the engine compartment should be easy to recognize, and you'll see just how much space there is between the bottom of that, and the true bottom of your boat. That should explain why you can't really get all the water out without the proper geometry to get all the water to the drain plug.

Dunno if this shot will give a good idea, but look at the bow, seems like it's elevated. Then look at the keel. Seems like it's even with the rear, or even slightly lower while on the trailer, right in the area where the ski locker would be. When I take off like this, with the plug open, I get a ton of water still coming out, even after letting my boat drain on the launch, while at an angle. As long as there's water getting in somewhere, without pulling it and REALLY jacking it up, you'll have some in there from the last time, the time before, etc etc.