Ski locker water and winterization

[husbus]

I'm pretty sure I have one of the infamous leaks that makes my boat take on water. I'll have to troubleshoot that in the spring.

Today I winterized the boat at a marina "work rack", since I keep it in dry storage there. I noticed some water in the ski locker that wouldn't drain out. At first I thought the drain itself was plugged with something, so I blew some compressed air into it, but that didn't do anything but bubble the water. So I stuck my pinky in there to feel around and it appears to me that it drains directly into the hull, so it should just drain out the bilge drain, which was open. Nothing was coming out the back and the engine compartment (and the drain inside it) looked bone dry.

My conclusion would have to be that with the boat sitting on the rack, the ski locker is a lower point than the bilge drain, so water is running toward the bow instead of out the back. I emptied the locker and the void directly under the drain using a ShopVac. Can I be reasonably confident that I've removed all the water that could cause freezing damage? I suppose there could be more water further toward the bow?

 

[zipper]

Correct, the ski locker is above the deepest part of the hull. You will need to angle the bow up higher to get that water to drain aft. The storage rack will not let you do that, so a shop vac with a tube taped to the end of the hose that will fit into the drain is another option. I used this method on my 07 AR230, before I learned the ins and outs of these boats and jacking it up all the way, on a block of wood while on the trailer will drain all the water in the bilge. Water in ski locker drain It worked for me. If you are concerned about freezing temps in TN and any left over water freezing, then dump a little antifreeze in the drain.

 

[biffdotorg]

As much as I try to drain all water out of the hull and sponge out spaces that hold water, a person has to remind themselves of what water freeze damage is.

The worst of it happens with water in a space that has no room for expansion. Water sitting in a ski locker or hull will freeze and thaw with no real damage other than mildew and stink. Water in a ballast pump, line or bilge pump will expand and break plastic and metal.

So yes, get what you can, but worry more about the tight spaces where ice will actually damage anything.