100% Dry?

[DSW]

I've got a 1997 2110, and when I bought it the seller fixed the aft bildge pump. They did a good job rewiring it and cleaning up the bildge so I thought I'd keep it clean too. After having the boat a while, looking carefully one day I saw a small drip of water leaking out of a crack next to the limber hole. Yikes.

I found a void in the putty/glass around the limber hole, and there is a small water leak from the fuel tank compartment into the aft bildge. Water is fresh, clean, no gas. I assume it came from the deck hatches above the fuel tank and is leaking around the outside of the limber hole pvc pipe. When I bought the boat I was aware it was damp in the fuel tank compartment and the first thing I did was replace the two deck inspection ports and now the tank compartment appears dry. Thanks to everyone's advice there is also a solar panel mini fan in one of the inspection ports.

Boat is on a trailer, nose up. I've opened every hatch and all the compartments are dry. There is a fan blowing out over the fuel tank inspection port. It's hard to reach but I opened up the crack in the bildge next to the limber hole with sandpaper and a scraper, and plan to epoxy it in with G-Flex.

Everything appears dry now, but for a little bit of water continuing to appear in the aft bildge. Once in the morning and at night one paper towel dries it up.

I've added a mini heater and dehumidifier (from amazon). The pictures make it look like a huge space, but it's just enough room to get your hand down there to work. I't been a couple of weeks and the leak is slowing down, and I figure when three days go by with no moisture and I'll epoxy it in.

Hopefully this dries it out for good. So far so good and she runs great when I've had her out. I'd prefer to keep this fuel tank a long time.

 

[Brent]

Keep in mind if the foam is soaked esp at the the bottom, it might not fully evaporate but constant outward air flow to the sky will help. If you have another cockpit deck hatch usually over the fuel and vent hoses, open it and add another fan.

 

[DSW]

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[DSW]

Hi,
To recap, bought a 1997 2110 and used it for a year. Knew the fuel tank compartment was damp, and replaced the three hatches over the tank and bilge. Dried it out from the top, and it appeared dry last year.

This year did not use the boat much and it's been in my driveway since May. Found a crack in the bilge next to the pvc pipe limber hole with clean water leaking from tank compartment to bilge. Got in there with sandpaper and a scraper and opened up the crack to let it drain. Bow up, covered with tarp, and taped exposed hatches. Put a mini heater and dehumidifier in bilge. Put Damprid in the fuel tank compartment in small cups, and kept the bilge hatch shut. Almost daily dried out bilge with paper towels and changed Damprid.

It's been drying out for four months. Almost dry now and appears dry to the touch. But if you jam a paper towel in the crack it comes out with a drop of water. That night or the next morning the same thing, so it's still slowly draining dampness from somewhere. It's never been completely dry.

Time to winterize the motor, get the plastic cover on, and put it in boat yard storage for the winter. I know it's impossible to know without cutting the deck open, but now I have decide if this is as dry as it gets and I should epoxy in the pvc limber hole pipe now, or let it sit unattended for the winter with maybe water filling up the bilge and do it in the spring. My gut feeling is this is as dry as it gets and do it now, and enjoy boating next year. Unless some's experience is that's a bad idea.

Thanks

 

[DSW]

Photo 1

 

[DSW]

Photo 2

 

[DSW]

PVC limber hole crack

 

[Brent]

Good job
On hot days. Move it to hot driveway and place fan under the hull and tank to help warm the foam around tank along with cock pit fans and trailer tilted back.

B2

 

[Brent]

Do you plan to keep fans going when covered?

 

[DSW]

Thanks for the replies. The boat yard is not near my house, so once I take it there they don't have power and I won't see it again until spring. Once it goes in storage, no fans.

 

[PKS1801]

Solar panel for fan?

 

[Brent]

Depending on your budget, there are solar attic fans with external solar panels

 

[DSW]

Hi all,
To recap about my damp fuel tank compartment and weeping limber hole.

Picked up the boat today and the bilge is dry to start the new summer. Last summer the boat had very limited trailer use. Actively dried the bilge compartment with a mini heater and mini dehumidifier, and carefully put Damprid in short deli containers on top of the fuel tank. New bilge hatch and new fuel tank inspection ports.

Put it in indoor winter storage in the fall with open inspection ports and a fan blowing out (but no heater, not allowed). Just picked it up and dry and ready for a little epoxy work to finish up. So after a 3 month start of drying out in my driveway sometime over the winter it finished drying out in storage. Last summer I could see the progress but it was still slightly damp when I put it away in the fall.

Thanks for the form, I learn all kinds of thinks to watch for and fix.

 

[Brent]

Solar panel for fan?

I used these
https://www.amazon.com/MARINE-SOLAR-POW ... 9866718443


Or Google or go to amazon
Boat Solar Powered Stainless Steel Ventilator II

But low cfm

There are other fans with detached solar panel to drive a bigger fan like a 10 in computer fan and locate panel better in the sun.

I use it when boat is not use. It keep the bilge dry and air circulating under cockpit



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