Bilge/drain question

[flydoc]

Found this quarter sized piece near the back of the bilge. It has 1/4 inch hole and plywood on the back and fits into the bilge portion of the drain. Do I glue it back in place and seal it?
From reading other posts in the past about drain plugs it seems that you should be able to plug it from the inside in case of emergency. Do most drains have such a tiny hole.

 

[Bryan 2530]

Probably there from the original installation or a repair. Don't glue it back in, chuck it. I would check to see if the plywood is getting wet, you may want to re-bed that garboard plug.

 

[Porkchunker]

Looks to me like the original owner put the plug in too tight, then broke the female portion loose from the transom when they tried to remove the plug.

If that is true, then the entire thing should be removed from the transom, and a new one installed after ensuring any exposed wood is dry and sealed.

BTW, when I was at the Parker Factory, I noticed that all of the 25' and 23' hulls that were in progress did not have wood around that plug. The wood was cut out in a little half-moon semi-circle, and the plug was screwed into the glass. If that is the case with this boat, then you simply have to fix any broken glass and enlarged screw holes with epoxy, and remount a new plug.

 

[rplas48]

looks like that plug was made by a hole saw from the original installation or from an installation else where on the boat. If the plywood is 1/2 inch or less it probable is not from the transom. In any event throw it away.

I'd be concerned with the drain fitting as it is obvious that a repair was made. The hole at the 2 o'clock position looks like it was drilled right through for one of the screws on the drain plug. Oversized and sloppy. Are the screws tight and is there some evidence of bedding compound on the flange? If the srews are loose chances are the plywood is wet and if so you need to remove the plug, dry out the wood and do some glass work.

Ray

 

[flydoc]

thanks for the replies. It looks like a repair was done and one may be needed. I'm not much of a DIY'er but I might give it a shot.

I'd hate to do this repair mid season. I barely get to use the boat as it is. I'll be using her 1 day every 10 days or so. I also don;t want to have transom problems. Might have to leave it to a pro.

Your responses have been helpful.
I'll post and image of the outer view of that drain if it helps any.

 

[flydoc]

Do I unscrew it then pry it out and allow it to dry. WHere can I learn about glass repair?

 

[Bryan 2530]

From the pictures I would say don't worry about it. There is no wood in that area of the transom. If you wanted you could unscrew it, gently pry it off assuming it was not installed with 5200. Then clean all the old caulk, wipe down with acetone and rebed the whole thing with a good quality marine caulk NOT SILICONE. If you do be sure to use a good amount on the exposed edges of the fibeglass to seal water intrusion there.

The next extreme would be to break out the epoxy but it doesn't sound like you are ready for that yet.

If the plug body comes off the hull easy the whole job should take less than and hour, the other option, GO FISHING. 8)

 

[rplas48]

Are the screws tight? If they are really tight or if you can tighten them then my guess is that the plywood is dry. If you can't then that is an indication of either the plywood deteriorating or the holes were drilled too big. Is there any indication of sealent on the outside flange where it seats against the hull? If the screws are tight and there is evidence of sealent then I think you are ok from out side the hull. Also take a sinker and tap arround the flange. A hollow type sound indicates delamination. Tap else where on the transom as a comparison.

Water can also get in from the bilge. On the inside probe that hole at the 2 o'clock position with an ice pick. Is it solid? Is all that white stuff rock hard or soft. If hard it is probable marine tex which is OK. If not then it is some kind of sealant that I am not too thrilled about. Looking at the pictures again it looks like an oversized hole was drilled for the drain plug and then excesive sealant used.

In short if the screws are really tight, signs of sealant on the outside, and no hollow sound then I think you are OK.

Ray
PS
I'd call Parker 252 728 5621 and ask if the transom plywood goes all the way to the bottom in the area of the drain plug. I think it does. The newer boats have an indented half circle or moon shape arround the drain plug, when viewed from the bilge, which I am told is all glass.

 

[Porkchunker]

...I'd call Parker 252 728 5621 and ask if the transom plywood goes all the way to the bottom in the area of the drain plug. I think it does. The newer boats have an indented half circle or moon shape arround the drain plug, when viewed from the bilge, which I am told is all glass.

See my post above...there is no wood around the drain plug...at least on the 25' and 23' hulls I saw being built at the Factory back in 2001.

Dave

 

[Bryan 2530]

If you can't then that is an indication of either the plywood deteriorating or the holes were drilled too big.

There is no plywood around that area. Look at the original picture through the plug, it is less than a 1/2 thick there. The pick below shows how Parker builds their transom. The half moon cut out around the drain hole ensures no water wicking in to the plywood core. Re-bed then go fishing.

 

[rplas48]

Dave, I think flydoc has an older 18 foot and from his pictures I don't think he has that half moon at the drain plug as your picture shows unless it is all covered up with that white stuff. I have the 2006 2120SC that has the half moon and fully agree with you that the area is glass on those boats with the half moon.

To be sure I'd still call Parker. It really looks like someone drilled an oversized hole and then used a lot of sealant ....sloppy.

Ray

 

[flydoc]

Apoke to the folks at Parker.
THey said they never used wood that far down on the transom.
Now I'm curious. I'll fish this weekend. And on a weekend that I can't get out I'll remove the Garboard drain.

Thanks for the advice.

You've all been very helpful!
:wink:

 

[Megabyte]

Just as a side note...

I'm always on the lookout for FOD or 'Forign Object Debris' in my bilge. Every now and then I will flush my bilge with soap and water to clean her, and to make sure the bilge pumps are working properly.

Even after 11 years, I still occasionally find little bits of debris either from the original construction, or from modifications over the years.

My biggest pet peeve is when I find the remains of nylon cable ties that were left to fall in the bilge, rather than be policed up as maintenance was performed.

Two years ago I found these stuck in my bilge pump after my dealer had performed some work below deck.

Needless to say the photographs of what they left behind were emailed to the dealer with a letter telling them how disappointed I was that they would allow this sort of thing.

Those pieces of nylon could contribute to the sinking of a boat, and the ones in that photo were already jammed in my bilge pump.
Luckilly, I pop my pumps off their mounts from time-to-time to check for this sort of thing.

Just today I found the clipped off end of a cable tie that was about 5" long that just happened to make its way aft to the garboard drain after who knows how long.

Flush your bilge from time to time and inspect everything closely. You'll be suprised at what can show up when you least expect it. :shock:

 

[rplas48]

Capt. Kevin....just curious as to what that brown / rust colored stain is in your picture. Earlier this year I noticed a similar color stain on both sides of the shelf that the bilge pumps are mounted on. Turned out there were piholes in the fiberglass. Ground them out and found the plywood was wet. Traced it back to the front (bow ) end of that shelf where there were some half inch voids in the fiberglass. Used a hole saw to make a few holes in that shelf and a hairdryer to dry everthing out and fiber glassed over everthing.

Even though that shelf is not structural it was disappointing to see sloppy work. That as well as some problems with the deck on an older Scout 202 sport fish was enough to convince me never ever let water have a chace to get into wood.

Ray

 

[Megabyte]

Hard to tell for sure. It could be laminate weepage, or it could just be dirt left behind by the dealers shop.

That photo was taken the day she came home from the dealers lot where she had been stored under shrinkwrap for the winter.
During that winter lay-up, that Airmar tilted element transducer was installed by the dealer which is why the bilge is coated in fiberglass dust.

Oh... and if you look carefully, the transducer is not installed properly.
The red arrow is supposed to point to the keel. They had it pointed at the bow.
I suggested that the installers need to learn their keel from their bow... :x

I found the nylon zip-ties while flushing the fiberglass dust and other cr@p from the bilge.
I let the shop know that I was not happy with the FOD left in the bilge. The shop is normally very good, so this experience wasn't normal. Still, they needed to be told of their error and to their credit, they did make it right.

 

[gw204]

Here's a little tip for those that have wood surrounding the bilge drain hole...

1. Remove any existing garboard fitting or brass sleeves.
2. Bore out the hole so it will accept a piece of PVC pipe. Bevel the edges of the hole as well.
3. Paint unthicked epoxy on to the exposed wood core and then insert the PVC.
4. Inject thickened epoxy to fill all voids around the PVC.
5. Once cured, sand flush.

6. Drill the drain mounting holes oversize and fill those with epoxy as well. Bore out the PVC (if necessary) to accept the garboard drain.

7. Once epoxy in mounting screw holes has cured, drill pilot holes and bed new drain in 5200.

 

[Megabyte]

Nice job Brian! 8)

 

[big_tuna]

Here's a little tip for those that have wood surrounding the bilge drain hole...

1. Remove any existing garboard fitting or brass sleeves.
2. Bore out the hole so it will accept a piece of PVC pipe. Bevel the edges of the hole as well.
3. Paint unthicked epoxy on to the exposed wood core and then insert the PVC.
4. Inject thickened epoxy to fill all voids around the PVC.
5. Once cured, sand flush.

6. Drill the drain mounting holes oversize and fill those with epoxy as well. Bore out the PVC (if necessary) to accept the garboard drain.

7. Once epoxy in mounting screw holes has cured, drill pilot holes and bed new drain in 5200.

Except you should have used bronze screws!