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Stringer (weep) drain holes |
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gasman66 
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Joined: June-10-2011 Location: north carolina Status: Offline Points: 19 |
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 Topic: Stringer (weep) drain holesPosted: September-04-2011 at 3:12pm |
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I have an 89 sport with the engine out for a rebuild. While it is out I am cleaning up the bilge, wiring, etc. My question is that I can't find any drain holes for water to drain from the outboard side of the stringers. It is possible that they are located forward of the bilge pump by the ski locker, however I cant see or feel them. I just wanted to make sure that the factory did in fact put in drain holes. Thanks
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BuffaloBFN
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Joined: June-24-2007 Location: Gainesville,GA Status: Offline Points: 6094 |
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Posted: September-04-2011 at 5:04pm |
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In fact they didn't. The outboard compartments are supposed to be water tight.
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gasman66
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Posted: September-04-2011 at 5:22pm |
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Well then I guess here is the million dollar question. Should I make some and then of course seal the stringers with cloth or leave alone. The boat is 22 years old and even though I have not seen any signs of intrusion, their is no real way of checking. Thinking about installing some 8 inch inspection plates under the rear seat. If I find moisture back there then I would fabricate drain holes. Actually, If I put in inspection plates, than I would definitley put in drain holes just in case the plate ever fails, or is not tightened correctly etc. Any thoughts on this idea? Has anyone found water or had a problem with this water tight area?
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TX Foilhead
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Joined: February-01-2009 Location: Kingsland TX Status: Offline Points: 2076 |
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Posted: September-04-2011 at 6:22pm |
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There's a very good possibility the water is already there. Your ideas aren't bad, but wait until you have to redo the stringers. Once the foam is wet I don't know that you can get the water out of it so I wouldn't spend much effort on that. There's plenty of info about how to replace everything here, and to do it much better than it was originally.
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BuffaloBFN
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Joined: June-24-2007 Location: Gainesville,GA Status: Offline Points: 6094 |
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Posted: September-04-2011 at 6:57pm |
No way man! 
Sounds like you have some marine construction experience? Your boat is an 89 and so will have wooden stringers. That becomes the end problem. Assuming the keel is the longitudinal axis, the area outside of the mains has horizontal compartments; each filled with foam. To inspect you'd have to access each one and you'd also have to have a weep hole in each. Most get their best usage and redo the whole tamale. Make friends with the search feature and use the advanced option. Check the entire forum(not just the last 6 mos) for stringers, douglas fir, coosa board, rot, wet foam, epoxy, etc. I like to search for 'topics' rather than 'posts' so I can follow the story. Look for titles like 'another bfn rebuild' 'weeding the pumkin patch' and I'll add some more later if someone doesn't beat me to it. Authors include JoeinNY, TRBeng, Vondy, Keeganino, skibum...yall help me here. |
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gasman66
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Joined: June-10-2011 Location: north carolina Status: Offline Points: 19 |
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Posted: September-04-2011 at 8:01pm |
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Thanks for the valuable advice. I operate a marina in South Florida. We don't do any service or repairs, only fuel and dockage, but I have been doing this long enough to know a bit about boats. This is kind of like the situation with my old Whaler. I know some water is in there, but the solution is a PITA. Fortunately we have had this boat since new, was only used in the summers on a lake in NC and was always kept in a boat house when in the water and on a trailer in a heated garage during the winter months.
I have the carpet out now as well and all the tabbing is in tact and looks well sealed. I cleaned up the wiring a bit in the bilge and when I drilled into the stringers to fasten the wire ties (which are all sealed) the wood was all clean and dry. Hopefully the water intrusion, if any is minimal. I noticed that the bilge pump is on a fairly high platform and the float switch is quite high. That is fine, however after a day of watersports, there may be a good amount of water in the bilge. To help that out, I installed another pump and float switch under the fuel tank so that when I am running on plane the aft pump will take care of it. I am also a big fan of redundancy. If you guys can think of anything else to check while I have the motor out,I'd love to hear your feedback. Thanks! |
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kytom2
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Joined: July-25-2007 Location: Maysville Ky Status: Offline Points: 698 |
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Posted: September-04-2011 at 8:04pm |
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Putting in drain also gives water a way in to the foam. Plus even with the floor completed removed and wet foam exposed it really doesn't dry out. Once its wet its wet!
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BuffaloBFN
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Joined: June-24-2007 Location: Gainesville,GA Status: Offline Points: 6094 |
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Posted: September-04-2011 at 8:25pm |
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I think one of the biggest offenders on water intrusion is the 'seat' for the removable deck. Take a look there.
Bottom of the oil pan-rusted? About to rust through? Drain line installed? It's a great time to look over the stuff that busts nuckles when the engine is in. Motor mounts-are they turning freely? Wanna put in new isolators(rubber)? And it's a great time to find that mystery oil leak, etc. How about some pics. Damper plate? Tranny overhaul? Does your drive shaft turn slowly when in neutral? |
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gasman66
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Posted: September-05-2011 at 12:39am |
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I willl post some pics tonight or tomorrow am. I am waiting for my photobucket password to reset so I can downsize my pics to fit on the forum. Everything is really clean. Oil drain line is new, oil pan is fine, however is being stripped and repainted. Tranny is strong. Everything from the flywheel to the balancer is being machined and balanced. I am even treating the old girl to a few extra ponies via bigger valves, port matched wilson intake manifold, forged pistons, and a mild marine cam.
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gasman66
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Posted: September-05-2011 at 1:02am |
hope this comes out |
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gasman66
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Posted: September-05-2011 at 1:06am |
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gasman66
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Posted: September-05-2011 at 1:07am |
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gasman66
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Posted: September-05-2011 at 1:10am |
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http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/oo25/cspieker66/boat%20rebuild/IMG_0896.jpg
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aDrifter
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Posted: September-12-2011 at 1:38am |
My drive shaft does turn slowly when in neutral at idle. Is that a good thing or bad? I noticed it when adding a ring of packing and snugging it up...... |
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gasman66
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Posted: September-12-2011 at 1:45am |
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I believe that when your tranny turns in Neutral it means that it may be time for an overhaul. Someone else may chime in with more knowledge but your prop should not spin in neutral. Dangerous!
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OverMyHead
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Joined: March-14-2008 Location: MN Status: Offline Points: 4861 |
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Posted: September-12-2011 at 2:25am |
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Mine has some "ghost drive" in nuetral but only when cold,It has been doing it since I got the boat several years ago. I have been told that although it is not a good sign it does not mean immenat failure either. It can be easily stopped with a tennis shoe on the coupler. It has never pushed the boat in the water.
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For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats.
1987 Ski Nautique |
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BuffaloBFN
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Joined: June-24-2007 Location: Gainesville,GA Status: Offline Points: 6094 |
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Posted: September-12-2011 at 10:23am |
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That's called a dirty neutral and not a good sign. I'll let Eric explain it. Better yet, search 'dirty neutral' and you'll find 1 of his many archived explanations.
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politicallycorrect
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Joined: May-19-2011 Location: vermont Status: Offline Points: 239 |
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Posted: September-12-2011 at 10:34am |
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Skin grows back...fiberglass doesn't!!
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gasman66 wrote: