Help! My Boat Sank!

Well, it finally happened. I returned to my 85' SN after 2 weeks away to find that I couldn't read ski nautique on the side of my boat anymore.

It was more than half way submurged in the bay I keep it in. After doing a lot of bailing and then letting the bilge do the rest, I got it floating again and found that the packing gland on the drive shaft went. Enough so that the battery died after what must have been endless bilging

First the engine: Partially submerged up past the oil pan, fully above the transmission. Can they be cleaned/flushed out and used again or do I need to rebuild/replace?

The hull: I have to imagine that since there was about 6 inches of water sitting above the floor that all the foam under the floor is holding water and ruined. Is it a difficult procedure to cut out the floor and foam and replace? Should I be concerned about the stringers? I'm very handy, is this something I can do myself.

Also if anyone can recommend a repair facility on the east end of ong Island NY it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your help...

Salt water? do you have insurance? if you do see what they cover so the repairs get done properly, they should allow complete tear down of items and re-seal and possibly wire harnesses if affected, aint nothing worse than something that has been sank in the salt.
sorry to hear btw, dont be afraid to use your insurance..thats why you have it,
Eric

Take the valve covers off and pour kerosene down both sides of the engine, it will push the water out. Then chase it out with oil.

I'd do a pre-emptive strike on the starter - just get a new or rebuilt one if it is in the budget. Have the old one rebuilt by someone who does marine starters and keep it as a spare.

stang72 wrote: As far as finding out if the foam is soaked....you will need to remove the carpet and remove the floor( usually screwed in)...

Not in '85, I dont believe. That floor will be covered in fiberglass. The only way to check the foam would be to cut a hole.

No wood just glass over foam from motor back. The only wood is up at the seats in front so there is something to screw to. I reglassed my 83 and cant imagine that anything changed in a few years.

On the earlier 70's boats (both my 72's)they glassed over everything with a chopper gun , but added a plywood floor over the top of the glassed in floor that is screwed in...are you saying that carpet is put on directly over the glass on the 2001 nautiques???

99...glad the thing is running...that's good news!Checking the foam can wait a bit, until you have time! If you get her back in the water and it runs the same top end etc...the foam may not have soaked...when foam takes on water it can add up to several hunderd pounds...it would feel like you have a few heavy passangers aboard! Perfomance loss is noticable because of the weight!

My '77 mustang17 is carpet over fiberglass,no plywood.

Even though you changed the oil a few times, Tim's suggestion of kerosene might still make sense. Using kerosene or engine flush will cut the oil/water gooey stuff (nice technical term there) that might still be in the engine. Oil alone is not good at combining with and removing the water/oil residue.

I sank one of my boats and had a lot of water in the oil, took these steps and its been fine since.