Good idea to drill holes in the bottom of my boat?

[RonRock]

Well the liner bottom actually.

My V25 has a shallow "pocket" that collects water. It is under the plywood divider panel that the seat back is snapped to. Other side of the panel is where the porta poti sits. So water collects there and if unnoticed, like over winter and spring, it will get to the plywood.

So is it a good idea to drill a hole or two in the pocket to let the water go into the bilge? Or is there a reason that this is not done? Seems to me the bilge would be where you would want the water to go. Same with the footwell under the table. Another place I would consider a hole or two.

 

[agprice22]

Could you put a wick in there to draw the water out? A piece of line led out of the pocket into a drier compartment will draw water into it, dry outside the pocket, and continue drawing water until the pocket is dry.

Or maybe a fan to help evaporate the water?

Probably no big deal to drill the holes, but if these are other ideas to solve the problem.

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[Benny17441]

A picture (s) speaks a thousand words and would help visualize the problem. The proper way to handle the problem is to locate the source of the leak that is allowing water to collect there and to correct it. The issue is that leaks travel and may cause damage along the way not only at the spot where the water collects. I would check portholes, hatches, deck fittings, hull joints, fresh water tank, plumbing, stanchion and pulpit bases etc. Being on a lake may make it more difficult as all the water is fresh and hard to differentiate between rain leaks and hull intrusion. Most boats trap water under the cabin sole and this water becomes foul and smelly and sometimes drilling holes in the sole lining all it does is to release the foul smells into the cabin. Opening up already existing drain holes into the bilge sometimes help flow by eliminating obstructions. My point is before you start drilling holes find and correct the source of the water that is accumulating in there.

 

[centerline]

that is a "clean out" pocket... the other one is forward just below the vberth bulkhead.... if something should spill, or when sweeping the floor, it is a relief to sweep the debris/sand into so it can be picked up later, but is out of the way at the moment.

drilling a hole in it goes against the reason that its there.... the designers could have just let the debris/garbage run thru a hole into the bilge, but in time this will create more problems than it will solve.

i would recommend finding the source of the leak and fixing the problem, rather than trying to treat a symptom of the problem. you and your boat will be much happier afterward...

but for a direct answer to your question, no it wont hurt anything to drill a hole in the liner unless you drill too deep and go thru the hull.
I cut a hole in the floor of the head area and installed an 8" snap in deck plate... this allows access to towel the area dry before storage and get to the depth transducer i mounted there....

 

[RonRock]

Thanks guys. I'll give it some serious thought before drilling.

Cheers,
Ron

 

[Doc_holiday]

All I could think of when I read the title of this thread was the three stooges episode where curly drills a hole in the bottom of the boat to let the water out.

 

[Curly]

A water letter outer! Lol

 

[SFS]

I nominate this for the "most intriguing thread title" award. No way I wasn't going to read it!

 

[Killyourguitar]

Well? Did you drill the holes? The suspense is killing me! D:

 

[timebandit]

I'm thinking that the reason it does not drain into the bilge is so that if something bad happens in the head it wont drain into the bilge.

 

[Freedom77]

UH UH!! Refer to all of the above. Getting a little water in odd places in inevitable. I cut a piece of foam to fit the space. This displaces most of the moisture build up and when it gets too funky I just cut another piece. You might also consider hanging a 200 watt(not LED) light bulb in the head area. Surprising how the warmth will dry up Xtra H20. Love the three stooges bit. Nyuk Nyuk...