170 Montauk Drains

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brianbeech
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170 Montauk Drains

Postby brianbeech » Mon Nov 06, 2017 7:30 pm

I’m reading the [Boston Whaler 170 Montauk owner's] manual and looking at page 2-7. There are three threaded plugs: one for the anchor locker drain, and (it looks like) two for the engine splashwell drains. The only other holes in the stern of the boat are the livewell drain and the sump pump outlet.

We took the maiden voyage tonight and I noticed we were taking on quite a bit of water. As I turned on the bilge, it was removed in a minute or so,. This made me wonder what [drain] needed a plug. Could someone enlighten me? I clearly did something incorrectly.

jimh
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Re: 170 Montauk Drains

Postby jimh » Mon Nov 06, 2017 7:40 pm

Nota Bene: you can obtain a PDF of the owner's manual from the Boston Whaler website. For example, the owner's manual for a 2017 MONTAUK 170 can be obtained from

http://bostonwhaler.com.s3.amazonaws.co ... l-2017.pdf

On page 2-7 I see a diagram that shows the location of hull drains:

    ANCHOR LOCKER DRAIN
    BILGE SUMP DRAIN
    BILGE PUMP OUTLET
    LIVEWELL DRAIN (OPTION)
    MOTORWELL DRAIN (2)

170MontaukDrainLocations.jpg
Boston Whaler 170 MONTAUK Owner's Manual, Figure 2.7.1, DRAIN LOCATIONS
170MontaukDrainLocations.jpg (49.14 KiB) Viewed 10926 times


The only drain that would tend to allow water to flow into the cockpit is the bilge sump drain.

brianbeech
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Re: 170 Montauk Drains

Postby brianbeech » Mon Nov 06, 2017 7:42 pm

It is a 2014. I have the manual. Maybe due to the fact that I woke at 0300 to drive 11 hours, or the fact that I’m just not real smart has me wondering how I would’ve missed this.

brianbeech
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Re: 170 Montauk Drains

Postby brianbeech » Mon Nov 06, 2017 8:07 pm

Well, I just crawled around the boat and I do not see the bulge sump drains. I do see two thru hulls (I think) under the boat, but one has a cover over it that is ‘vented’ and is closer towards the centerline of the hull on the bottom. The other looks like a normal thru Hull (from what I could tell) and it was under the boat on the port side of the hill towards the stern.

I’m really confused at this point.

jimh
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Re: 170 Montauk Drains

Postby jimh » Mon Nov 06, 2017 10:07 pm

The hardware you call a "vent" is not a vent. It is a partial cover of the cockpit sump drain. It creates a Venturi effect and helps pull water out of the drain; it also protects the leading edge of the drain from very high speed water.

If the boat has the live well option, then there likely is another drain through the hull to the bottom.

brianbeech
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Re: 170 Montauk Drains

Postby brianbeech » Mon Nov 06, 2017 10:25 pm

Looks like you’re exactly correct Jim. I crawled under there and see the other thru-hull is threaded, like the anchor locker thru-hull, and it would fit an included plug perfectly.

Weird: there are four threaded drains and only three included plugs. Maybe there were two to be plugged and one extra. I’ll put the boat in the water tomorrow and test the one being plugged. I’m sure that’s it.

Never thought I’d have to reach a foot UNDER the boat to put a plug in. I figured any plugs would be on the transom. Guess I’m letting my ‘rookie’ show.

vze2gbs4
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Re: 170 Montauk Drains

Postby vze2gbs4 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:11 pm

While in the water a 170 Montauk needs only one plug. Toward the stern centerline under the removable grid mini-hatch there is sump area where all deck water will drain to be pumped out. Right next to sump pump there is a through-hull that will drain straight down the hull. Plug that hole when the boat is in the water and you are good to go.

Brian--you don't install the drain plug in a 170 Montauk from the outside like other bigger Whalers. That single plug is installed from the deck.

brianbeech
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Re: 170 Montauk Drains

Postby brianbeech » Tue Nov 07, 2017 7:13 am

I don’t see a removable grid due to having the livewell option.

I’m assuming I have access to where you’re mentioning?

jimh
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Re: 170 Montauk Drains

Postby jimh » Tue Nov 07, 2017 8:21 am

The owner's manual for the Boston Whaler 170 MONTAUK shows the arrangement of the LIVEWELL plumbing in a diagram titled Fig. 3.7.1.

170MontaukLiveWellPlumbing.jpg
From the Boston Whaler 170 MONTAUK Owner's Manual, page 3-7; live well option plumbing diagram
170MontaukLiveWellPlumbing.jpg (74.47 KiB) Viewed 10924 times


The livewell option covers over the usual grate that provides access to the cockpit sump. It looks like there is an opening on the starboard side that would allow access inside the housing of the livewell, and that may be the route to accessing the sump area.

The livewell through-hull has a seacock. This would close the drain and eliminate the need to use any sort of external plug inserted into the drain outlet on the hull bottom. Since there is no need for an external plug for the livewell water inlet, it seems reasonable that none would be provided.

Assuming the drain for the cockpit sump is partially covered on the hull bottom, then no plug could be inserted into it, and the drain would be closed by inserting a plug into the drain on the inboard end. Not having a 170 MONTAUK with the livewell option on hand to check, I have to assume that Boston Whaler would have provided some means of access to this area to insert the drain plug, even though it appears that the livewell housing has obstructed access. Boston Whaler has been designing boats for about 60 years, so it would be quite unusual for them to create a situation in which an important through-hull opening could not be accessed.

brianbeech
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Re: 170 Montauk Drains

Postby brianbeech » Tue Nov 07, 2017 10:33 am

Problem solved: there is an access panel on the port side of the livewell (I had to remove the port aft seat).

Once opened, I can see that there is the livewell and pump hooked to the thru-hull on the starboard side (with the flange and gate over it) and another thru-hull on the port side, a straight thru-hull). I'm guessing this would be my sump drain since it isn't on the starboard side under the chine.

Feeling under there, I can see that the bottom side (exterior of the boat) is threaded for the white plug(s) that were included and the interior is unthreaded. I'm assuming I could use a rubber plug for this and do it from the interior of the boat?.

Which is prefered?

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Dutchman
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Re: 170 Montauk Drains

Postby Dutchman » Tue Nov 07, 2017 11:37 am

Rubber plug like https://www.petersenproducts.com/v/images/lever-type-plug-1431175.jpg
or https://cloudfront.zoro.com/product/full/Z3H470fo5oy.JPG for the bilge drain and/or anchor locker. Only the bilge drain plug should be needed for dry running. The live-well drain should not let water into the boat ever as the top of it is above water level.
EJO
"Clumsy Cleat"look up what it means
50th edition 2008 Montauk 150, w/60HP Mercury Bigfoot

jimh
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Re: 170 Montauk Drains

Postby jimh » Wed Nov 08, 2017 4:33 pm

In the illustration labeled Fig 2.7.1 from the owner's manual for the 170 MONTAUK published by Boston Whaler (and reproduced above) that shows the location of through-hull fittings, there is a note that gives the following advice:

NOTICE--A standard 1-inch Snap-tite plug can be used to replace the drain plugs in your boat. It is recommended that you carry spare plugs to be used in the event the drain plugs issued with your boat become lost or damaged.


If you go to Google (or other search engines) and search on the terms standard 1-inch Snap-Tite plug, the results should give you many links to retailers and to illustrations of the typical 1-inch Snap-tite plug that is recommended.

I use the Moeller Turn-Tite Boat Bailer Plug (1-Inch, Brass), in preference to the Snap-Tite model; on my boat the sump drain plug is a bit awkward to reach (because there is a wrap-around upholstered stern seat that sits atop the drain area) and I have to install or remove the drain plug by feel--I cannot see it unless I go to the bother or removing the stern seat.

The Turn-Tite plugs are illustrated in an Amazon listing. See

https://www.amazon.com/Moeller-Turn-Tite-Bailer-1-Inch-Brass/dp/B000MT95NC/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_200_lp_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=5S159JG2EH0PZY7Y3H47

Boston Whaler does a very good job with their owner's manuals. The typical Boston Whaler owner's manual is well-written and well-illustrated, and it covers many facets of owing, operating, and caring for a Boston Whaler boat. A thorough reading of the owner's manual can convey a lot of good information.

Just to be explicit and clear: I cannot imagine any situation in which you would use an external hull plug on a through-hull drain opening that was part of the running surface of the hull. The only place you use a thread-in drain plug that is external to the hull would be on the transom. Areas of the hull that are part of the running surface of the hull should NOT have any sort of protrusions that would disrupt the smooth flow of water around them when the boat is underway at any sort of speed.