170 SUPER SPORT Collects Rain Water

[SargentSteeler]

I have 2017 SuperSport 170 with Mercury 90hp. Love this boat and enjoy being a fellow member of Whaler family. Purchased boat this summer season, bought custom-made sunbrella-cover when I purchased the boat from Marina. Boat is kept in-water at private dock on freshwater lake in midwest with cover on when not in use. Stern section of cover goes over engine, but flaps can allow rain to fall into the boat. We've had fairly rainy summer season.

One problem has been annoyance all season- rainwater collecting in boat and pooling at stern during and after rains. After first occurrence, I purchased a hand bilge pump which, unfortunately, needed to be used almost every time we used the boat. Amounts of rain water in stern ranged from a inch-or-two up to 10 inches!

This is first sealed hull boat for me. Growing up my family owned fiberglass hulled sail and motorboats. All of those boats had bilge pumps to pump bilge clear of water whenever it collected. I love the sealed/foam-filled hull feature, but I'm not used to all the implications.

We already plan to upgrade the cover to limit rain access to interior of boat.

Seeking advice on following:
1) Have others experienced this problem?
2) If yes, what have you done to fix, limit, or prevent the problem?
3) Whether it is possible to install perhaps mount some sort of electric pump to empty any water that collects?
4) Brand recommendations, if any, on pumps or set-ups that work well.
5) Any watch-outs of pitfalls to avoid with any suggestions you provide.

Thanks in advance for advice and suggestions.

all the best,
SargentSteeler
2017 SuperSport 170 owner

[jimh]

Your question got me curious about what the owner's manual for a 2017 SUPER SPORT 170 has to say. On page 2-7 I found this surprising notice: "The bow locker and cockpit drain plugs must be in place when moored, underway[,] or occupied."

This advice is a departure from the traditional advice for a classic hull. For many classic hulls left unattended at a dock or mooring, it is possible to remove the drain plug from the cockpit sump, and there will be only a small rise of water in the sump, after which the water will stop. The boat can be left like that, any rain water collected by the open cockpit will drain to the sea.

Apparently (based on the advice in the owner's manual), the 170 SUPER SPORT is not designed for that type of self-bailing.

As a result, I suspect that the solution to collecting rainwater will be to install a sump pump in the stern of the cockpit--here I assume that is where the rain water tends to collect--and use an automatic sensing pump to pump the rainwater overboard. Of course, the risk of this sort of automatic pump is that the boat battery will be drained of charge by pumping out a lot of rainwater, and the battery won't have enough stored charge remaining to start the engine. The usual cure for that is to run the pump from a second, isolated battery. But now we are getting complicated.

I defer to Boston Whaler customer service for this problem. I recommend you call them to see what they suggest.

Also, it might be interesting to see just how much water will come aboard if you do pull the drain plug from the cockpit drain while the boat is in the water. Of course, try this at the dock were you can jump back into the boat and replace the plug if the water level becomes too high.

[Dutchman]

I'm surprised to hear there is no bilge pump in the 170 SS. I thought that the 170 SS is the same hull as the 170 Montauk and the 170 Montauk has a bilge pump with float as standard equipment but apparently not in the 170 SS. I recommend you get one.
My 2008 Montauk 150 has a float bilge pump with a 3 settings switch on the CC, Off-Auto-On. When not trailering and the boat is docked and left in the water (or while underway) I always use the Auto setting. When your battery is healthy I never had a problem with it draining due to the pump coming on once an hour or so for 30 sec while with good rain storms.
When I leave the plug out(forget) I will get 1" of water on the floor especially when I move my 250+lbs to the aft but never 10".
The OP might check how much water would enter without the drain, so the water could drain to sea and I assume it won't reach the console where he could switch on a pump when arriving and before stepping on board.

[Jefecinco]

You may find it easier to keep most rain water out of your 170 with a couple of mods to your cover. Remove the engine cover from the boat cover. Ensure the boat cover completely covers the rub rail around your 170. If your cover lacks vents add one toward the front and another toward the rear of the cover. You will probably find it difficult to cover the engine well but it should drain any water entering through it's drain. If the current engine cover cannot be adapted to an engine-only cover get another cover off the shelf.

I would add an automatic bilge pump to the boat. There are micro batteries that you can bring to the boat to jump start it if the battery is discharged too much to start the engine. The micro batteries are similar in size to a smart phone but pack enough power to start your 90 HP Mercury engine. Ensure the micro battery is fully charged before boarding your boat.

[SargentSteeler]

Countless appreciation to all replies and suggestions.
Especially like the suggestion to “get one” from Dutchman which I assume you mean a bilge pump. My wife got a chuckle when I took the suggestion to mean I should get a Montauk; especially since I have a powerful yearning for Mongauk 190! (--I laugh aloud--)

Also like the suggestions for calling Whaler, cover modifications, bilge pumps, and also micro batteries.

Truly appreciate the ideas. It is good to be in the Whaler family.

All the best
SargentSteeler
2017 SuperSport170 Owner

[Dutchman]

SargentSteeler you are right, if the Admiral will let you trade the 170 SS for 170 Montauk CC go for it or better get the 190 and all you problems are over and your desires fulfilled. (--I laugh aloud--)
Happy Boating