18 Outrage bow locker filled with water?? - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: The Whaler GAM or General Area
  18 Outrage bow locker filled with water??

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   18 Outrage bow locker filled with water??

PULLNIT posted 03-16-2002 07:03 PM ET (US)
I got to take a ride on my (new to me-first whaler)1988 18 Outrage.When we were anchored with the plug out of bow locker it fills about half way up with sea water.Is this normal?Where does this locker drain?
Thanks for the help John
maverick posted 03-16-2002 07:32 PM ET (US)
Plug out and filling with water is actually quite normal. Use it as a livewell. Will drain when on plane. Mav
Tom W Clark posted 03-16-2002 08:32 PM ET (US)
John,
That's perfectly normal. Depending on how much weight is up there (read: number of persons) there will be anywhere from about 1/4 of the depth to about 1/2 of the depth of the locker with water in it.
The locker drains directly overboard through a thru-hull drain just like the drain in the bilge sump and splash well. This bow locker drain has a clam shell ventilator over to prevent water from jetting up into the bow locker while under weigh. The piece of hardware also acts as a venturi which will suck the water out of the locker even when the boat is moving slowly and the drain is below the water level.
I used this locker on my 18 Outrage as the ice box for the fish. I usually bought a few bags of ice and dumped them in the locker before heading out. I left the plug out so the ice and fish blood/slime would drain out on its own. The problem is that if seawater comes into contact with the ice it will melt the ice very quickly.
So what I did was cut a triangular (more or less) shaped piece of 1/2” teak plywood to make a false bottom in the locker. I screwed a c. 3/4” x 1 1/2” strip of teak to the stern wall of the locker to support the plywood and the other, angled edges were self supporting due to the tapered sides of the hull there. I beveled these edges to the angle of the hull.
This teak plywood piece also had a 1’ finger hole in it as well as the sharp corners being slightly lopped off to allow water to drain by it. It was held down with the usual bungee cord/padeye arrangement.
The benefits of this set up were that it kept the ice dry and it also created a broader flat surface in the bottom of the locker which was better for me to lay salmon out on rather than have everything slide down into the “point” in the bottom of the locker.
triblet posted 03-16-2002 09:00 PM ET (US)
What would be really cool is a check valve
that fits in the drain hole. If water comes
in over the bow, or on the anchor line, it
drains out by and by. But it doesn't come
in the drain hole at rest.
Chuck
NEVER SCARED posted 03-17-2002 07:47 PM ET (US)
Pullnit
Water will enter the bow locker every time the plug is out! Water will also drain the same way it came in. The owners manual advises to use the boat with the plug out, but I never do cause theres a hole cut out near the top of the locker and thats a source for water to enter the hull.
Bigshot posted 03-18-2002 09:05 AM ET (US)
Never owned a 18 but my 15 and 17 will stay dry as long as no weight up there.
prj posted 04-03-2002 04:20 PM ET (US)
in reviewing several threads, including the FAQ section regarding waterlogged foam interiors, i have a concern: the exposed sprue hole (per cetacea p. 50) in the bow locker of my 15' striper.
based upon the discussion of water introduction through exposed foam, would not this be the perfect entry point? i typically use the front locker as either bait well or live well, but based upon the comments i'm finding herein, am inclined to discontinue this practice.
why would BW design the 15 (others also?) with this "feature" knowing full well that water is contained in the locker?
any thoughts or concerns from others regarding the exposed foam ring?
CUOffshore posted 04-03-2002 07:45 PM ET (US)
Your Striper... or any Whaler, for that matter, isn't going to soak up water into the foam through the "sprue" hole. As far as the bow locker taking on water when the plug is out, put the plug in. That's what its for. I use the bow locker in my 15' Striper as a fish box. I throw a couple of bags of ice in at the beginning of the day, and throw fish in throughout the day (hopefully). There is no reason to have the plug out except at the end of the day when clean-up time arrives. I leave the plug in my 18' Outrage in all the time because I use the forward locker on that boat for anchor and life jacket storage. I can't imagine why anyone would ride around with the plug out, thereby allowing water in and out of that locker all day.
David Ratusnik posted 04-03-2002 08:02 PM ET (US)
Boston Whaler Owner's Manual states "The bow anchor locker drains directly through the hull via its own drain tube. We recommend leaving this drain plug out to allow rain water to exit." Normal on 18'. David
CUOffshore posted 04-05-2002 05:18 PM ET (US)
Ok.. It's normal to leave the plug out when the boat is in the driveway. Sure. I leave ALL the plugs out when the boats are out of the water. My post above referred to normal practice when you're using the boat. I seriously doubt that the folks at Whaler meant for you to leave the plug out to allow for rainwater to drain... while you were out in the ocean. Either way, no big deal. It's a WHaler.
lhg posted 04-05-2002 05:57 PM ET (US)
On my 18 Outrage, I always leave the bow locker plug in. As a matter of fact, it has never been out. Even in rain, not much water gets in there, as it is guttered.
Mine came from the factory, incidentally, without the little Perko vent cover on the outside. This might have been a production oversight, but if yours doesn't have this fitting, it should be added to protect the exterior drain tube crimp from damage from bow water pressure while underway.
David Ratusnik posted 04-05-2002 06:29 PM ET (US)
With the exception of the front fish locker (22') and rear fish locker (in front of transom well) it seems obvious from the manual that the Whaler self bailing boat was designed for other drain wells to be left out. Open. I believe Whaler meant what they wrote in the manual. However, my practice is to leave the anchor/bow locker plug in. David

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: 18 Outrage bow locker filled with water??
PULLNIT	posted 03-16-2002 07:03 PM ET (US) I got to take a ride on my (new to me-first whaler)1988 18 Outrage.When we were anchored with the plug out of bow locker it fills about half way up with sea water.Is this normal?Where does this locker drain? Thanks for the help John
maverick	posted 03-16-2002 07:32 PM ET (US) Plug out and filling with water is actually quite normal. Use it as a livewell. Will drain when on plane. Mav
Tom W Clark	posted 03-16-2002 08:32 PM ET (US) John, That's perfectly normal. Depending on how much weight is up there (read: number of persons) there will be anywhere from about 1/4 of the depth to about 1/2 of the depth of the locker with water in it. The locker drains directly overboard through a thru-hull drain just like the drain in the bilge sump and splash well. This bow locker drain has a clam shell ventilator over to prevent water from jetting up into the bow locker while under weigh. The piece of hardware also acts as a venturi which will suck the water out of the locker even when the boat is moving slowly and the drain is below the water level. I used this locker on my 18 Outrage as the ice box for the fish. I usually bought a few bags of ice and dumped them in the locker before heading out. I left the plug out so the ice and fish blood/slime would drain out on its own. The problem is that if seawater comes into contact with the ice it will melt the ice very quickly. So what I did was cut a triangular (more or less) shaped piece of 1/2” teak plywood to make a false bottom in the locker. I screwed a c. 3/4” x 1 1/2” strip of teak to the stern wall of the locker to support the plywood and the other, angled edges were self supporting due to the tapered sides of the hull there. I beveled these edges to the angle of the hull. This teak plywood piece also had a 1’ finger hole in it as well as the sharp corners being slightly lopped off to allow water to drain by it. It was held down with the usual bungee cord/padeye arrangement. The benefits of this set up were that it kept the ice dry and it also created a broader flat surface in the bottom of the locker which was better for me to lay salmon out on rather than have everything slide down into the “point” in the bottom of the locker.
triblet	posted 03-16-2002 09:00 PM ET (US) What would be really cool is a check valve that fits in the drain hole. If water comes in over the bow, or on the anchor line, it drains out by and by. But it doesn't come in the drain hole at rest. Chuck
NEVER SCARED	posted 03-17-2002 07:47 PM ET (US) Pullnit Water will enter the bow locker every time the plug is out! Water will also drain the same way it came in. The owners manual advises to use the boat with the plug out, but I never do cause theres a hole cut out near the top of the locker and thats a source for water to enter the hull.
Bigshot	posted 03-18-2002 09:05 AM ET (US) Never owned a 18 but my 15 and 17 will stay dry as long as no weight up there.
prj	posted 04-03-2002 04:20 PM ET (US) in reviewing several threads, including the FAQ section regarding waterlogged foam interiors, i have a concern: the exposed sprue hole (per cetacea p. 50) in the bow locker of my 15' striper. based upon the discussion of water introduction through exposed foam, would not this be the perfect entry point? i typically use the front locker as either bait well or live well, but based upon the comments i'm finding herein, am inclined to discontinue this practice. why would BW design the 15 (others also?) with this "feature" knowing full well that water is contained in the locker? any thoughts or concerns from others regarding the exposed foam ring?
CUOffshore	posted 04-03-2002 07:45 PM ET (US) Your Striper... or any Whaler, for that matter, isn't going to soak up water into the foam through the "sprue" hole. As far as the bow locker taking on water when the plug is out, put the plug in. That's what its for. I use the bow locker in my 15' Striper as a fish box. I throw a couple of bags of ice in at the beginning of the day, and throw fish in throughout the day (hopefully). There is no reason to have the plug out except at the end of the day when clean-up time arrives. I leave the plug in my 18' Outrage in all the time because I use the forward locker on that boat for anchor and life jacket storage. I can't imagine why anyone would ride around with the plug out, thereby allowing water in and out of that locker all day.
David Ratusnik	posted 04-03-2002 08:02 PM ET (US) Boston Whaler Owner's Manual states "The bow anchor locker drains directly through the hull via its own drain tube. We recommend leaving this drain plug out to allow rain water to exit." Normal on 18'. David
CUOffshore	posted 04-05-2002 05:18 PM ET (US) Ok.. It's normal to leave the plug out when the boat is in the driveway. Sure. I leave ALL the plugs out when the boats are out of the water. My post above referred to normal practice when you're using the boat. I seriously doubt that the folks at Whaler meant for you to leave the plug out to allow for rainwater to drain... while you were out in the ocean. Either way, no big deal. It's a WHaler.
lhg	posted 04-05-2002 05:57 PM ET (US) On my 18 Outrage, I always leave the bow locker plug in. As a matter of fact, it has never been out. Even in rain, not much water gets in there, as it is guttered. Mine came from the factory, incidentally, without the little Perko vent cover on the outside. This might have been a production oversight, but if yours doesn't have this fitting, it should be added to protect the exterior drain tube crimp from damage from bow water pressure while underway.
David Ratusnik	posted 04-05-2002 06:29 PM ET (US) With the exception of the front fish locker (22') and rear fish locker (in front of transom well) it seems obvious from the manual that the Whaler self bailing boat was designed for other drain wells to be left out. Open. I believe Whaler meant what they wrote in the manual. However, my practice is to leave the anchor/bow locker plug in. David