CONTINUOUSWAVE

It really bothered me that rain, salt water, washdown water, sand, ect... could easily get behind the Port cowl that covers the fuel fill hose and vent line. The cowl even has a relief at the forward base that encourages this water to travel behind. It then drops into the rigging tunnel then right over the fuel tank and cavity. In my opinion this is a design flaw, especially if you are like me and enjoy hosing out the boat at the end of the day.

I sculpted three dams out of starboard and caulked them in as shown in the illustrations below.

The Starboard side also allows water into the lateral rigging tunnel but here it drops into the main tunnel then into the aft sump. Regardless, I applied the dams here too.

The area that looks like it would trap and pool water, between the two forward dams, is weeped through a 1/4-inch relief in the oem teak mounting cleats. I have only seen one post from quite a while ago that even speaks to this water intrusion route. I believe the topic was about all the paths for water to get in the tank cavity.

This being a fresh water only boat from manufacture, I feel it is my duty to restrict possible saltwater intrusion, as I will be in saltwater for a day or two each year.

Good thinking.

Con

Malcolm--I can tell you are keeping your classic well maintained. Thanks for the idea.

I just cleaned out my boat's port crawl. Nasty stuff built up over the years.

I see you have electrical wires running from the port side along with fuel line and vent line. I am running under-gunwale lamps on both sides. I cannot seem to get through on the port side.

Were you able to fish those wires all the way to the center console?

Thanks---mike

Hi Malcom,

I totally agree. Boston Whaler's routing was a terrible design. It totally made me crazy when I tore down my Revenge 22 boat to replace the fuel tank. Their design just guides saltwater to the fuel tank to encapsulate the foam into a wet salty sponge!

As with you, I came up with an alternate idea. I made what I call a manifold which was a 1/4-inch aluminum plate the width of the plywood channel cover and the depth of the gap the hoses ran through to the side of the boat. Then, in that 1/4-inch aluminum plate I had two L-shaped aluminum tubes the diameter of the fill and vent hoses welded into the plate. Then using fiberglass and epoxy made a lip that tucks over the edge of my base plate and reinforces along the side of the boat. Now it is strong and will seal well with sealant.

The fuel and vent hoses go from the gunwale to the top tube of my manifold. Then under the deck the bottom hoses go from the underside of my manifold to the tank. Now there is no way water can get in there.

I did the same on the starboard side as well. I used marine plywood, fiberglass and epoxy for the base. Then drilled it and used a small through-hull for the fuel tank gauge wiring to come up through. I'm going to use bilge pump hose from the through-hull fitting to the gunwale height with the wiring in it. This will also be enough to vent the gas tank cavity from contraction/expansion.

i went one step further on the starboard side as well. I put another through-hull in the plate to plumb a wash down pump hose under the floor that is coming up through that fitting. Now I will have a wash down system up front and out of the way. Remember the boat is a Revenge. The bilge pump there wouldn't be a good thing on a Outrage.

Lot of work but there will be no water getting past the floor up there.

I'm not sure how the Outrage 18 rigging tunnel works. On the larger hulls, like mine, water will still get to the fuel tank from the drain sump running backwards up the rigging tunnel towards the bow. I blocked that off as well. I made a wall up the rigging tunnel to where it cannot be seen but can still be reached to pull a drain plug for inspection.

I'm very certain water will not get in there.

Vance

Mike, it is a pristine example. I purchased from second owner, and both first and second owner lived in Portland OR. A complete freshwater boat stored inside. And fear not, there are now fresh "DO NOT DRILL' and "NO DRILL" placards from Magic Brush.

That wire you see to Port is for the under gunwale lights, as you suspected. There is actually a rigging tunnel to get over the fuel tank from the main rigging tunnel. Study the photographs with fuel tank cover removed. This tunnel shares some of this access with the forward Starboard fuel tank strap attachment. I installed a conduit from the main rigging tunnel all the way Port and 6 inches up the Port inside of the hull (future antenna, stereo speaker wire....) I will try to attach a pic. MALCOLM

Couldn't attach a pic but take a close look at the parts manual exploded view. Follow the fuel tank forward strap attachment to Starboard and "PRESTO" you will see it depicted; easy to pass by.