Clark Rubber?

[Andy Loops]

G'day Raiders,

I have two below deck fishboxes (port and starbourd) that are about 5 feet long and a good foot deep - insulated and plumbed with a drainage pump.

Problem is that the drainage pump extraction point is actually BELOW the waterline meaning I can not pump the area dry as boat is berthed. There is always about 5cm water in the box that is mucky and pretty much just plain disgusting...

As a result have had the boat for nearly 1 year now and still have NEVER used these great boxes as I cant keep them clean.

SO I have been thinking about a way to fix the problem. At the moment I am leaning towards creating a template that I can take to Clarke Rubber to cut a rubber section that I can stand vertically in the box to create compartments. It would have to be thick and the compartment has to be water-tight to hold Ice and Fish so the mould would have to be perfect. Has anyone done anything like this / have a shop they could recommend?? Also - any recommendations as to how to take the mould to use as a template for the rubber cutters?

I really want to do the job properly and make sure the end result works - especially with our first Tuna season coming up!!

I dont have any pics but will take some over the weekend to add to this post.

Cheers,

Andy

[pelican]

Photo would help.

Can you clarify how the water is getting in as the pump pipe outlet would obviously be well above the waterline??. Were they designed as kill ice tanks or floodable chambers for stability like some of the plate alloy boats have?

Is the water in the boxes definately coming in via the pipe or in via lids where floor drains don't take enough spray or rain away? If it is coming in via the pumpout point I don't like the sound of that as a broken hose or pump may see your whole bilge flooded as it means outlet pipe is below the waterline.

Other boats I have been on use a sump below the boxes ( like the shower recess sumps you see advertised in the store brochures) with a auto bilge pump to extracate all the overflow water and pump it out well above the waterline like all bilge pumps. Others just drain directly into the bilge and pump out the same via normal auto bilge pump.

Without permanently sikaflexing a shutter in it won't be watertight. Foam , rubber etc just won't be watertight long term and won't solve the problem if it is spray and floor deck water getting in there. I could suggest no return valves on the pump outlet pipe but they always seem to clog but they do stop that last 3 litres of water backflowing back into the area after a pumpout. A diaphram style pump would stop the backflow issue if that is the problem rather than centrifugal style bilge pumps you probablty have.

Can I suggest you look for a tub slightly under the size of your under floor well and that way anything in the tub will stay dry and clean and doesn't have to be structural. Any fibreglasser will be able to make up a custom one if you can't find a size that suits. Also make sure you kill box pump outlet is well above the waterline when moored.

edit - Andy did you get your busted nuts fixed- steering that is!!

just remembered you have the Boston- go to the boston owners website USA as they will have all the gumf on how to fix boston issues I'm sure. Hope it is not those heavy black anchors weighing the back down pushing the outlet below the waterline.

Edited April 8, 2008 by pelican

[Andy Loops]

Haha Hiya Pel - thanks for the help *again!*.

Yep busted nuts are all fixed now! The concensus was that the prior nuts had been tightened too tight (I think this was one of your suggested explanations) and hence cracked. Having said that - I am kinda half waiting for the next set to experience the same issues... We will see.

I like the idea of the fibreglass bucket to insert into the fishbox - and agree that the rubber solution is not a permanent one and I dont want to sikaflex the moulds into the fishbox.

Good point with regards to the water coming back into the tub after pump out. The outlets for each box are about 3/4 of a foot above the waterline on the port-stern section so water is definitely not coming back in through there. The volume of water is not great but if I sponge it out exactly the same volume trickles back in which is what made me think it was below the waterline.

We may have a serious issue here namely - where the ^%$* is the water coming from. I don't know much about pumps but it is definitely not just water in the lines coz there is too much of it. Unless there is some sort of bilge and the pump cant get that residual water out.. Not sure.

These are definitely Ice Kill tanks as the pump is a one way affair.

I keep coming back to two fibreglass buckets that fit snugly into the tanks and can be lifted out - could probably rig up some sort of wheeled trolley so I can get from the boat to the car with little effort. Hmm thanks Pel - food for thought!

Haha not gonna get drawn on the black anchors.. Lets just say scooting out to sea at 50 knots at 5am is a great way to start the day - the Verados hum like a swarm of bees (NOT 200 killer wasps!) and no burnt oil...

[pelican]

Just winding you up

I love the idea of the black ones but only when they are new and you know every bit of service has been done on them.

It has to be water off the deck. See if is fresh after these couple of days of rain. I thought they had pretty good deck drains all moulded in under the lids seal and out the back so even when on the mooring I thought it would drain properly. I couldn't believe a boston had a hole below the waterline so I agree with you but had to ask in case someone had been messing with the fittings. Saying that we currently have a litre of fresh in a hatch everytime it rains and we have survey hatches and new orings- bloody water it it amazing how it gets in.

If the deck drains are clear you shouldn't have to put in a bucket as no water should get in unless you want airtight dry stowage for other items. We leave out hatches ajar and wash them with salt water to stop that black sooty mould that happens.

Like you I can't smell anything when I'm moving but that might be due to the big smile and scrunched up nose for just being on the water.

TRy the Boston site and ask the dealer as he should narrow it down pretty fast if he was worth his commission..

Good luck

Edited April 8, 2008 by pelican

[deana]

Hi Andy

My Trophy has the same problem

In my bost the hatches are flush with the deck the same as yours but even though they have put seals on the hatch lids water from the deck gets into the well

In my hatches the pump outlet is about 30 mm from the bottom of the well and you can't pump th eentire well dry.

If you going to clark rubber try to get some sponge slightly thicker than whats in use now. glue this onto the lid after youvé taken the old seal off (Solgrip adhesive) this should assist.

Before we go out we wipe out the tanks

Mine being a 2102 Walkaround is trailered so its a bit easier to keep clean.

When its tuna time give me a call and we might tag along.

C U on the Hawkesbury

Paul