Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

[Todtc]

After buying my 17' Scout center console, I read all the posts and info I could on the thing and couldn't agree more with the poor design and placement of the transom scuppers. I love the boat and the factory installed 90 Yamaha but keeping the deck dry was impossible with the scupper pressure plugs out. I learned I could remove the plugs and get out of the boat, allowing me to rinse the deck or drain rain water that had accumulated. Once I stood in the boat however, the scuppers would submerge and the deck would flood.

It was supposed to rain this week so I took the plugs out so the deck wouldn't flood. Went back to the boat on two consecutive days and things were dandy. Got a call yesterday morning that the boat was sunk. Looks like water started leaking past the cruddy rubber scupper flaps and slowly flooded the deck.

We got it floated in about an hour and it's now at a marine shop and under the watchful eye of insurance. Yea, I'm an idiot. Writing this so hopefully no one else makes the same mistake I did.

 

[rbh]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

My heart goes out for you, hopefully you can make things right with some mods.
rob

 

[lcdr frank]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

Ouch!


Frank

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

Man! That really sucks!

Was it fresh or salt water? Hopefully the Insurance will make it right but wow,what a bummer!

 

[ReelPlumber]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

WOW!

Sorry to see something like this, has to be heart breaking.

I am baffeledhow can the boat sink?

Even if the scuppers are a little low in the transom, water should have never got high enough to sink the boat unless it was leaking into the bilge or between the hull and deck to take away the bouyancy.

I could understand if the plugs were left in and it filled with rain water.

I always thought Scout to be a great boat, what do they say is the problem?

 

[lprizman]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

sorry Bro,,,hope things work out.

 

[jtcnj]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

I Feel your pain (to quote my not favorite President). I lost one this year too.
At least your dash didnt go under. Hope your shop got after the recovery procedure immediatey.
Best of Luck!!

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

Oh man -- that's terrible. I'm really sorry. I've lost a boat before and it's no fun.

Strange thing is I chose the Scout in part so this would never happen to me again. I agree the scuppers allow a bit of backwash in but it always flows out again. Our boat has been in the water all season during one of our wettest summers. Many of those weeks with nothing but the bimini up. No issues at all.

Now I have had some water leak past the main seal on the deck hatch but the bilge pump takes care of that. Was yours working?

Anyway, whatever the cause something has gone very wrong. I suggest you contact Scout directly and discuss it with them. They've always been super helpful at the factory to my various inquiries and I wasn't even the original owner. They may be able to shed some light on the issue because it seems really bizarre for a boat that should be able to take full-time exposure to reasonable elements.

I hope you can get back on the water without too much expense.

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

Hey Todtc,

So sorry dude,

I hope everything works out. My heat sunk when I saw the picture you posted. I have scuppers on my boat and did some research. I found this article very informative.

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/sinking.htm

Peace

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

That's a terrific article, bear -- thanks for the link. Certainly my Scout has all the issues Pascoe cites as risk contributers -- scuppers very close to the waterline, very low transom, and deck hatch sealing issues. Yikes...

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

I know you are sick. Best of luck. Hope it's fresh water. If not, expect phantom problems, in particular wiring to plague you forever.

Mark

 

[Todtc]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

Hey Todtc,

So sorry dude,

I hope everything works out. My heat sunk when I saw the picture you posted. I have scuppers on my boat and did some research. I found this article very informative.

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/sinking.htm

Peace

Thanks so much. Very informative and I'm taking it to the marine shop.

Thanks again

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

A sickening sight. I've seen it myself.
However I find it hard to belive that a standard popular boat with standard rigging would sink by itself. Even water coming in through the scuppers won't sink a boat unless it can travel into the bilge. If water can travel into the bilge, the bilge pump will cover it for the short term; if it's a long-term problem you will know it before you leave the boat unattended. An inch of water on the deck won't sink a boat.
What was the status of the bilge pump, and how did rain water get from the cockpit to the bilge?
Were there other openings (live well intake) that failed?
My scuppers on my 21' Sea Hunt work but are worrisome. You have a 2' round hole in the "cockpit" connected by a 2" hose to the through hull, and all about two inches or so above the waterline when moored. But any water that accumlates in the corner can't get into the bilge; the nearest deck plat is about 15" forward.
What worries me: the risk of failure from the through hull to the cokpit: 2 fittings, plastic hose attached in two places, plastic hose. Also if I am standing in the boat hosing it off, the water accumulates in the stern and does not drain. I think the outside water pressure against the flaps does this. No problem if I am running or out of the boat, but at sea, anchored, a possible problem.
The bilge pump covers the "possible problem" if the accumulated water finds its way below. So everything relies on that functioning correctly.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

Was the shop able to save the motor?

 

[BTMCB]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

So sorry for your loss. Hope it all works out for you in the end (insurance, etc.) and you're back boating very soon. Good luck.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

Maybe boat was tied up too snug at the dock and when the tide lowered the lines caused the boat to take on water and sank, I've seen it happen plenty of times where water level is affected by tides. I tie mine up a bit loose with the mooring lines and use a couple of big bungees to take up the slack and help with waves/wakes, a couple of rubber fender bumpers and that'll usually do it. Hope they can fix your boat and motor!..insurance may cover it. Good Luck!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

good point; I have seen more boats than I care to remember sunk due to improper mooring and tides. Even if the edge of the rubrail hangs on the edge of the dock and the tide drops, you can sink. But these photos are of a floating pier.

 

[high'n'dry]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

Isn't the Scout foam filled, how could it fill with water with open scuppers to allow the water back out?

I don't understand, what is below the deck, isn't there foam there?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

He must have started with a bilge full of water and no pump. Plug out? That boat will float level--gunwales will stay above the water--but it doesn't take much to roll them when they are full. Someone either rolled it back, or pulled part of the hull up on the dock, causing the opposite side to drop.

 

[Todtc]

Re: Sunken Scout, sunken spirits

He must have started with a bilge full of water and no pump. Plug out? That boat will float level--gunwales will stay above the water--but it doesn't take much to roll them when they are full. Someone either rolled it back, or pulled part of the hull up on the dock, causing the opposite side to drop.

Thanks for all the kind words and advice. I don't have an answer from the marine shop yet, they expect to have some numbers by Friday.

The gunwales are indeed filled with foam on this particular boat. I can see it when I take off the inspection plates. I don't know where else there is foam or if there is any more. I am guessing the deck filled with water and it accumulated on the starboard side when the deck lines held the port side to the dock. This is probably why it rolled to starboard and sank.

My bilge pump was new and the batteries both had a full charge. The deck hatch has an o-ring seal but I'm sure water can still sneak past and into the blige. My theory is that water came through the two scupper flappers, collected on deck and not enough water got through the hatch to hit the bilge in time. I don't know why this decided to happen now and not all the other times I have left the boat in that condition except to say a lot of chum had grown on the scuppers and probably held them open this time.

Once back in the saddle I think I will plug the scuppers and leave the deck hatch open so any rain water can be pumped overboard rather than rely on the scuppers. Sound like a good idea??