New to Boating

[Matt85cs]

I am fairly new to boating i bought a 18' 1987 cobia I/O about a year ago i have had much success with it it starts up every time with one turn of the key usually. I have to admit the first few times i tried to dock it i didn't think i could do it i felt as if i was gonna ram the dock. I mean i seen my uncle dock his 35' cabin cruiser and it looked so easy, what with 2 motors and bow thrusters. anyhow i was out this past weekend and it rained so hard i actually had so much water on board i could see it rolling around in spots. and this was from the time i took it out of the water and got it home. OK so i took plug out, no water in bilge, and when i got it home and tilted it up in hopes the water would drain out the back and it sure did... alot.. so now 3 days later still not completely dry on the floor very little water in bilge now and nothing more pouring out. i guess my question is should i be worried about the floor i mean it seems OK and i know its a boat and it will get wet but that was alot of water. And also the water that is in the bilge i touched it and i smells like gas. normal im assuming? well if you can help a noob out lol, Thank you..

 

[Silvertip]

Re: New to Boating

If you have that much water in the bilge you need a bilge pump. Yes -- boats are like great big rain gauges. They can collect a lot of rain water. One good wave over the bow or side and deposit a lot of water. Always store the boat bow hight and if it is wet, leave the cover off until dry (if practical).

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: New to Boating

Any wood on your boat is going to get very wet one time or another, but if dried out it will be fine. The plywood that is used for boat building contains a very good exterior glue and multiple ply layers to compensate for getting wet. Even an excellant grade of Marine ply will rot if constantly wet because what makes it more durable is the glueing methods and materials, not any type of preservative. If it gets wet, dry it out and you'll enjoy your boat for many years.

 

[Matt85cs]

Re: New to Boating

Thank you, i have a bilge pump the water was not coming out of the bilge it was coming out of where the plug goes. im guessing it was all the water that absorbed through the floor and such, because any other time there would barely be a drop of water that would come out of there.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: New to Boating

That doesn't make sense, the plug should be in the bilge, sounds like a drain is plugged up, the deck should drain into the bilge, does your boat have a ski locker under the deck?
I know on my boat there has to be a good 2" of water in the bilge before the pump will prime up and including the ski locker it's a quite a few gallons (with boat level) but tipped up it all goes to the bilge.

 

[Matt85cs]

Re: New to Boating

The plug im referring to is under the out drive. im not sure what you mean that the plug should be in the bilge. when the bilge pump is activated the water comes out a port hole on the side of the boat. i was saying that water was coming out of the plug in the lower rear of the boat. And no ski locker.. my point was when i get out of the water and take the plug out usually almost no water comes out but this time after it rained a ton of water came out.

 

[Knot Waiting]

Re: New to Boating

The bilge is the lowest part of the hull, in the stern, below the engine. Any water that enters the boat should collect here if everything is designed and flowing correctly. Excessive amounts of water collecting here is removed by the bilge pump (usually automatically). The plug below the sterndrive that you are pulling out drains the remainder of the bilge. Sounds like it did just that.

 

[Matt85cs]

Re: New to Boating

ahhh. i see that makes sense to me i understand now thank you.