Boat is not sitting high in water..

wilson750

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Nov 22, 2008
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287
I have a north american 19" cc.. I have had this problem ever since i bought the boat last year..I have to keep plugs in the water drains in the back..The holes are under water..Is there anything i can do to fix this? When it rains i have my pump pump the water out... The motor is a 88 merc 115..If anyone can give me some advise...

Thanks
 

indy440

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Jul 15, 2009
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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

what drain holes are you talking about? The ones on the top of the transom right where the motor mounts? They certainly shouldn't be under water. I wonder if you have soaked foam...

Obviously the one at the bottom of the transom is supposed to be under water...
 

wilson750

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

Yes the 2 near the motor..I know the one on the very bottom should be pluged.. You think the boat needs new foam under her?Will that lift it that much more?
 

indy440

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

I think something is wrong if those holes are under water. How much clearance to do you from the water level to the top of the transom before water spills over? 8"?

The problem with the old foam would be that it breaks down over time and turns into a big sponge. You could have hundreds of pounds of excess water weight soaked into the old foam.

Find the dry weight of your boat and trailer then go put them on a scale somewhere. You'll have to add some weight for fuel, oil, etc... but if its over weight you should know it.

Does the boat have any trouble getting on plane or going fast?
 

wilson750

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

doesnt have a problem getting on plane..Doesnt go very fast for a 88 merc 115.. The holes are about 2-3" under water..Donno where i would get the weight.. Its hard to find info on my make..Its in the water now.. I had it out of the water for a year.. I thought it would have dried up the foam by then..
 

AZBoatDreamer

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

I have several places that sell Rock and Land Scape in my Area. They have scales where you drive your truck on it empty, load up your rocks into the back of the truck or trailer and weigh again. They figure out the difference and charge you for the weight of the rocks. Maybe they will let you drive your boat and truck onto the scale and give you the weight.

Just a thought
 

wilson750

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

yeah i might try that when i pull the boat out of the water..has anyone put new foam in there boat?
 

LIQUID PROZAC

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Jun 19, 2009
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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

possibly soaked foam need to check weight sorry could not find info on your boat
 

indy440

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

The foam will never dry, it might give up some water but once its wet its wet.

You have to remove the floor to replace the foam. Chances are the floor and or stringers are soft and beginning to rot if the foam is wet. Or maybe your boat is just a weird design and those holes are supposed to be underwater? On the two outboards I owned those holes were to drain the area behind the transom if a wave came over the back of the boat or you stopped too quickly...
 

wilson750

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

Yeah thats what they are for.. I dont think i need to cut my floor out though to put foam in..I could just remove the gas tank and put it in that way..The floors are VERY strong!!!
 

indy440

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

I think the whole bottom of the boat will be foam so there will be stringers in your way to keep from getting at all of it... I might be wrong though...
 

25thmustang

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

These holes sit 2-3" below the water line? Basically your boat has 2-3" of water in it at all times? This sounds weird to me. If an unplugged hole (two in your case) sits below the waterline, there will be a constant stream of water coming in. Does your bilge pump keep up with this water coming in?

Pictures would help out, but it sounds like you know something is wrong with it already.
 

wilson750

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Nov 22, 2008
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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

No water is sitting in it.. The bilge on the bottom of the boat runs when it rains and i get water in the boat.. It i take the plugs out there will be water sitting in there.. soo i keep them pluged..
 

indy440

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

just the small section around the outboard will flood without the plugs in, it wont sink the boat, right?
 

25thmustang

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

I see, so with them plugged there are no issues, with the plugs removed, there would be the scenario I was picturing. Have you looked at other 19' North American CC's? The boat might be sitting how it should?
 

wilson750

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Nov 22, 2008
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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

It will just have water near the outboard,but i dont want water in there..

I wish i could find another one to look at.. I have never seen one on the water or for sale.. Its bulit very strong..
 

180shabah

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Mar 26, 2005
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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

mustang - OB's have a well in front of the motor, that is where the water is accumulating, not in the bilge.

It should not be holding water though. What is the HP rating for the boat? Is you motor too heavy?
 

wilson750

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

I can go up too a 200hp I have a 88 merc 115.. Maybe it is too heavy..
 

25thmustang

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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

mustang - OB's have a well in front of the motor, that is where the water is accumulating, not in the bilge.

It should not be holding water though. What is the HP rating for the boat? Is you motor too heavy?

My appologies, I realized that after his post. Still an inconvenience and indication something might be wrong. But definately not as bad as the scenario I visioned.

That OB should not be too heavy for that boat, IMO.
 

indy440

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Jul 15, 2009
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Re: Boat is not sitting high in water..

its not too heavy if its rated for 200hp. A 200hp v6 will be way heavier than that 115hp straight-6 I think...
 
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