Boat Sank

[Sodaguy]

Last night my boat sank in fresh water, 21' renken, with a v-6 mercrusier. Now that I have it floating what should I do. Im taking it out of water later today. <br />Thanks Randy<br />P.S. What is the best way of cleaning the oily mess all over the entire boat.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Boat Sank

Start cleaning immediately and start with simple green. Don't let it dry or set or you will never get it out completely. You may want to replace the carpet immediately depending on how bad. If it penetrated into the cushions of your seats and blosters you are in trouble. A good marine seat has a plastic barrier layer, which may save your bacon if you get to it quickly. Remember the solution to pollution is dilution. Lots of water! Watch where your waste goes.<br /><br />The engine guys will hook you up with what you have to look forward to in that department.<br /><br />Sorry to hear of your problem.

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: Boat Sank

Well first off, how deep did it go? If the engine went under, pump the oil out but don't worry about the filter yet. If it wasn't running then water didn't get to it. Pull the carb and dump the water. Don't worry about cleaning the carb yet. Pull the distributor cap and blow all the water out. Pull the sparkplugs and with a hot battery, roll it over and blow the water out of the cylinders. Blow sparkplugs dry, add oil, hook up a portable fuel tank, then start the engine. Let it run with the oil caps off and let it heat up. It will steam out the caps but that is what you want. After you let it run awhile, dump the oil and filter and replace with new. Restart the engine and do it again. After this the engine will be good to go. One thing about fresh water, usually don't have a lasting effect like salt. If it want's to run crappy at idle after all this, pull the carb off and have it cleaned.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Boat Sank

Capt Ken is right on. I would also loosen up the drive shaft bellows and let drain out and pump all your grease fittings full. The first thing to fix after the motor is why the boat sunk in the first place.

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Boat Sank

This is what happened to mine a year and a half ago. Hole in the Bellows and down she went. Made me ill to say the least. Lucky she was tied to the dock and didnt sink too far--well all the way under but the barge could easily get it out.<br />Yea the key here is that it wasnt running. I think the shop ran diesel fuel through mine and changed the oil over and over. Also put in a new alternator and starter and trim motor, plugs, and bellows, stereo system. The guages worked fine amazingly<br />They also had to drain the gas tank. Lots of crapola in that and water. I kept a check on the water seperator filter until all the water was gone.<br />Insurance kept me from the noose haha

 

[Sodaguy]

Re: Boat Sank

Trailored the boat, pulled all plugs, distribitor cap and blew dry. Drained oil and replaced, cranked engine while putting oil and wd40 threw carb. It was completly under. Recharging battery now.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: Boat Sank

call the insurance company... They may declare it a total loss in which case, any time you spend on it is wasted. Just had this happen to a friend and that's what they did.

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Boat Sank

My Insurance company would not total loss it. Must be because this happens alot and can be repaired.<br />But they really did me a favor. I would rather have a used boat with most of it new in parts that another used boat with who knows what wrong with it. Since totalling it would not buy a new boat free and clear

 

[Doug Durako]

Re: Boat Sank

Insurance replaces what you had, and no one should expect "a new boat free and clear." Sinking a $2000 boat does not make it magically become a $5000 boat. If that were the case, who would own a $2000 boat? Think about it.<br /><br />Many insurance companies total boats that go under because of the electrical systems---they do not want to keep paying a year after the accident to replace wiring that may have been worn out even before the boat sank.<br /><br />DayCruiser--if your insurance company paid more than your boat was worth to fix it, please let us know where we can sign up.

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Boat Sank

My Insurance company didnt ask or as far as I know research what my boat was worth. They asked what I wanted to Insure if for and went with that.<br />The shop informed them of the damage and the cost and they paid no questions asked.<br />Is there a book on boat value? I see boat prices vary alot in the paper on the same year and make boat.<br />I thought once you accept a settlement from a insurance company that was it?<br />I was saying that I would rather replace parts instead of buying another used boat<br />I asked my big named insurance company about totalling the boat and he said "no it will be good as new" after the repairs

 

[steve n carol]

Re: Boat Sank

check out NADAguides.com for $$value of your boat...sl

 

[beezee28]

Re: Boat Sank

Did your boat went under that water can get into the fuel tank. If it did you would need to drain the fuel and flush all the fuel line and that includes the fuel vent line too. Probably will have to have a professional boat shop do that.

 

[Doug Durako]

Re: Boat Sank

Personally, I would not keep a boat that sunk.<br /><br />I would take the settlement from the insurance company, minus the salvage value they come up with, then I would sell it piece by piece on ebay.<br /><br />Daycruiser--you have a generous insurance company--stay with them. What you insured the boat for is probably what you paid for it---boats depreciate every year. It is worth less now. Try to sell it to your neighbor, and tell him, "oh, by the way, it sank last year." <br /><br />Insurance adjusters use the NADA Book values and the Kelly (ABOS) Marine Blue Book values. Boats and trailers are listed separately. In my opinion, Kelly is a bit more current on what boats have actually been bought and sold for in the past year, but that book will cost you $50 and is not on the internet that I know of.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Boat Sank

I have not insured my boat yet, still in the shop. I did however check on rates. I had the option of insuring it for current value or for a higher value, about whatever I wanted within reason. It would cost a LOT more money each month though if I insured it over the book value. So far I haven't insured any of my boats, never worth enough to be worth it. My homeowners policy covers some things such as liability and protection from lawsuits.

 

[Doug Durako]

Re: Boat Sank

If you do not have a loan, no need to insure the property (actual physical boat) if you can easily replace the $$ value.<br /><br />I only insure to actual value, more is just money in the agent's pocket. Most insurance companies don't care unless the amount of insurance is less than 80 percent of the actual value of the boat.<br /><br />Also, check your homeowners policy for restrictions and limits. You may have no coverage if you head north from Nebraska into Canada, or possibly in some rivers, or in the Great Lakes.<br /><br />One other note, for about $50 a year, you can also get a $1million liability umbrella over and above the limits on all your policies. I have this just in case that stupid kid who just rented the jet ski decides to cut in front of me----at least I will have something to offer his family and their attorney, other than my house, car, boat, and salary for the next 20 years.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Boat Sank

Guys, <br />Better check your policies to make sure your homeowners will cover things like salvage costs, and cleaning up the mess if ... God forbid .... you should sink your vessel for any reason. <br />Mine would not. <br /><br />Only cost $150 for the year... full coverage, liability and towing.

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Boat Sank

ddboater el wrongo lol. I Had the boat for a year and insured it for almost 2 times as much as I paid for it. I said I got a great deal when I bought it. I could afford to rewire, rebuild motor it if i wanted from that deal. But really the boat ran great all summer(after the sinking) except for the solenoid switch going bad. Had it bottom painted. The company wouldnt total it because it is very much in good shape with a few new parts. I got a jack leg who could rewire it pretty cheap if that becomes neccessary

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: Boat Sank

Ok, now that we have covered the insurance part of all of this quite well.....back to the boat.<br />The engine advice from Capt. Ken is right on and should protect the big expensive piece. Now don't forget about all of the little expensive things in your engine compartment such as outdrive trim pumps, trim tab pump, etc. I would go to the local electrical or electronic supply house and get some Lubricated contact cleaner. Clean all electrical connectors (including the main engine multi-pin connector). Open the resevor of the trim tilt unit and the trim tab unit (if equiped) and look for the presence of water, if you find any, drain those units and and refill. While I can't recomend a do-it-yourselfer to tear apart electrical motors, I will at least say to run these units every day or two for the next few weeks to keep them from rusting solid over the winter. If you are a little more adventurous, you could try to get some of the lubricated contact cleaner into the motors, if for nothing else than to displace any moisture and hopefully stop the formation of rust.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Boat Sank

Woulda been nice if Soda would have popped in with an update.

 

[CTD]

Re: Boat Sank

I wonder how deep it sunk. Did it have flotation foam, was it waterlogged, or did the boat fill with water and stay at the surface. Just wondering how effective the factory foam job was.<br />As far as damage, if everything is cleaned and dried (and lubricated where necessary) within a short period of time there should be no long term damage or future damage. I have bought cars that were completly submerged and brought them back to life, lasted for years with no problems. Its a major amount of labor.