Question about a 1985 Ebbtide Montego Sterndrive

[garyecobb]

Hi, I just purchased a 1985 ebbtide sterndrive, montego model, and there are two wells in the hull on each side of the engine. There are covers on them that aren't attached. They don't look like they drain anywhere and there is water in them that I'm not sure how to get out. Does anyone know what these are for and whether or not there is a drain hole plugged? Sorry, I'm new to this boat design.

 

[gcboat]

Re: Question about a 1985 Ebbtide Montego Sterndrive

Gonna' be a little arrogant here but if you can't figure how to get water out of a box what are you doing owning a boat ??? As far as the drain holes are concerned - take a look . Probe around with something.

 

[garyecobb]

Re: Question about a 1985 Ebbtide Montego Sterndrive

Okay, I guess I had that coming, and for the record I certainly know how to get the water out, that isn't the problem. I can't find any documentation on the hull design so I'm simply trying to figure out what function they were originally engineered to perform.

I'm kind of thinking that they might have originally been built into the hull as a sealed air pocket for flotation reasons and perhaps the previous owner opened them up for some reason. The two sections of the hull that I'm wondering about are on either side of the engine well. There is a nice plastic flanged cover over the holes, with a screw-out center section for access, but it seems peculiar that these flanged covers were never screwed down (there are 4 screw holes in each cover that were never used).

 

[rndn]

Re: Question about a 1985 Ebbtide Montego Sterndrive

Floatation boxes are filled with foam so they were probably fish boxes or built in cooler boxes. Maybe just a water tight storage compartment. Do they look like they may have a rubber seal around them? Maybe where they kept the life jackets. If there are no drains in them then they were not bait boxes or live wells.
Feel free to ask questions on this forum as MOST of the forum users are understanding of the strange questions that arise when you first get into boat ownership.
It's much better to ask these questions now instead of later.

 

[rndn]

Re: Question about a 1985 Ebbtide Montego Sterndrive

Welcome to the forum!!
I'm sorry your first reply to your question was stated the way it was. It is not the way most people on this forum act.

 

[garyecobb]

Re: Question about a 1985 Ebbtide Montego Sterndrive

Thanks for the reply, and I appreciate the welcome to the forum. I've been around boats for 40 years, but I've never had an inboard/outboard before and never had Ebbtide before.

These "pockets" are inside the engine compartment way down low, from deck level to the hull bottom. They would be very hard to get and are pretty small (only a single 5 inch hole in the top). I guess I'll just take them to be there "just because they are" and check to make sure they don't have any water in them from time to time.

Would you have any idea where I can find a manual for the boat? I have a service manual for the OMC engine (just rebuilt) and outboard drive (which is in pieces).

Peace!

 

[rndn]

Re: Question about a 1985 Ebbtide Montego Sterndrive

Not many boat manufacturers had manual for them. Maybe you could post this question in the Ebbtide owners forum and see if someone there can help you out.