What is this hole in the side of my boat?

[CaneCutter79]

OK, I'm not totally new to boats and I know boats pretty well. I'm a bit lost on what this hole is on the side of my boat. Its a 79 Cane Cutter modified v-hull. The hole appears to be an intake for an aerator but that aerator is at the very back of the hull. So is the bilge pump. Just below the motor.

So is this some sort of drain? The front livewell drains to the very rear of the boat so it's not from a live well. I even thought it might be a livewell over flow. Seems logical right? Not that I have found so far.

I think this can get just below the water line at times.

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[haulnazz15]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

Have you looked to see what it is connected to? I would guess that maybe there's a front bilge pump if the drain doesn't go to the livewell.

 

[NYBo]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

That's a very odd place for either an outlet or an inlet.

Is the area inside the hull accessible at that point?

 

[rosser1]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

i have a similer design, but mine is at the back of the hull. same set up. and still not sure why or what is for.

 

[86 century]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

It is likely the drain for the live wells. My old bass rig had a manual valve by the helm that you would open while up on plane to drain the wells.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

I'm not saying yours is what mine is but I just bought a boat that has what looks like the exact same fitting in almost the exact same place. My boat is a tri-hull bowrider with walk thru windshield. That fitting is connected to a drain fitting in the deck between the two bow seats. The drain fitting is in the very back of the port side of the bow section, right under the walk thru windshield section. It would drain any water that comes over the bow and runs off the seats. I can see the hose running between the drain and fitting if I lift the port seat cushon up. It looks like bilge pump hose.

 

[CaneCutter79]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

OK, so it's not just me then.

Unfortunately, I cannot access or see what it is connected too. The former owner doesn't know either.

The hole diameter is smaller than a standard 3/4" plug but larger than a livewell plug so I can't just plug the hole. If it's a drain I need, I don't want to plug it but the boat is taking on water and this is the only source I can find that would be the reason for taking on water. The plug is tight at the rear and the aerator hole thru the hull has been plugged as well. The aerator recently broke (at the shaft through the hull) and I am in the process of replacing it. So I plugged the hole thinking, that might have been the source.

I've checked the hull and the hull is in great shape, no holes or places where the hull could take on water.

This the only hole that is open and "unknown" where it goes or what it does. The front livewell does not take on water either so it's not a livewell overflow.

I may take a blow gun from my air compressor and blow a little bit of air in the hole and see if I can track the other end or see what it does. Couldn't hurt anything. Worst case, I'll just plug the hole if I don't need it.

I could also try running a fish line (like an electrical fish) or semi flexible wire in the hole and trace it that way. It just might go to the live well or at one time, that's where it went.

 

[Don S]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

Everyone can guess, but it still won't tell you what it really is.
You're going to have to get in there and trace the hose and see what it goes to, just like haulinazz mentioned in the first reply.
Being a 79 boat, it's hard to tell what some previous owner installed, and who knows if it was installed properly or not.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

I think running the fish wire might be a good idea. I'm still thinking it might be a drain but on mine you can definetly see the fitting in the "floor" of the bow section. The carpet is even cut in a semi-circle around it so it doesn't cover it. Is your deck carpeted up front? Is it possible someone re-carpeted and covered it or put something else over the fitting?

 

[fishrdan]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

Looks like the livewell overflow to me, overflow, not drain. Plug a garden hose into it and see where the water comes out...

 

[Boatist]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

It is going to be a drain.
Most likely a self bailing drain for the area in front of the window but
if have a front live well or ice chest it could be a drain for that.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

Looks like the livewell overflow to me, overflow, not drain. Plug a garden hose into it and see where the water comes out...

This is what I would do as well.

 

[roscoe]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

just hold a garden hose up to it and see where the water goes

 

[CaneCutter79]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

Whatever it is, I cannot access the inside of the hull to see if the backside of the connection/fitting is leaking. If so, that's the source of my leak. The only alternative is to plug the hole or figure out how to get access to the inside of the hull.

I said drain but I guess I meant overflow from the front livewell. The rear livewell has an overflow but it just drains into the hull vs out of the boat.

I have seats that are removable so I might be able to pull the storage wells out to get access to the drain.

 

[rexmitchell]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

Looks like a front livewell drain, throw some water in the livewell and see if it comes out.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

When you said that it appears the hull fitting could be underwater at times, that is the same thing I thought about mine when I first saw it. Upon further inspection I saw that the hose connected to the hull fitting comes thru the hull at a slight downward angle but then turns slightly upward and runs approx 1-1/2 feet to where it connects with the drain fitting in the front deck. The drain fitting itself runs straight up approx 6" to where it meets the deck. So they deck drain is higher than the hull fitting. It appears mine could take on water through the hull fitting also but apparently the atmospheric pressure on the drain in the deck would prevent it from coming all the way up to the deck. My point is....if the hose leading from my hull fitting to the deck drain was loose, cracked or disconnected anywhere, I would take on water thru that hull fitting. I haven't had it in the water yet so I'm not sure if anything leaks or not. If you are taking on water but can't access any hose that might be under the deck, it might be a good idea to plug that hull fitting to see what happens. The only concern I think would be if the fitting was connected to some sort of vent, but if the hose was loose, broke, cracked etc, the vent wouldn't be working properly anyway. Obviously the best thing to do would be like others have said....get in there and actually see what is going on. But since you've made it clear it is not easily accessible, I'm just giving suggestions.

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

Here are some pics of mine. First time posting pics on here so here goes..............

 

[Wishiniwuzfishin]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

2nd pic is looking under port bow seat with cushion removed....3rd pic is looking down while standing in walk thru winshield section....drain hole is in deck between two bow seats on the port side

 

[ryanr623]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

I have a 1989 stingray with a hole in the same place. Mine i believe is drainage for the bow seat ice chest.

 

[ddrieck]

Re: What is this hole in the side of my boat?

Without tracing the lines back I can't say for sure where they lead but on my current project boat they are livewell overflows.

Port Side:

Starboard Side: