HULL REPAIR

msbhammer · #1 01-27-2006, 12:33 AM

Have a 1986 v-20 Wellcraft. It has a baitwell in the middle of the floor that butts up against the in floor 60 gallon tank. Whenever it rains the baitwell fills up with water, BUT DOESNT DRAIN ???
There is a small hole in the bottom for drainage, but the water just doesnt drain. It looks like it drains under the fuel tank to the stern area.
My question is...is this correct and if there is a clog, where does the water go. Could it go anywhere else in the hull and flood my entire hull ?????
I bought the boat not knowing it had hull damage. A guy posted this boat a few months agao and didnt know what to do with the boat because he was told the stringers were bad. Well I didnt know about the hull damage when I bought it and just recently found the sneaky, decieving, hidden, ****ty repair job to the hull. As with the last owner, I thought, oh ****, time to cut out the floor and replace the stringers. I had several fiberglass guys tell me that its no big deal, a 4 hour job, as long as I do all the prep and sanding, BUT, the hull and damage area must be dry. Well this area on the outside of the hull, midshift that looks like a stringer, but on the outside of the hull dripps with water through the shabby bondo job. The fiberglass guy said that is normal. Fiberglass that isnt sealed correctly will suck in the water and stay between the shabby bondo job and teh open fiberglass. Is this true ???? or is my baitwell overflowing throughout the entire hull and dripping out through the damaged area ???
Should I cut a hole in the deck and see if I can see any damage or is the entire hull foamed in solid under the floor. I did manage to see some stringers and they are all rock solid.
Any suggestions or others who might know how to fix the baitwell and where does the water drain to on a 1986 Wellcraft to a new boating guy who is just about broke now. As the guy who sold me the boat. Its turn-key and totally safe. He tooks his wife and kids out on it all summer. Hmm is that why I could stick my finger through the fuel line...and not a single guage or toggle switch worked. For having the boat for about three weeks now. I have since pulled out all the old wiring and rewired teh whole boat along with a new 100 amp fuse panel, 6 awg wire from the batteries, rewired the bow light, anchor light, fuel guage wiring with sending unit and fuel guage, deck lights. Fixed the tac and volt guage, fuel lines, fuel vent, fuel intake and god knows what else. Will complete the bilge pump this weekend along with wiring in the new wire to the dash to all the toggle switchs.
Thanks,
Mike.

Skools Out · #2 01-27-2006, 01:10 AM

there should be a pipe under the tank to let it drain. they get stopped up but you can clean it out by using a long 12 to 15 ft piece of ground wire about a #8 solid push it through the drain plug hole into the pipe under the tank to the front area it should clean all the trash out of the tube and let the water flow.

now it's not uncommon to use bondo in a boat actually Parker boats use's it to fill the hull strikes and then the glass the back side in the molds. bondo is fine as long as you seal it with resin. just sand that area and get the complete area of bondo exposed then let it dry. then once it's dry work that area till the boat looks straight then resin it with several thin coats once it cures sand it smooth without sanding into the bondo and paint it and you should be good to go.

msbhammer · #3 01-27-2006, 01:47 AM

Thanks for the quick reply. Hmm, a pipe, that goes under teh fuel tanks. I'll check it out. I tried using a coat hanger, but would not budge. My dual batteries sit inside the stern area of a raised lip if you would to call it that. I can put my hand under it and feel thats its all open. Hopefully I can feel for teh pipe.
Will check it out ASAP.
Many thanks,
Mike.

Mulv80 · #4 01-27-2006, 12:19 PM

Mike, I have seen the pipe that runs under the fuel tank when I had the tank out. Its literally a length of PVC and is only about 1 inch in diameter. I would do as Schools said and run a heavy gauge wire or small plumbing snake through it

kamikaze · #5 01-27-2006, 12:52 PM

If that doesn't work try using compressed air to force the clog out. Start at a low pressure setting and work your way up, or you may end up damaging the drain line itself. Recommend you give the wire option a good try first though.

Kamikaze

Blue_Runner · #6 01-27-2006, 01:01 PM

I've stuck a hose in there and forced water through with success. That was a leaf clog though.

reelapeelin · #7 01-27-2006, 01:28 PM

Hammer, once you get 'er unclogged, you might wanna consider a screen-filter of some kind over the drain hole inside the tank ;)...

And Skools, glad to hear that bondo is OK if SEALED...makes sense... :D...

TheTinMan · #8 01-27-2006, 02:04 PM

Sorry about the boat Hammer, that sux! *I remember that boat, was trying to be sold here by a member Aquarius, a broker in NJ, don't think he was the one ending up selling it though.

If it were my boat, I'd NEED to know the extent of the damage, just wouldn't feel safe otherwise. *Hopefully it wasn't too bad. *Have you talked to a marine surveyor yet? *I'd probably want a section of the deck to come up to see how bad it actually was.

Here's the original thread:

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/cgi-bin/...8162;start=8#8

Good luck! *Hope it works out for you.

edit: is Bondo OK for a hull repair? Ever have a slight fender bender in a car with Bono? That crap usually just falls off. I'd do some more research there.

Skools Out · #9 01-27-2006, 02:11 PM

i wouldn't cut the floor and mess it up yet you know you have to fix the outside i'd start there and see what it looks like then if it looks really bad and big then you may decide to remove the floor. actually i'd remove all the bondo and see what's under it maybe put some glass in place of the bondo and build it up then rebondo over it to get it smooth then seal with resin then paint. send us pics of the area it is currently. if you want just email them to me at [email protected]

msbhammer · #10 01-27-2006, 07:37 PM

I'll shoot some pics today and email them to you and to post if you want. The fiberglass guy is known to be one of the best in De. and Md. He wants to make sure all the fiberglass is dry and the water is out as well. I;ll do whatever he recommends. The saw is within reaching, if he says to cut out the floor. I dont want to, and as of now, dont have to. But will take it step by step. First will grind off all the bondo and see what we have.
Thanks for all the great help in this. Yes, Aquaris is the one who sold me the boat.
Mike.