Drain plug

[Ando]

Hi Guys,

Some lakes around me have zebra mussels. Without knowing it I went into a lake with zebra mussels.
Now going to another lake my AR230 boat has to be super dry. The problem is I am having a really hard time drying the drain plug hole.
Inspectors put their pinky in there and if it's wet they don't pass you on inspection and you need to wait 10 days.
I am running out of ideas how to make it dry. No matter what I do there is still some wetness inside especially once I hook up and go.

Anyone have the same issue? Is there is special vacuum I can use?

 

[Wisefam22]

There is an access panel into the lower bilge area near clean out ports. Should be able unscrew that and stick hose to shop vac down there.

Raise trailer tongue and leave plug out when stored to help drain some.

 

[swatski]

Hi Guys,

Some lakes around me have zebra mussels. Without knowing it I went into a lake with zebra mussels.
Now going to another lake my AR230 boat has to be super dry. The problem is I am having a really hard time drying the drain plug hole.
Inspectors put their pinky in there and if it's wet they don't pass you on inspection and you need to wait 10 days.
I am running out of ideas how to make it dry. No matter what I do there is still some wetness inside especially once I hook up and go.

Anyone have the same issue? Is there is special vacuum I can use?

That is a PIA.
Lifting the bow up helps - by propping up the jack on a cinder block or similar letting the water drain back - and after that a shop vac.
It is virtually impossible to dry out water boxes in the exhaust system...

--

 

[swatski]

Also maybe helpful:
https://jetboaters.net/threads/mussel-inspection-nightmare.19431/
https://jetboaters.net/threads/clearing-water-out-of-exhaust-for-inspection.18941/
https://jetboaters.net/threads/100-of-engine-water-removed.15936/

--

 

[Ando]

There is an access panel into the lower bilge area near clean out ports. Should be able unscrew that and stick hose to shop vac down there.

Raise trailer tongue and leave plug out when stored to help drain some.

Yes I always have it raised up to max when parked.
Do as if I were to change the scupper valve?

 

[Julian]

First you want to crank the bow up as high as you can. I've done this by cranking the jack stand all the way up, then use something to hold up the tongue (I use a couple of 2x4's cut to the right length), then as swatski says, put a cinder block under the jack and jack it up again. This is especially important if the spot the boat is parked in is bow down.

Then, open up the hatch in the back of the boat where the clean out ports are (on your model it there will be a small round access port in the tray). Open the round access port and use a shop vac to suck any standing water out from the bilge area. Then I would use a blower in that same hole to blow any water out the drain hole that remains.

Leave the boat bow up until you go to the lake.

Make sure you have rev'd the engines a few times (not on hose) to blow out as much as you can from the water boxes. I think you can also use a small hose on the exhaust ports to suck out any water sitting in the tail end of the water boxes....just be sure you don't start the engines before they inspect or you may move more water back.

 

[Ando]

Also maybe helpful:
https://jetboaters.net/threads/mussel-inspection-nightmare.19431/
https://jetboaters.net/threads/clearing-water-out-of-exhaust-for-inspection.18941/
https://jetboaters.net/threads/100-of-engine-water-removed.15936/

--

Thanks. Read everything there. This is so annoying, but we have no choice.

 

[Ando]

First you want to crank the bow up as high as you can. I've done this by cranking the jack stand all the way up, then use something to hold up the tongue (I use a couple of 2x4's cut to the right length), then as swatski says, put a cinder block under the jack and jack it up again. This is especially important if the spot the boat is parked in is bow down.

Then, open up the hatch in the back of the boat where the clean out ports are (on your model it there will be a small round access port in the tray). Open the round access port and use a shop vac to suck any standing water out from the bilge area. Then I would use a blower in that same hole to blow any water out the drain hole that remains.

Leave the boat bow up until you go to the lake.

Make sure you have rev'd the engines a few times (not on hose) to blow out as much as you can from the water boxes. I think you can also use a small hose on the exhaust ports to suck out any water sitting in the tail end of the water boxes....just be sure you don't start the engines before they inspect or you may move more water back.

Great info thank you. The 3 times I failed was because the hull drain was wet when the inspector put his finger in there.

 

[zipper]

Jacking all the way up on the jackstand is not enough on a flat surface. As @swatski and @Julian said you will need a piece of wood. I use a 6x6 now, under the jack. Without the block water will remain forward under the ski locker. It will slosh around as you drive and produce a wet finger during inspection, great for other inspections, not so much for zebra mussels.
https://jetboaters.net/threads/water-in-ski-locker-drain.11968/#post-205692

 

[Ando]

Jacking all the way up on the jackstand is not enough on a flat surface. As @swatski and @Julian said you will need a piece of wood. I use a 6x6 now, under the jack. Without the block water will remain forward under the ski locker. It will slosh around as you drive and produce a wet finger during inspection, great for other inspections, not so much for zebra mussels.
https://jetboaters.net/threads/water-in-ski-locker-drain.11968/#post-205692

Thank you will try everything you guys advised

What type of silicone is used on the screws for the hull drain. There was 3 screws I removed and noticed it has silicone on it.

 

[zipper]

Did you remove just the screws? Not the drain thru hull? If so just clear or black silicone on the screws.

 

[Ando]

Did you remove just the screws? Not the drain thru hull? If so just clear silicone on the screws

Just the screws. I didn't want to pull out the black piece.