Ski locker water and winterization

[husbus]

I'm pretty sure I have one of the infamous leaks that makes my boat take on water. I'll have to troubleshoot that in the spring.

Today I winterized the boat at a marina "work rack", since I keep it in dry storage there. I noticed some water in the ski locker that wouldn't drain out. At first I thought the drain itself was plugged with something, so I blew some compressed air into it, but that didn't do anything but bubble the water. So I stuck my pinky in there to feel around and it appears to me that it drains directly into the hull, so it should just drain out the bilge drain, which was open. Nothing was coming out the back and the engine compartment (and the drain inside it) looked bone dry.

My conclusion would have to be that with the boat sitting on the rack, the ski locker is a lower point than the bilge drain, so water is running toward the bow instead of out the back. I emptied the locker and the void directly under the drain using a ShopVac. Can I be reasonably confident that I've removed all the water that could cause freezing damage? I suppose there could be more water further toward the bow?

 

[zipper]

Correct, the ski locker is above the deepest part of the hull. You will need to angle the bow up higher to get that water to drain aft. The storage rack will not let you do that, so a shop vac with a tube taped to the end of the hose that will fit into the drain is another option. I used this method on my 07 AR230, before I learned the ins and outs of these boats and jacking it up all the way, on a block of wood while on the trailer will drain all the water in the bilge. Water in ski locker drain It worked for me. If you are concerned about freezing temps in TN and any left over water freezing, then dump a little antifreeze in the drain.

 

[biffdotorg]

As much as I try to drain all water out of the hull and sponge out spaces that hold water, a person has to remind themselves of what water freeze damage is.

The worst of it happens with water in a space that has no room for expansion. Water sitting in a ski locker or hull will freeze and thaw with no real damage other than mildew and stink. Water in a ballast pump, line or bilge pump will expand and break plastic and metal.

So yes, get what you can, but worry more about the tight spaces where ice will actually damage anything.

 

[DiggerPA]

I am also in dry storage, I asked the fork lift operator to just tilt the boat back when taking it off the rack to let the water drain out. then they put it away in the warehouse. Maybe you could do the same?

 

[Neutron]

Get some of that pink R/V antifreeze and poor it in there to be safe

 

[husbus]

I am also in dry storage, I asked the fork lift operator to just tilt the boat back when taking it off the rack to let the water drain out. then they put it away in the warehouse. Maybe you could do the same?

Huh… I’ve never seen them tilt boats on that axis, so I don’t know if they can. But good idea, I’ll ask them!

 

[zipper]

I am also in dry storage, I asked the fork lift operator to just tilt the boat back when taking it off the rack to let the water drain out. then they put it away in the warehouse. Maybe you could do the same?

Who is responsible for managing the drain plug around the rack/warehouse and water?

 

[biffdotorg]

Huh… I’ve never seen them tilt boats on that axis, so I don’t know if they can. But good idea, I’ll ask them!

See my 242LS on the forklift in the photo below, that big guy tilts forward and backward as well. Not as much as your boat on a slanted boat landing, but slightly.

 

[DiggerPA]

@zipper that is a good question? The warehouse if fully enclosed, and I put all my covers on as I always do. I cover it just to keep it cleaner as it sits all week. They winterized the boat, so I guess if anything happened I could hold them responsible? Maybe? The building is only a couple years old, and the marina has a store and dealership attached which is open all year, so I assume they watch all of that? A lot of assumptions on my part. It is the first year I have done this, so I never thought to ask.

 

[knoxboatin]

Ha I literally just came home from dry storage this afternoon where I had the forklift driver do the tilt. I have been down the shopvac-and-worry route before. Last year I propped the work rack up (it's free-standing) on a couple hunks of wood but the marina has new management and says that's a safety issue. It was pretty sketchy actually. Also for next season I highly recommend pulling out the little fitting that drains the ski locker and re-sealing around it with silicon. My ski locker was dry all season this year. BUT... I still needed to do the tilt or else all the water was NOT out of the front of the hull without it.

 

[Madman]

I live in WI and will say that you’ve gone over and beyond! The ski locker has never been a concern me because, as biffdotorg stated, there is room for the water to expand. As long as the your ski locker isn’t flooded, you’re good!