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LKSD
12-20-2002, 09:07 AM
:) anyone having : high performance, parts , service, repair & restoration questions on wood or fiberglass boats and their inboards or i/o's current or antique. please post your question or email me your question & i will do my best to answer & post it on the site to help you & the other members. ...........jamie jw@lakesiderestorations.com (mailto:jw@lakesiderestorations.com)

online factory mercruiser , volvo & indmar parts www.lakesiderestorations.com (http://www.lakesiderestorations.com)

Fish boy
12-21-2002, 07:08 AM
Hi Jamie,
I have a 23 donzi center console that I am having difficulty getting the speed I should out of. Two people whose opinions I value (MadPoodle and Budmann) suggested that I probably have water trapped in the hull. I beleive they are correct. The boat seems heavier than it used to, and it is slower with more horsepower.

Any suggestions as to how to deal with this? Is there a way to dry it out or otherwise remvove the water without major surgery?

Thanks,
Jody

LKSD
12-21-2002, 09:19 AM
WATER ENTRAPMENT IN A HULL IS DEFINITLEY POSSIBLE. ( I SEE IT FREQUENTLY IN OLDER BOATS HERE IN THE NORTH EAST US.) FIRST OFF IM AM GOING TO ASSUME THAT YOU HAVE THE BOAT PROPPED CORRECTLY AND UNDER SPEED THE BOAT IS ALSO TRIMMED CORRECTLY AND YOUR OUTBOARDS HEIGHT & OFFSET ARE CORRECT. IF THESE ARENT CORRECT DEFINITLY START HERE FIRST ( ITS EASIER ,FASTER & CHEAPER TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS FIRST ALSO ITS MANY TIMES THE ROOT OF THE EVIL SPEED LOSS.) . IF ALL OF THE ITEMS MENTIONED ARE CORRECT THAN WE CAN LOOK INTO WATER SATURATION. FIRST CHECK IF THE ACTUAL WATERLINE OF THE BOAT COMPARED TO THE BOOT STRIPE OR PAINTED WATERLINE IF IT HAS CHANGED THIS WILL HELP DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE A WATER SATURATION PROBLEM ( IF THE BOAT SITS LOWER IN THE WATER "IN NEUTRAL" THAN IT SHOULD OR DID) .IF IT SITS DIFFERENTLY OR TO LOW YOU WILL NEED TO NOW CHECK CLOSELY FOR AREAS THAT THE WATER COULD HAVE ENTERED THE HULL. CHECK THE TRANSOM FOR CRACKS, CHECK THE RUB RAIL & HULL DECK TO BOTTOM FOR SEPARATION OR CAULKING SEPARATION & CHECK INSIDE THE BOAT FOR BAD, LOOSE , CRACKED OR BROKEN THRU HULL FITTINGS & DRAINS. (THIS IS AN EASY AREA FOR WATER PROBLEMS TO START) . ALSO CHECK THE FLOOR & STRINGERS FOR CRACKS & SEPARATION. IF THE BOAT HAS ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS THEY WILL ALL NEED TO BE FIXED AFTER REMOVING ANY WATER. TO REMOVE THE WATER THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO IT. 1 (THE BEST WAY)OPEN UP THE AREA THATS WET SO IT CAN DRY AND OR BE VACCUMED OUT IF POSSIBLE. IF IT HAS FOAM IN IT REMOVE IT (IF IT IS WET IT WILL NEVER DRY OUT ) THIS IS MOST LIKELY YOUR PROBLEM. UNFOUTUNATLEY TO REMOVE FOAM SOMETIMES MEANS CUTTING OR DRILLING & VACCUMING IT OUT OF AREAS ENCLOSED AREAS( NOT EASY OR PRETTY) THIS CAN BE COSTLY & DIFFICULT (I RECCOMMEND A PROFFESSIONAL DO THIS AT THIS POINT FOR A GOOD REPAIR FOR BOTH STRUCTURE & COSMETIC REASONS) . 2 IF THERE IS NO FOAM BUT WATER IS TRAPPED IN THE HULL YOU WILL PROBABLY NEED TO STRATIGICALLY DRILL A SMALL HOLE & LET THE WATER DRAIN OUT & THEN HAVE THE SMALL HOLE REPAIRED (AGAIN I RECCOMMEND A PRO DO THIS AS WELL) & THEN MAKE SURE THE PLACE WHERE THE WATER ENTERED FROM IS PROPERLY REPAIRED. LASTLY CHECK THE SRINGERS OF YOUR BOAT IF THERE ARE CRACKS IN THEM WATER MAY HAVE PERMEATED THE STRINGER MATERIALS & COULD HAVE CAUSED IT TO BECOME WATERLOGGED. CHECK THE STRINGERS FOR ROT & OR SOFTNESS OR SPONGYNESS IF THEY HAVE ANY OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS THE PROBLEM COULD BE THE STRINGERS IF SO THEY MAY NEED PARTIAL OR COMPLETE REPLACEMENT & THIS SOULD BE DONE DY SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE IT BEFORE IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT JOB & IT IMPORTANT ITS DONE RIGHT ( ITS THE FRAME FOR YOUR BOAT) . I HOPE THIS WAS OF SOME HELP TO YOU . IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO ASK I WILL DO MY BEST TO HELP....... JW@LAKESIDERESTORATIONS.COM (mailto:JW@LAKESIDERESTORATIONS.COM)

Fish boy
12-22-2002, 08:56 AM
JW,
Thanks for the detailed advice. I already went down the road of props, trim, jackplate height. I think I am just going to have to face the fact that I am going to need to have someone pop the deck and address the problem. I was just hoping that there might be another way. Thanks again for the advice.

Happy holidays,

Jody

KMLFAMILY
12-22-2002, 01:09 PM
Just an idea. Can you bring the boat/trailer to a truck scale or weight station of some sort? Then return with trailer only and do the math on what the total boat weight is and suppose to be.It will give you a starting point.

LKSD
12-24-2002, 08:16 AM
A SCALE WOULD WORK , HOW EVER YOU WOULD NEED TO KNOW EXACT TRAILER , ENGINE & AMMOUNT OF FUEL WEIGHT & THE UNLADEN WT OF THE BOAT TO MATHEMATICALLY CHECK THE DIFFERENCE. ALSO THERE MAY BE SOME COMPARTMENTS HE CAN CHECK IN FOR PROBLEMS, BUT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THAT WONT GIVE HIM ENOUGH SPACE & ACSESS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE DECK BEING POPPED OFF MAY BE THE BEST BET ALL AROUND ( I KNOW IT CAN BE A REAL PAIN IN THE BUT BUT IT WOUD DO THE LEAST DAMMAGE & ALLOW FOR THE BEST REPAIR.) HAPPY HOLIDAYS............JAMIE

Fish boy
12-24-2002, 08:57 AM
Thanks everyone,
I can gain access in some areas under the deck, but as Scott correctly pointed out, I will have to remove the console, the deck section under it, and then the 100 gal. tank to get to the rest.

Happy Holidays,

Jody