Can't get to bottom of deck drains

[1986-222XF]

Anybody had same problem?  I have an 86 222XF.  I have water coming in boat during day.  It has to be coming through the thru-hulls for the deck drain (bad connector hose), I would think.  It must have been the last thing they installed before finishing boat, as you can't get to it.  HELP!!

[Capt. Bob]

I'm assuming you mean the bilge.

Not sure how the XF rear transom is built but on my 222CCP there are two deck plates that allow access to those drains. The plates are on each side of the factory live well in the splash well.

Also: see you're a LRB fan

[gcapehart]

Last season I always had a bit of water in the bilge. It would run out when i pulled the plug. This spring I cleaned  with thinner all the seams around cuddy windows or ports. Including where the windshield glass meets the frame. We have been out twice so far with a lot of spray and not a drop in  bilge or out the drain when the plug is pulled.   Gary

[Bill]

You shouldn't be getting any water into the bilge from the thru-hulls unless there is a leak in the hose or the couplings.  If you take those deck drain plates (the ones with the holes) out, and have a small enough hand, you can access the hoses that go to the thru-hulls. But water should go from the deck, into the drains, through the hoses, and out through the thru-hulls -- again there shouldn't be any water coming into the boat/bilge via that route unless it's a small amount in the hoses - if the thru-hulls are normally under water.  Incidently, in what is probably the worst design flaw I've seen in my Aquasport, those drain hoses bend almost immediately at a 90 degree angle, effectively "kinking" and reducing the water flow by at least least 50% of what a "straight hose" could attain.

Bill
'88 222 XF

[Capt. Bob]

You shouldn't be getting any water into the bilge from the thru-hulls unless there is a leak in the hose or the couplings.  If you take those deck drain plates (the ones with the holes) out, and have a small enough hand, you can access the hoses that go to the thru-hulls. But water should go from the deck, into the drains, through the hoses, and out through the thru-hulls -- again there shouldn't be any water coming into the boat/bilge via that route unless it's a small amount in the hoses - if the thru-hulls are normally under water.  Incidently, in what is probably the worst design flaw I've seen in my Aquasport, those drain hoses bend almost immediately at a 90 degree angle, effectively "kinking" and reducing the water flow by at least least 50% of what a "straight hose" could attain.

Bill
'88 222 XF

Bill,
After reading your post, I went out and pulled (unscrewed really) the port transom plate and looked down into the bilge. My deck drain is a 90 degree fitting and the thru hull is straight. I didn't measure the "drop" on the deck fitting (to the 90 degree) but I'd guess it's about 2 inches+/-.
The hose ID is about 1-1/2" (guessing cause I can't remember) and has a bend as it connects to the thru hull fitting but it certainly isn't kinked by any means. The 90 degree deck fitting allows for this smooth bend.
Also, smooth bend or straight hose, the drain would function the same (when in the water).
The only time that the deck would drain faster (slightly) with a straight hose is when the boat is out of the water. Please remember, I have no general knowledge of the XF model and your craft in specific. This set up pertains to the CCP models. One would think that Aquasport would have used a similar design on their models equipped with this type of drain.

As always, this post is useless without pics. Let me see what I can do.

edit to add pic:












OK she's not the cleanest bilge but you get the idea. I haven't been in there in quite a while. FYI: The bolts and plate to the bottom left hold on the bracket. The ones to the top right hold the support for my mini crane I use to place and retrieve by Brownie Third Lung. The thin plate lying by the hose is probably from the lifting hook :o

[1986-222XF]

Thanks for all your comments.  Looks like AS had a common "weak spot" in their design of this area.  To clear things up, it's not in the bilge.  I can access the bilge from a wide, hinged plate in center rear.  The 2 rear deck drains are the problem.  They are mounted between the stringers and the outside wall.  The only access to them, the hose and the back of the thru hull is from the top, exactly like the photo above shows.  After posting, I went back and pulled batteries from port side and oil tank from starboard.  I found a leaking hose between the drain and the thru hull on port side.  I can't reach it, so until I can get a gorilla armed friend to help,  I plugged the thru-hull from the outside with one of those twist tight transom plugs.  I left the starboard side operational.  Additionally, there's a small pipe permanently mounted at the bottom of the stringer at the rear of the hull that allows water from that side compartment to drain into the bilge.  What little water goes through that drain can be taken care of by the bilge.  We dive from my boat, so there is a lot of water that comes inside with the scuba gear.  I've installed a second, back-up 1500 pump so hopefully I won't have a problem anymore.  Thanks for all of your comments!!  The hose is mounted at a 90 degree angle on this model as well, and the thru-hull can't be more than 2" lower than that.  Poor design, but the Classis AquaSport makes up for it.  If anyone needs pics of the original 222XF, this one is mint.  It was kept indoors and only had 300 hours on it when I bought it.

[1986-222XF]

Cap't Bob...I just caught your comment regarding Little River Band.  YES...big fan of the classis rock-n-roll.  As a matter of fact, this boat's name is "Cool Change"...partly because I love the song, and partly because we came from a pontoon to this one.  I've have 12 boats in my life and the pontoon lasted 14 years.  I had made my last cruise to the end of the jetties and turned back shorebound with the pontoon.  The first time out on this boat and being able to keep on going was quit a "Cool Change".  We mostly boat in and around PC Florida.  We have a house there and keep the boat there during summer.  We live in Atlanta.  If there's anyone here that frequents the area of PCB, FL and would like to join on a dive trip...let me know.

Cap't Don & his 6Pack

[Bill]

1986-222XF -- glad you found the leak. As you see, it is a bear to try to get into that area to do any work.

Capt. Bob -- you're right, it's not exactly a "kink," but unfortunately, my hose does not go into a gentle bend as shown in your picture, nor do I have anything like the kind of room your boat has there. My hoses go into the severe, 90 degrees (or nearly so) bend I mentioned, and that effectively cuts much of the water flow, with the result being very slow deck drainage.

Best regards fellows,

Bill
"Shark Shadow"
'88 222 XF

[Capt. Bob]

Gentlemen,
I'd say that the end of the thru hull fitting is damn near level with the 90 degree end of the deck drain. When my boat is in the water, you can see water in the deck drain just below the rim (1/2" or so). I keep plugs in mine (the deck drains) when launching and leave them in most of the trip. Rain will make me remove them but even when we dive, I usually don't pull them until we get underway. I feel the design is fine (on my craft) but I would have thought that AS would have used the same on all their models utilizing this type of drain. If Bill's is kinked that bad, somebody ought to get their "pink slip"
Maybe that's why they're out of business :o.
My interest is keen on this because I continue to search for a "real deal" on a XF model.

Last, we're based in Tallahassee these days and do most of our boating out of Port St. Joe. just a little east of "Cool Change's" territory.

[GoneFission]

I would bet the water in the bilge is not coming from the drains.  More likely from the spashwell or deck seams.  Those deck drain hoses may not look purdy, but they rarely leak.  

You can get a LOT of water in the bilge through the deck/tank seams and through the spashwell seams.  These need to be caulked watertight.  You need to be careful with the spashwell, because some of the oil from the motor may have spilled/leaked down and caulk usually won't stick to an oily surface.  Clean the seams well before you caulk and I think you will find much less water in the bilge.

[Capt. Bob]

+1 on the splash well seams. I had already replaced the deck drain hoses so I knew that wasn't the problem and I always had water coming and going (I added a 3rd drain) in the splash. So I replaced the pop out deck plates with the screw down type, sealed the live well shut and re-sealed the seams along the "door" and battery boxes.

That stopped a fair amount of water going to the bilge.

Oh and GF, thanks for the links

[1986-222XF]

What a wealth of information on this subject...thanks guys!!  I actually plugged the thru-hulls and poured water into the drains to find the leak in mine.  After running this weekend with a plug in the thru hull, the amount of water in the bilge was much less.  There is a difference in how the CC and XF are designed.  The hose is much harder to get to in the XF models.  I have experienced the water/bilge issue with the splash well not being caulked as well.  I'm thinking about taking the plumbing out of the live well, plugging that transom hole and then sealing the splash well permanent.  Has anyone done this before?  I'm wondering now if the pipe between the live well and the transom might be leaking.  I did find another area where water was getting into the bilge.  Because the stern sits so low, and especially when you have 2 divers geared up in the rear, the live well fills with water moreso and then leaks through the fillhole where the pump hose comes in on the side next to the oil tank.  For such a well engineered hull design, I can't believe how many flaws are at the rear of this boat.  My boat is so "holy" I'm thinking about changing the name of it to "The Preacher".

[1986-222XF]

Cap't Bob:

I will be back in PCB over the July 4th weekend.  Would like to come see your CC and how you've addressed these issues.  There's obviously some major differences in the CC and the XF as far as how the stern was designed.  If you're gonna be out on the water, maybe we could hook-up somewhere.  We'll be out diving around.  Do you know Erik with "Kill Fish"?  I've been out to the rigs shootin' with him a few times.  We shot a 65# Cobia last time.  Great guy!!  Drop me a line at dongordon at charter dot net.