Fwd bilge compartment won't drain aft

[capt.warren]

I have a 1995 225 Explorer that I'm nearly finished restoring. My problem is that the forward bilge compartment won't drain aft. The drain tube is choked with flotation from maunufacturing. I don't think the bilge ever drained properly. I'm afraid to open up the hole (even if I can get access) by drilling because of the fuel tank. On top of that, both storage compartments under the seating in the v-berth won't drain into the forward bilge. There are limber holes that drain the compartments aft but the water collects behind the stringers. Does anyone have drawings of the build for this model? I'm ready to cut a hole in the floor at the cabin entry to get access. I was able to open up the limber hole with a screwdriver to drain the stbd compartment into the fwd bilge but not the port side. Any thoughts?

Thanks for any help.
Capt. Warren

[seabob4]

I hate to say it, CW, but good luck!  In theory, the bulkheads outboard of the outboard stringers should have weep holes drilled at the bases so as to allow water to flow aft.  They should also have weep holes drilled through the aft base of the stringers to allow water to flow to the inner cavities, than drain aft.  Of course, underneath the fuel tank compartment...

But God knows what could be clogging up the weep holes, and getting at them now is an utter bitch!

[Circle Hooked]

CW  Bob do you think it would be worth removing the pie plate in the cabin and jamming a garden hose in there to see if that loosens anything up.

Also CW does the boat have a bilge pump under the pie plate in the cabin ?

[seabob4]

CW  Bob do you think it would be worth removing the pie plate in the cabin and jamming a garden hose in there to see if that loosens anything up.

Also CW does the boat have a bilge pump under the pie plate in the cabin ?

Scott,
He should, but one wouldn't want to think it is there for the purpose of making up for a manufacturing defect...but it should work in case of some sort of major water intrusion into the cabin area...

I really think getting one's head where most builders don't want you to go might shed some light on the problem.  BTW, CW, your fwd bilge pump won't have a switch at the helm panel.  One lead from the float is wired to "constant hot", the other lead is butted to the brown off the pump, ground to ground.  It only works off the float switch...

[capt.warren]

Thanks for the replies. There is a pie plate and I've tried forcing water through the drain tube in the fwd bilge as well as the storage compartments in the v-berth. The fwd bilge pump does have a switch at the helm as well as a float switch.

My main concerns are:

1- If I try to open the drain tube in the fwd bilge with a drill bit, how far can I drill before I hit the fuel tank.
2- how can I open up the clog in the limber hole on the port side to allow water to drain past the stringer into the fwd bilge area?

What I really need are some engineering drawings. I can take some digital photos and post tomorrow evening. I really appreciate your responses to my issue.

Warren

[Capt. Bob]

I realize this is very hard to see but look close.....


The photo in the lower right hand corner is the stringer system used on the 1995 models. I would think that under your deck (if you could magically lift it off) this is what you would see.
Next, unlike Bob, I wasn't there when they built these boats but, this system looks very similar to my 1991 210 WAC.

On my model, water (under normal conditions) flows from the forward bilge to the rear bilge through a pipe that enters the tank compartment. The tank is mounted on a plywood platform. The bottom of the platform is higher than the pipe entering the compartment so water flows down the keel, under the raised platform. It exits the tank compartment via another pipe which conveys the water to the rear bilge. The two pipes are not connected within the tank compartment.

 Front of tank compartment. (tank removed) Note raised platform


Rear of tank compartment. Notice no pipe connection.


When the bilge pump cannot handle the input of water into the front bilge and the conveyance through the tank compartment reaches its capacity, then water flows to the rear bilge through the holes (as Bob noted) on the  "knees" (not sure that's the right term) and traverses down along the outside of the stringer system.

You can see one of the weep holes (port side) in the corner (with all the junk in front) of this pick.


Same is true on the starboard side but some also (it appears to me) to pass through the rigging tube.(hard to see in this pic)



Hope this helps as far as a basic (very) diagram goes. You may have a blockage in the connection from the front bilge to the tank compartment. Personally, I blocked off the tank compartment on both ends to prevent water from entering and will be relying strictly on the bilge pump and weep holes. I did not want any water to enter the tank coffin.

Front of tank coffin with pipe plugged.


Good luck.

[capt.warren]

Thanks again. The pictures will help. I'll have to open up this post on my pc though. The images on my I-phone are tiny. What I understand is that if I am able to open up the centerline drain tube for the fwd bilge by drilling, it exits below the fuel tank?

Warren

[seabob4]

Thanks again. The pictures will help. I'll have to open up this post on my pc though. The images on my I-phone are tiny. What I understand is that if I am able to open up the centerline drain tube for the fwd bilge by drilling, it exits below the fuel tank?

Warren

Correct.  Sorry about the mis-info regarding the fwd bilge pump not having a manual switch at the helm, many cabin boats don't.  Hey, I built Ospreys, they didn't have fwd bilge pumps...

[Capt. Bob]

What I understand is that if I am able to open up the centerline drain tube for the fwd bilge by drilling, it exits below the fuel tank?
Warren

Warren,
I can't confirm that with your model. On mine it apparently did. My tank occupied the entire coffin. You can see the rubber strap that buffered the front of the tank from the forward bulkhead. Same for the rear of the coffin. In my case, the aluminum tank bridged the gap between the end of the pipe and platform at both ends. Theoretically you should be able to snake a wire from the front bilge, through the pipe, under the platform following the keel center line and exit the back pipe (with a little luck) into the bilge. Build conditions at the time of manufacture may impede that process but it could happen.

That stated, I'd be extremely cautious about placing a drill bit in the pipe for several reasons.
First, what I'm telling you may not pertain to your model at all but looking at the picture in the 95 catalog, I believe it does.
Second, I think, based on what I've read on this forum, that you may have a poly tank rather than aluminum. If so, that could greatly increase your chance of error and result in possibly penetrating the tank without your knowledge. :o
Third, I don't believe you have an actual hatch cover you can remove in order to view the tank from above. This would greatly help your effort and other 225 EX members will hopefully confirm or repute this thought.

I would try (if you haven't already) to use first, an electrical fish tape to go through the pipe and then maybe a plumber's metal hand twist drain pipe cleaner. That should be a 2" pipe so you'll have a little room to work with but I'd not recommend any kind of powered device for trying to clear the pipe.

The hope was (is) that the pics might give you a better understanding of what's hiding under the deck.

Good luck.

[fitz73222]

Maybe fashioning a means to shoot compressed air to dislodge the impaction might do the trick?

[Circle Hooked]

Third, I don't believe you have an actual hatch cover you can remove in order to view the tank from above. This would greatly help your effort and other 225 EX members will hopefully confirm or repute this thought.

Bob your right about that,I'm not looking forward to the day i have cut the deck open to pull my tank.

[Capt. Bob]

Third, I don't believe you have an actual hatch cover you can remove in order to view the tank from above. This would greatly help your effort and other 225 EX members will hopefully confirm or repute this thought.

Bob your right about that,I'm not looking forward to the day i have cut the deck open to pull my tank.

Scott,
I would think that even if water enters the tank compartment, the poly tank will handle it much better than the aluminum and will probably (all other things considered) last quite a bit longer than its metal brother.

[seabob4]

Third, I don't believe you have an actual hatch cover you can remove in order to view the tank from above. This would greatly help your effort and other 225 EX members will hopefully confirm or repute this thought.

Bob your right about that,I'm not looking forward to the day i have cut the deck open to pull my tank.

Scott,
I was on myaqua225s 225 Explorer last weekend, there, in the cockpit sole, is the outline of what should be a tank hatch...why they ever got rid of an actual hatch is beyond me...

[Circle Hooked]

Scott,
I was on myaqua225s 225 Explorer last weekend, there, in the cockpit sole, is the outline of what should be a tank hatch...why they ever got rid of an actual hatch is beyond me...Image

Bob you're right about the out line,i can make guess why they did it that way but the logic side of by brain starts to hurt,i will say if i ever do have to open it up,it will become a hatch from then on.