Transom scuppers below water line

[gradyrod]

I have had a problem, as have many others, with the scuppers of my 1985 Fisherman 204 being partly underwater. This year, in fact, even the aft scuppers on the sides of the hull that drain the fish boxes were partly submerged. I keep my boat in the water at a dock and I am worried about this situation. I replaced my fuel tank two years ago and did not find any water saturation in the stringers. I am beginning to think perhaps its the transom that is wet and heavy.

What I am planning is to plug up the 4 transom scuppers with rubber stoppers, and place an automatic bilge pump in the aft corner of the boat to pump any rain water overboard as it collects. This is the only thing I can think of to solve this problem. When I go out I can always remove the plugs in case a wave comes over the transom so it can drain quickly.

Anyone else have any thoughts on how to prevent the aft deck area from being constantly wet?
Thanks.

Gradyrod
1985 Fisherman 204
1997 Johnson 175 Oceanrunner

 

[Pez Vela]

Pending further investigation of the cause of the problem, you might place some extra weight in the bow ... possibly several jugs of water or something heavy that does not pose a risk of theft.

If your problem has been worsening over time, you definitely need to get after it.

 

[Gulf Coast Grady]

Even though the scuppers are submerged, or partially submerged, they will still drain your cockpit. If you plug them and get a heavy rain you might be sorry, even with a bilge pump. It sounds like your boat is getting lower in the water. I would pull the boat out of the water and check out the transom and bilge for water. On my 204 C there is an area in the bilge, in front of the fuel tank, that retains water and is difficult to reach. Good luck, at least you have a boat that is easy to haul out.

 

[gradyrod]

Thanks for the replies!

I really would rather not weight down the bow, but it is an option!

As for the water intrusion, Gulf Coast, how would I get to that area forward of the fuel tank? I guess I would have to remove the deck to inspect this area? Or could I cut an inspection port in the deck just forward of the front facing seat(between seat and forward deck platform) and reach that area?

Then, if I find water, what the h..l do I do about it???

Gradyrod

 

[nap72]

I'm hating this problem too.

This offseason, i'm thinking of putting in-line, one-way, plastic check valves in the hose going to the scuppers from the cockpit.

Any thoughts???

 

[gradyrod]

in line valve problems

I tried putting the ping pong ball with plastic housing on the stern just behind the scuppers. They really didn't work too well at first, then as they fouled with marine growth they became totally useless. I'm afraid you'd have the same fouling problem with the in-line check valves.

What I was thinking was to use rubber stoppers to plug up the existing scuppers, then perhaps drilling one or two new holes in the transom in inch or so above my present water line, and adding an automatic bilge pump in the transom area. This would allow normal rain water to be pumped out with the bilge, and if a lot of water started building up, the new higher scupper would allow it to drain out!

How about that idea?

Gradyrod

 

[Pez Vela]

On the chance that your scuppers were the source of the leak, my original suggestion of adding weight to the bow was only intended to raise the level of your transom on a VERY TEMPORARY basis while at your dock, until you had time to pull your boat out of the water and find out exactly what the problem is. You need to find out why your boat is slowly sinking before you go any further. Your plan sounds like the precursor to an insurance claim.

 

[Gulf Coast Grady]

It seems that there are two issues here. One is that the scuppers are at or below the waterline. The second is that your boat is sinking lower in the water.
There have been many threads on this forum about Grady scuppers. You might want to check out some of these threads to look at the various factors involved; boat design, weight of outboard motor, equipment in the stern, scupper design, etc.
If your boat is getting lower in the water then you need to find out why. Placing stoppers in the scuppers and using a bilge pump might buy a little time but will not address the problem.
When my boat, 1985 204c, began to sit lower in the water I placed it on the trailer and checked the transom. I drilled some test holes, removed the metal trim on top of the transom and found that there was water and rotten wood inside. I had the transom rebuilt.
I removed a cabinet under the port side seat and was able to look underneath the deck in front of the fuel tank bulkhead. Water and debris was trapped in the bilge. I removed the cover to the fuel tank, rebuilt the bulkhead and cleaned out the bilge drain that leads under the fuel tank to the stern. If your bulkhead is sound you may only need to clean out the drain leading to the stern.
Sorry to be so long winded.

 

[Curmudgeon]

.. and adding an automatic bilge pump in the transom area.

If you don't have a bilge pump in the transom area, that should be your first priority. If you wet slip and don't have an automatic pump in the transom area, that should be your first priority ... :?

 

[GW VOYAGER]

If your scuppers have sank futher below waterline than last season and you haven't added any additional weight to the back of the boat you may be getting water in the structure and I would check this out before it gets worse.
Just my suggestion. Good luck.

 

[gradyrod]

how to best check for water intrusion

Thanks everyone for the good advice ! Let me first say that I do keep my boat at a slip for the season, and I do have an auto bilge pump in the aft bilge!! What I was suggesting was putting another auto bilge pump up on the deck back in the aft corner. This would serve to pump out any rain water that pooled due to the fact that I would keep rubber stoppers in the scuppers, so rain water would not be able to drain out on its own.

You guys are certainly correct saying I need to find out why the boat is lowering in the water. My question is how do I go about finding the source of the intrusion. I understand the transom is one place, but where are the others and how do I investigate them?

I do keep two batteries aboard, one in each rear corner, and I suppose I could move them up under the console; however, again I would not be finding the cause of the trouble, only further reacting to the excess weight.

I love my Grady-- lots of great fishing and family time-- I really would like to get to the source of this water weight problem!

Thanks again!

Gradyrod
1985 Fisherman 204

 

[jdsmith]

Rod, this is Jerry in Richmond. Relocating your batteries might help you a little. My battery is in the console , secured to the deck with a mounting bracket.

 

[seasick]

Once the boat is out, you can look for a wet transom or foam or stringers etc. I would advise against plugging the scuppers. If it rains hard, the deck can fill up in a hurry and that could lead to a more serious problem.
The main point to make is that if this problem didn't exist before and you haven't changed the motor or added a bracket or something else heavy, then you probably have a water issue. ) I assume you have checked the bilge for water and that the pump works.

 

[mronzo]

Besides doing what's been mentioned check the scupper through hulls on the transom! Look for rusty water coming from there when the boat is pulled.
also lift the flap if it has one and carefully feel the inside with your finger for any cracks. I discovered a crack in my ss transom scupper thru hull and replaced it.

 

[jweschler]

I had the same thing happen but I have the grady bracket with twins. And when I was cleaning it last year the access hole in the grady bracket moved I looked inside and it was full of water. So I pumped it out and used clear sealant to keep the water out and now my scupper are above the water and drain great.

 

[BobP]

I did some calculations of the 20 ft transom.

If half of the transom was filled with solid water instead of wood, it would only weight less than about 70 lbs more. If the transom was 70 lbs heavier, would the water line be as is?

If it was half filled with water, an 1/8 inch hole drilled on the inner skin, six inches above the hull at the centerline you would see water peeing out like a faucet. Since you inspected the tank compartment and didn't find a buildup, it suggests the bilge (keel) is draining properly to the stern.

If you suspect more dead weight, it has to be on the outboard side of the main stringers. The mains are what you see in the gas tank compartment running lengthwise. The area is under the fixed part of the cockpit floor.
Under the stern corner seats, you may see the bulkhead, bore a hole through, 1.5 iches above the hull, on both port and starboard sides, water should run out of in there.

Good luck,. Also suggest not to block deck drains if unattended, boat may sink in heavy rains, it will not sink if it drains off the deck today to the sea, as I expect, irrespective to elevation of scupper in relation to water line.

.




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That area is supposed to be foam filled. A very large volume of water may collect if not for the foam. Foam should go all the way to deck height.