I recently replaced the bilge pump in...
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05-30-2021 11:18 AM
I recently replaced the bilge pump in my 2000 185 BR, and came across these 2 plugs in the bilge on either side of the bilge pump/float switch mounting board (red arrows in attached photo). Does anyone know what these are for? To the best of my knowledge, they are there from the factory.
Also, does anyone know what the bilge pump mounting board is made of (outlined in green in the attached photo)? Is it a glassed in piece of plywood, or is it a fibreglass board? I called Sea Ray, and the support agent referred me to (a) this forum, and (b) a review article of a 2003 BR that mentions that these Sea Ray bow riders area all-fibreglass construction.
Appreciate any insight!
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05-30-2021 04:58 PM
My speculation is that at one point those plugs had through hull transducers for depth and speed.
There are procedures for removing those transducers to ensure sufficient hull strength / integrity. It is possible that those are instead a quick repair.
The hull should be inspected on both sides, possibly w/ localized paint removal, to ensure that repair is implemented correctly.
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05-31-2021 09:52 AM
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06-06-2021 06:33 AM
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06-06-2021 08:41 AM
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06-06-2021 08:53 AM
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06-06-2021 09:15 AM
This conversation all started for me after replacing the bilge pump and had water coming out of the screw holes. I figure the water slowly seeped in through the bilge pump and float switch screw holes over the last 20 years and became trapped in the small space between the bilge pump mounting board and the bottom the hull. Knowing that there is no wood in the hull gave me peace of mind that there was no chance of any structural rot down there; however, I'm not certain about the mounting board itself. No big deal either way, as it's not a structural piece. For now I just removed as much of the water as I could using a syringe. There was plenty of bite left in the board when I mounted the new pump so, if it is in fact wood, I don't think it's too badly rotted yet. Any chance you have any knowledge on whether this board is in fact wood between the glass, or if it's also a fiberglass board?
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06-07-2021 06:19 AM
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06-07-2021 06:32 AM
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06-07-2021 09:18 PM
Any chance you have any knowledge of that bilge pump mounting board?
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06-08-2021 05:55 AM
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06-08-2021 11:16 AM
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06-08-2021 11:58 AM
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06-08-2021 05:23 PM
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06-08-2021 08:30 PM
It is preferred to NOT depend upon sealant to keep the interior of the hull dry.
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06-09-2021 05:36 AM
https://www.westsystem.com/wp-content/uploads/Fiberglass-Manual-2015.pdf
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06-09-2021 10:55 AM
But, just to be clear, I'm not talking about any holes through my hull here. See the attached diagram showing what I am referring to, including the trapped water between the mounting board and the actual hull. I extracted as much water as I could using a syringe and small tube through the old bilge pump screw holes. My suspicion is that bilge water slowly seeped into this compartment through the bilge pump and float switch mounting holes, which were obviously insufficiently sealed from the factory. There's actually another discussion on here about someone who had a similar issue on a 98 290DA, so I suspect it might be a fairly widespread issue, with most being unaware that it exists unless going in to replace a bilge pump and specifically checking for water through the holes.
http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/bilge-pump-mounting-plate-core-issue.83414/
MoparBob - I have no real concerns, as the water trapped in this compartment could not have penetrated the fibreglass hull; however, there was some speculation on another forum that the mounting board itself would be rotted, which is why I'm trying to determine whether it was constructed of glassed wood or solid glass. That said, when screwing in the new pump there was a lot of 'grab' left in the board so, whatever it is, it's not too badly rotted yet.
wingless - the reason I didn't use this proper bedding procedure for the new bilge pump screw holes was because water has already penetrated the holes and been trapped down there for who knows how long - could be years. I saw no point in going to that extra effort when the damage has already been done. Since it's just a sacrificial mounting board, worst case scenario I will have to replace it in a few years, but for now I see no point in doing so as long as the hardware is still holding.