Leaking sump bung

al40 · 27 December 2006, 00:46

My Ribcraft 5.3 has a bronze bung between the under deck space and the rear sump which so far seems to leak... The threads are covered in a green coloured grease which I assume was supposed to seal it along with the rubber o-ring. Boat hasn't yet been in the water but just from rainwater filling the rear sump, the underhull cavity was pretty much full based on how much water came out when I opened the bung. It took a full day of water glugging through the bung into the sump and the pump emptying it out.

Anyone had any similar issues on Ribcrafts? Boat is only a few months old so I assume the bung would be well sikaflexed onto the bulkhead! Have yet to take it off to check.

Has anyone fitted a transom bung to allow the rear well to drain properly when boat is out of the water. I'm actually quite dissapointed that Ribcraft don't do this by default. I'm not that keen on putting a bung in unless it could be sealed properly to prevent any water getting into the ply in the transom.

Al.

vince · 27 December 2006, 09:29

Good morning al40. The Leeway`s have a bung built into the transom, and it is very useful especialy if it rains etc, and the boat is on the trailer. No need to keep the pump on. It also gets rid of all the water in the sump so no greenery growing there, the pump tends to leave in a half inch. I`m sure someone on here could show how to diy it.

fast fred · 27 December 2006, 11:22

unless you had it nose down, not likely to leak in but not out. a bung over hear is a rubber plug with a expansion lever on it.

anyway you can drill a hole through the transom and put a bung there or a check ball, the check ball is cool, it will open when the hulls on plain and drain, and close when not on plain.
drill your hole, paint in side the hole with fiberglass resent, my self would then use a PVC pipe with a flair cap end, let the resent kick, seal it, and that should do it for ya.

al40 · 27 December 2006, 12:16

Thanks for replies. I was thinking of a bronze or stainless tube sikaflexed into the hull with one of those expaning bungs in it.

Really can't understand why Ribcraft don't fit these...... For an otherwise fantastic boat builder it seems a big oversight.

Biggles · 27 December 2006, 13:15

Al,

I'm quite suprised that bung leaks. Maybe it wasn't fitted properly. Wouldn't it be better to go back to RIBCRAFT and get them to sort it. You say the boats only a couple of months old it really shouldn't be doing that.

BogMonster · 27 December 2006, 13:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by al40

Has anyone fitted a transom bung to allow the rear well to drain properly when boat is out of the water. I'm actually quite dissapointed that Ribcraft don't do this by default. I'm not that keen on putting a bung in unless it could be sealed properly to prevent any water getting into the ply in the transom.

My Humber doesn't have one either (the lowest drain point is the elephant trunk which is a good couple of inches above the bottom of the bilge) and I think it is just plain daft not to fit as standard, something that you can take out when on a trailer to keep everything dry. I don't suppose a suitable bung fitting would cost more than about a tenner for any boat - it only needs to be a 1/2" hole to keep up with anything that rainfall is likely to produce! I did think about fitting one but at the moment a boat full of water is not my greatest problem.... but I was also worried about whether I could seal it properly.

From what I have read, the Mac boats seem to have a bung fitting that you can even leave out when the boat is in the water to prevent it filling up with rain and getting swamped, but I guess it depends on the natural buoyancy of the boat type, not much good if the natural buoyancy means six inches of water inside the boat

al40 · 27 December 2006, 15:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggles

Al,

I'm quite suprised that bung leaks. Maybe it wasn't fitted properly. Wouldn't it be better to go back to RIBCRAFT and get them to sort it. You say the boats only a couple of months old it really shouldn't be doing that.

Agreed - I've been waiting for Ribcraft to return my voicemail / email - but I guess they are probably on holiday at the moment. At the very least I'm expecting a new bung assembly to be posted up.

I'm kind of concerned any damage may have already been done if it is leaking around the outside of the bung (ie where it should have been sealed) - not sure if it's a plywood core at that point.

I still like the idea of a proper bung at lowest point in the well though as the under deck bung could then be left open to really dry the area out.

Biggles · 27 December 2006, 16:15

Mystified me as well. a couple of time I've sponged any excess water out. And on nice days with a bit of sun I make sure the covers are off the boat to try a bit of it out.

With regards RIBCRAFT, you really need to persevere with getting hold of them.

IBWET · 27 December 2006, 21:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biggles

Mystified me as well. a couple of time I've sponged any excess water out. And on nice days with a bit of sun I make sure the covers are off the boat to try a bit of it out.

With regards RIBCRAFT, you really need to persevere with getting hold of them.

YOU are the customer, you should'nt need to chase.

If you can't handle phone traffic employ someone to do it.

Deal with Dorian Martin.

Downhilldai · 27 December 2006, 21:48

Are you sure it's the plug at fault? Water has been known to get into the void beneath the deck from other sources. How's your anchor locker and duct from the console to stern?

al40 · 28 December 2006, 01:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Are you sure it's the plug at fault? Water has been known to get into the void beneath the deck from other sources. How's your anchor locker and duct from the console to stern?

I am 99% sure it's the bung - the fact the underfloor was almost full leads me to this conclusion (all the water runoff from the deck draining into the well and then leaking under the floor via the bung). As it's only rainwater, I can't think of any other explanation that would fill it that quick (boat has not yet been in the water). The anchor locker does have some water in it but seems to contain it. I think the duct is OK as I pulled cables through and they came out dry

IBWET - Agreed we should not have to chase. Dorian has not got back to me yet. I can only assume they are on holiday at the moment, although a voicemail message / email postaway to that effect would have been good courtesy from Ribcraft.

Downhilldai · 30 December 2006, 20:55

In dry conditions (if that ever happens!), with the hull void emptied, try just filling the well to deck level and check whether the water leaks from there into the hull void. This would eliminate any other possible causes of the leak.

Alternatively, lower the bow and get some water into the hull void, then with the plug in place, raise the bow to check whether the water drains back out into the well.

Good luck

Lawrence · 02 January 2007, 12:13

These bungs can be quite problematical; Roycruse couldn't get his out http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=13549 but at least when he did it was dry inside. I have tried to undo mine but haven't been able to yet, but I had better check considering how much water you had in yours.

Ribcraft fit a transom bung as standard to the 4.8 and I ordered one for my 5.3 but they forgot to fit one. However I've not missed it though as I always pull a tarpaulin over him to keep the rain off.

Keep us informed, yes, Ribcraft are difficult to contact... (but it is Christmas and the London Boat Show is on in a few days) but when they do get back to you I'm sure they will be very helpful, as they have been with me.

al40 · 07 January 2007, 22:57

Just a quick update on this.

The after-sales manager of Ribcraft called me on Tuesday this week and was pretty helpful. He sent up a replacement bung and tube of sealent and screws so I can re-fit the new bung and also re-seal the anchor locker.

It's been too wet to go down to the boat since then but I'll let you know what I find when I remove the current bung / anchor locker lid (I'll try and remember to take my camera). I suspect they are either not sealed or are poorly sealed. It seems odd that 2/2 things which are supposedly sealed onto the deck leak!

Hopefully this will fix the problems (not that it excuses the issues being there in the 1st place!)

al40 · 10 January 2007, 19:17

I managed to get down to the boat today and fitted the new bung.

Removing the old one was really difficult as the screws were exceptionally tight (and hard to get at). I ended up drilling one of them out and levering the bung out which actually sheared the screw flush with the bulkhead. Anyway, it's now clear why the bung was leaking - there was very little sealent round the bottom part of the fitting and there was a clear path for water to get through. It had obviously not been fitted such that the sealent squirted out on all sides. I also discovered where it was mounted was not flat so it wasn't sitting well against the bulkhead.... Not very impressed with this I must say!

I drilled new holes (as one still had the old screw in it) and flattened out the bulkhead then put loads of sikaflex on the new fitting (ask IBWET how much sikaflex I use :-) ) and screwed it in place - pleanty of sealent oozing out all round the bung so hopefully this one will now seal properly!

Next the anchor locker - I'm sure this will be the same problem, ie not enough sealant. Will post when I've done that, hopefully with some pics this time.