Ribcraft under-deck trunking drainage?

spartacus · 15 December 2012, 17:33

Does anyone know if there are drainage holes in Ribcraft under-deck trunking for cables, fuel pipes, steering cables, etc? This is on a 2010 boat.

Only reason I ask is that when I was replacing corroded wiring for the engine earlier in the year the cables came out wet, (Tohatsu don't use tinned wiring).

There is a rubber grommet at the exit end at the transom. I sikaflexed this in position. There's plastic flange to secure it in place with stainless steel self-tappers. Only thing I can think of is that water has got in - as it's almost impossible to make this completely waterproof - as water can probably still get in between the rubber grommet and the cables (of which there are many). There is a hull drainage bung, but in the 2 years I've had the boat, hardly a dribble comes out. Any way to remove the water in the trunking - assuming there's some sloshing around in there?

kerny · 15 December 2012, 17:55

I'm not an expert but could the cables be wet through condensation rather than water getting in.

jambo · 15 December 2012, 18:32

Spartacus give Jace a call at Ribcraft always found him very helpful. I would be interested as I have the same problem

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Pikey Dave · 15 December 2012, 18:48

Same here. I'm guessing that the trunking is sealed. They use a reinforced plastic hose. Water will get in via the "witches hat" at the stern. If they put drainage holes in it, it would allow the hull to flood if the boat got swamped.

GJ0KYZ · 15 December 2012, 19:23

I'm certain the trunking is sealed; I remember asking the same question when I picked my Ribcraft 6.8 up from the factory. Give Dorian a ring; he'll know. No water has ever come out of my bung hole either!

spartacus · 15 December 2012, 20:02

Thanks for the replies. I'll given Jason a call next week. I'm assuming it's a sealed trunk. Because the bow locker is sealed too - then that would account for just a dribble ot of the hull bung which I assume is just condensation. I've no idea how much water will be in the trunk, but I wouldn't have thought there's a lot. Leave it - or try and get it out?

Chris · 15 December 2012, 20:45

I have this on my current Osprey. The only option is to feed a length of hose down the trunk and siphon the water out. Water always seems to find its way into ducting. This is why Osprey now drill holes at the lowest point to let the water drain out into the hull. This can then be drained out through the bung.

jambo · 15 December 2012, 20:58

If as happens with heavy rain and I don't get to the rib, it floods then the there is a fair amount of water in the hull. It would suggest that it is surprising how much goes down the grommet into the trunking.

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spartacus · 15 December 2012, 21:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

I have this on my current Osprey. The only option is to feed a length of hose down the trunk and siphon the water out. Water always seems to find its way into ducting. This is why Osprey now drill holes at the lowest point to let the water drain out into the hull. This can then be drained out through the bung.

Cheers Chris. I'd have thought that was the case on the Ribcraft too. The hull void is laminated, so don't see why it would be an issue. What would you use to syphon the water out... and don't say suck!

We were swamped by a freak breaking wave last Autumn fishing off Cruden Bay. Guaranteed the water level was higher than the rubber grommet and water would have got in then. The transom well on my boat is like a bait-well at the best of times!

Nasher · 15 December 2012, 21:13

Sounds like you may be having a similar issue as I had with my Ocean.

No matter how hard you try it's almost imposible to seal the grommet/witches hat to the deck properly, and around a bunch of cables.

I decided the only way to reduce the amount of water going down the hole was to raise the hole up above the level of the deck so water wasn't sploshing around it.

This was my solution and has worked very well ever since.
http://www.rib.net/forum/f8/this-wee...ect-29761.html

Nasher.

EDIT
Ooops, you posted the image showing the grommet on the vertical surface whilst I typed this post.

Chris · 15 December 2012, 22:04

I am getting one of these from ebay to avoiding any more sucking.

Drill pump heavy duty for oil and fluids suitable for all drills TE472 | eBay

chewy · 16 December 2012, 06:48

I think its been brought up before and it is sealed.

spartacus · 16 December 2012, 09:34

Thanks Nasher - tidy job. When the witches hat (rubber grommet) was off before to feed in new cables - I noticed the hole has a raised fibreglass circumference, possible 2-3 inches from the deck level. The water isn't entering here, as I gave it a good bead of sikaflex. It must be entering where all the cables exit the grommet itself.

Chris - the drill pump seems like a good idea. I could run some clear tubing in and give it a blast with the drill to see what happens. Hopefully there's not too much in there.

Burtox · 18 December 2012, 01:48

I have got the same Ribcraft problem.

When I did my rewiring I had to vacuum the water out of the duct before threading the cables through. The most annoying thing is that the duct always fills up then when I go down a big wave the water rushes into the console

I have lifted the rubber boot in the console which has reduced the problem slightly. This problem has been bugging me for a while. I can't see an easy way to drain the water out as the duct is too low.

How about getting hold of a vacuum speedo pickup. Mount it on the transom or use the engine vacuum pick up which is usually located on the top of the gearbox. Connect it up and slide the open other end into the duct which should suck the water out of the duct.....This may work reduce the weight on board and should be cheap..... what do you think?

Davie · 18 December 2012, 06:50

Just don't fill the tube with expanding foam. I have just spent going on 3 days trying to change the main engine loom cable. No water in there though!

Pikey Dave · 18 December 2012, 11:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burtox

.....I go down a big wave the water rushes into the console

I have lifted the rubber boot in the console...

Am I missing summat? Why is your console filling with water, it should be sealed. The duct runs from inside the console, sealed? to the transom "witches hat" Are you saying water is coming back up the duct from the transom into the console?

Johnscubanut · 18 December 2012, 14:07

On a similar note, I opened up the transom bung in the splashwell on our Ribcraft & brown coffee colour water comes out? The first time I emptied it, it carried on for ages!!!
Now, about only 3-4 cupfuls. Is it purely condensation or water that has entered via the rubber witches hat?
Cheers-John