Water entering rib in reverse

[LynnF]

Hi, I have A Brig 5.8 it is my first ever boat.
The rib has only done about 60 hours but when I put it in reverse water comes in and covers the floor. If I do a fast reverse in pours in.
The rib does have a bilge pump and when I start to go forward it does clear all the water.
Any suggestions?
Thanks

[dave3235]

Hi

You could try going faster

[Dan Gurney]

Originally Posted by LynnF

Hi, I have A Brig 5.8 it is my first ever boat.
The rib has only done about 60 hours but when I put it in reverse water comes in and covers the floor. If I do a fast reverse in pours in.
The rib does have a bilge pump and when I start to go forward it does clear all the water.
Any suggestions?
Thanks

Hi Lynn,

Are you backing into waves or is it flat calm? With the boat at rest, in flat water, how much distance is there between the water and the top of the transom?

Water coming in over the transom is nothing unusual. Specially in a “fast reverse”. On my boat I have a well just in front of the engine which a moderate amount of water can collect in and then be removed by the bilge pump/elephant trunk as appropriate. Different boats have different sized wells but most will have something like that.

Ribs are not really at their happiest going backwards. Obv sometimes it can’t be avoided, but you really want to keep it to a minimum specially in any kind of waves, and keep the speed down.

[LynnF]

Hi Dan


The water comes in when I back off pontoon in marina in flat calm water.
I have attached photo of engine and back of boat if that helps


Thanks

[jeffstevens763@g]

check your drain mushroom hasn't got debris in it allowing water to flow both ways or if its still there they can pop out

[LynnF]

Should any water enter the boat, is it normal for a small amount to come it?
I will get someone with same boat to show me where the drain mushroom is as the instruction manual is not great

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by LynnF

Should any water enter the boat, is it normal for a small amount to come it?
I will get someone with same boat to show me where the drain mushroom is as the instruction manual is not great

Your boat looks like it has an engine well?

Water coming into the well when you're reversing is common and not an issue but it shouldn't find it's way into the boat.

If you try lifting the trim up a fair bit for reversing it should be better.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

Your boat looks like it has an engine well?

Water coming into the well when you're reversing is common and not an issue but it shouldn't find it's way into the boat.

If you try lifting the trim up a fair bit for reversing it should be better.

LT does the floor drain through the engine well or is it seperate common sense tells me separate but keen to learn

[LynnF]

We have two drain wells either side of the back seat near the floor where the water flows away through pipes to under the engine. This appears to be where the water is coming in as well

[Dan Gurney]

Ah, sorry didnt realise you had a moulded stern thingy (technical term).

You'd think it was either draining into the bilge, in which case it's hard to see how the water would be getting back up the pipe, or to elephant trunks, which are not apparent in your pic.

I'm afraid I have nothing further of use to contribute, so I'll butt out (but out ?).

[jeffstevens763@g]

dont know if this is your boat but it states one way deck drain that could be a scupper type with a ball onto a seal i had one if you spill any fuel it buggers the seal up.
or its a diaphragm type with a mushroom valve both suffer from debris especially if you have a dog or leaves that sort of thing.
or a flap valve sometimes the flap goes hard and doesn't spring back to seal



https://www.marine-matters.co.uk/brig-ribs/eagle-580

[jwalker]

You have two drain systems, one drains the inside hull using a bilge pump and the other drains the the cockpit deck (where you stand). The water inlets at the rear of the cockpit should have bungs available to close them off. The water inlets connect to the transom outlets via a pipe where there is two valves (in front of the engine). It's likely debris is blocking the valves so you should check them for a problem first. These valves should prevent water flowing in when you reverse but they are not completely watertight so the bungs should be used when the boat is left for a length of time.

Read the manual!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by jwalker

Read the manual!

And if the manual is not up to the job go back to the dealer - they are required to provide operating instructions by law.

FWIW preventing the boat from “pooping” was covered as part of my PB Level 2 course and can be mitigated with a little blast of throttle or a hard turn just before you stop - neither of those prevent the reverse issue which depends how hard you try to go backwards. As others have said though with your transom design I would expect it to be LESS on an issue than many boats.

[boristhebold]

No its not normal, no water should get in reversing off the pontoon.

Ideas

Check the drains there may be a bad valve, as well as having bungs there should be some form of one way valve which may be damaged or believe it or not may have been put on by the manufacturers the wrong way round ! I had drains fitted with valves on my rib and the manufacturer phoned me up the following day for me to check they had been put on the right way round ! I wasn't impressed.

Also if not the drains then check and see if any water is coimng in from where the tubes attach to the rear.

[midlife]

Shouldn’t do it , I have had a 645 and 450 and neither let water in unless choppy seas and reversing quickly to turn the boat , check your dealer the lads at wolf rock should be able to give you an answer