Zodiac hurricane 440 water in hull

[Isle of Mull]

Hi,
Does anyone know the internal layout this type of RIBs hull? (1988)
I heard some water moving in the hull while moving it around on the trailer.
There is no drain on the transom or into the well. There is a metal plug in the anchor locker but it is so far forward that the space below it is only about an inch. I have an old electric car fuel pump with some 5mm hose which I pushed into the hole and got a mug full of water out. No matter how far back I push the hose, and even with the jockey wheel removed there seems to be no more water. It is not in the tubes and sounds like at least twenty litres of water moving fast when the trailer is tilted up and down.
Is there another void? It sounds like it is moving too fast to be between the wood and glass.
I would appreciate any ideas.
Thanks for any help.
Cheers

[cgoing]

You could probably install a drain in the transom and drain some of it. However some of those boats are divided into sections by the stringers and would not drain all sections.

[Isle of Mull]

Thanks Cgoing. The water sounds like it is running most of the length of the boat. I will buy a transom plug and try it first. I suppose if it doesn't all drain I could fit plugs in the deck as well???
It seems weird that Zodiac would make a void that couldn't be drained.
Any comments welcome.
Thanks

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Isle of Mull

Thanks Cgoing. The water sounds like it is running most of the length of the boat. I will buy a transom plug and try it first.

make sure you dry and seal any holes you drill with sika or similar.

I suppose if it doesn't all drain I could fit plugs in the deck as well???

well you could... but that sounds like a way to introduce more leaks.

It seems weird that Zodiac would make a void that couldn't be drained.
Any comments welcome.

the logic is that by making a completely sealed void no water gets in to need drained. Its not crazy thinking, some people here have had problems with leaking drain bungs actually letting water in.

[Isle of Mull]

Hi,
I agree that plugs in the deck could be a problem but if there is water there already I will need to get it out. I will only think of doing it as a last resort.
I am worried about fitting drain plugs in case it allows water to get under the glass fibre and into any timber. I would use plenty sikaflex.
Thanks for advice.

[Isle of Mull]

Hi,
Just an update on my water ingress problem.
I took a bolt out of the towing bollard base plate which let me lower my car fuel pump hose down into the hull. No water. We decided it must be in the vertical sections that the tube fixes to (Gunwhales). As the hurricane has removable tubes it was easy to remove a screw and water came out as I rocked the boat on the trailer. I have drilled an m8 hole between two tube securing holes and put my m6 hose down into the void. I got a syphon going and have had 30 litres out of one side so far. There seems to be a lot to come.
I am guessing the other side will be the same.
There is no sign of sealant on the screw threads so I am guessing this is how the water has got in over a long period. It should be easy to seal this hole with sikaflex as the tub rubber will be held tight over it by the top stainless plate.
This must have given quite a bit of free surface effect in the longitudinal direction. At least not in a transverse way.
Thanks for all advice.
John

[cgoing]

Thanks for the update.