Current situation.....

Jeff8330

Member
Apr 22, 2019
31
Toms river, nj
Boat Info
1981 srv 310 sedan bridge
Twin 454 mercruisers
Engines
T/340(454) mercruiser straight drives
So the previous owner installed a windlass in my boat. (81 310 sedan bridge). Well we've always had a problem with water entry into the berth, for obvious reasons. Luckily, this was done right before I got ahold of the boat so it hasn't rotted. I'm wondering what I should do with the gaping hole in the deck......I'm thinking of a metal cylinder, sealed to the deck with 5200, into some sort of a sump that I can pump out. Or maybe a hose off said cylinder into the bilge. Just reduce the hose size somehow. Or just rip the windlass off and seal it back up. Or a drain hole. But even if I drill one, I have no idea where it'd go...... Thoughts.???
 

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Sorry about the pictures being sideways, not real sure why it did that.....
 
There should be a gasket and or silicone sealing the base of the windlass to prevent water entry. In addition some will have a Sunbrella cover made for the windlass to deflect water when not in use.
 
Yeah Im 99% sure I'm going to have to re-seat/seal it, but where the rope/chain enters the locker is my concern. It's just a Giant, raw hole. I'm not sure how to provision it so it'll drain correctly.

The cover however seems like a plausible Idea. I also considered building something around it so that water drains off that.
 
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Yeah Im 99% sure I'm going to have to re-seat/seal it, but where the rope/chain enters the locker is my concern. It's just a Giant, raw hole. I'm sure how to provision it so it'll drain correctly.

The cover however seems like a plausible Idea. I also considered building something around it so that water drains off that.

You can seal the raw wood edges with an epoxy resin. May need a couple of coats as the raw end grain will want to absorb alot of the the first coat.

Kevin
 
That's most likely what I'll do, but drainage is where I'm stuck. It's solid glass to the outside of the boat. So drilling isn't an option I guess. Don't know how nill fit a sump in there...... Just not sure what to do with it.
 
I would that the windlass manufacture would make a cup with a cover for chain/rode entry area. Have you researched anything along those lines yet ? I have had windlass on several boats and even with all the openings properly sealed there was always a small amount of water entry. Have you checked to see if there is a factory drain on the bow for the chain locker ? I have had to pull all the chain out to find and clean out a drain that was plugged with mud.
 
Ditto on the hawse pipe. I couldnt remeber what they were called.
 
Your anchor locker should have a drain hole. If it doesn't, I would drill one, finish the raw edges, and fit a clam shell over it.
 
It doesn't look like you have an anchor rode locker that is set up like a well. But its hard to tell from the pictures. It looks like a shelf that would allow any water to drain back to the cabin? If that is the problem, it should be easy to build a wall on the inside (maybe open at the top?) and glass it in so it forms a well. Then you do what Summer daze said above, drill a drain hole (or two, one on each side) at a low spot out the side of the hull so it drains overboard and cover with clamshells.
 
I would remove the windlass, seal it up, install a backing plate and a hawsepipe. And avoid using 5200, at some point you will likely need to remove it again - use something less permanent.

Like this: https://www.google.com/search?q=haw...ECA0QBA&biw=1920&bih=937#imgrc=nYYt6AaF3N1rNM:

That's the route I'm going to go. But where the water runs into (the rope locker) there's NO drain. No holes no nothing. I guess because there was no windlass on this boat originally.
 
I would that the windlass manufacture would make a cup with a cover for chain/rode entry area. Have you researched anything along those lines yet ? I have had windlass on several boats and even with all the openings properly sealed there was always a small amount of water entry. Have you checked to see if there is a factory drain on the bow for the chain locker ? I have had to pull all the chain out to find and clean out a drain that was plugged with mud.
That is the biggest issue I'm having. There is no drain.... It's solid glass to the outside of the boat. So it's really not an option to drill one either.
 
It doesn't look like you have an anchor rode locker that is set up like a well. But its hard to tell from the pictures. It looks like a shelf that would allow any water to drain back to the cabin? If that is the problem, it should be easy to build a wall on the inside (maybe open at the top?) and glass it in so it forms a well. Then you do what Summer daze said above, drill a drain hole (or two, one on each side) at a low spot out the side of the hull so it drains overboard and cover with clamshells.
That is the biggest issue I'm having. There is no drain.... It's solid glass to the outside of the boat. So it's really not an option to drill one either.

I would rebed the windlass and build a glassed in and sealed 2nd shelf slanted towards the bow and add the drain and clamshell.
There will probably be many times that you will be glad you have that windlass.
 
I would rebed the windlass and build a glassed in and sealed 2nd shelf slanted towards the bow and add the drain and clamshell.
There will probably be many times that you will be glad you have that windlass.

That looks like the route I'm gonna have to take
 
Why can't you put a drain in and cover with a clam shell like you see on most boats? Even if you get all the leaking stopped, you still have all the rode going into the locker wet - water has to go somewhere.
 
I guess I can. It's just oddly shaped down there. Gonna have to position the hole just right
 
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BillK is right. When you put that wet lake/sea water saturated rope in that dark enclosed compartment, you will have to clean and drain it or it will get nasty.
I just pulled all my rope out and spent an hour sanitizing and washing the compartment with soap, water, and long brush. It sure looks and smells nicer in there now. Glad I had a drain.
 
I guess I can. It's just oddly shaped down there. Gonna have to position the hole just right

Make sure the drain is in the low spot and make the hole large enough (maybe 1/2") so that muddy water brought up on the rode won't clog it. If the side of the hull where you drill the drain hole is wood cored make sure you seal the wood with epoxy sealer to prevent rot. And as said use a clamshell cover pointed downward and toward the stern to keep water from entering in rough water.
 
Fiberglass up the bottom of that shelf so it slopes to one side then drill a hole to the outside at the low point. Seal the edges of the hole and add a clamshell on the outside. Then build a wall to put on the cabin end of that 'shelf' and glass it up to seal it. Doesn't need to go all the way up to the deck. Maybe just a few inches high to contain and water. As long as it is higher than the drain hole you just drilled in the hull. Be sure to seal all wood very good
 

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