1986 SRV230 Hole in Storage Compartment In front of Gas Tank?

[aberrant]

Hi all, I just recently picked up a 1986 SRV 230 and started going through everything. In front of the gas tank compartment (which is located in front of the engine) there is a storage compartment between the seats which the previous owner had an anchor and extra line in. In the middle of the compartment there's a hole and I found a drain plug lying in the bottom which I'm assuming goes in the hole? Is this hole supposed to be in this compartment and if so where should it drain, to the bilge near the engine or the one under the cabin steps? I reached my finger in and felt what I thought was sand? I also noticed two small holes on the wall closest to the gas tank compartment, again I can't tell if these are supposed to be there or not. I've attached a picture of the bottom of the compartment I'm referring to, hope it helps.

 

[Ickabod]

Maybe they converted it to a live well?

 

[Soulshine]

Many smaller boats have a cooler under the cabin sole with a drain.

A drain would be needed for anchor storage as well. Is there an anchor locker at the bow?

 

[Lazy Daze]

That entire compartment in the picture is (should be) completely separate from the cabin. The storage compartment you are looking at simply drains to the engine bilge. When the boat was manufactured, they could have left the floor bottom of that compartment to be the hull bottom (v-shaped). But instead, they put a floor in the compartment to make it flat and to also eliminate bilge water from getting into the compartment. That hole is simply a hole - nothing else.

In other words, if you cut the floor out, you would be looking at the hull bottom, just like you do in the engine bilge. Think of it like an elevated shelf/compartment in the engine bilge.