Yaltacraft 2000.......loads of water coming out of bottom bung

[my v16c]

Greetings All
Looking at different buying options around to maybe, mayyyyybeee, replacing the haines v16c.
Inspected a yalta 2000 today and once I opened the bottom bung was surprised to see quite an amount of water coming out at a great rate. I quickly put the bung back in because I would have flooded the seller's garage......I reckon the way the water came out there could have been anywhere up to 20 litres of water in there. I did notice that the dirty water also had a slight petrol smell.
Is this normal?......... where does so much water have to come from for it to end up in the subfloor (bottom bung)?..... if the water has been there for an eternity, is there damage where we can't see? The answer might be obvious because of the petrol smell......but please forgive my ignorance.
At the time asking the seller was not my preferred option.
Cheers My V16c.

[Jarrah Jack]

Petrol smell and old water, that's one strange seller. Its a run forest run moment I think.

[bigjimg]

Could be entering over a long period of time through floor mounted seat bases, or any floor fixings.Entering through front bulkhead,anchor locker.Leaking floor mounted forward floor bung.Especially if it gets a thorough hosing.Did your dip your finger and tast it,Salty,Fresh??.
Wouldn't be good for it thats for sure.A good inspection of the storage compartment bulkheads would be a good starting point,see if water is in there as well or evidence of loose water laying there at some point.
Easy enough to find but how long has this been going on,and has the damage already been done.Jim

[WalrusLike]

I personally would steer clear of a boat where the owner is unaware of a large amount of water in his hull.

Even if it's done no damage it's a sign of neglect and mistreatment and ignorance.... Why do boats have bungs? To let the bloody water out! If you store it with bungs in then it's a sign of other potential issues I reckon.

I could be wrong... It's just a personal opinion.

[thelump]

Mate the only place my yalta 555 (same as 2000 fisherman) lets water in is from waves coming up the back when offshore and sneaking through the sloppa stoppa. I dont get any in when in the bay and when at the ramp undo the bungs to drain out what may be there. Usually a slight trickle if any. I dont ever store it with bungs still in. Dont know why you would?

[hilta1]

I dont suppose he may have left the bung in while he was washing it?? maybe just hasnt pulled bung out before putting it away? Maybe would have been a good idea to ask him???? Lots of maybes!

[Fed]

Walk away mate there shouldn't be any water in there at all.

[Tickleish]

I dont suppose he may have left the bung in while he was washing it?? maybe just hasnt pulled bung out before putting it away? Maybe would have been a good idea to ask him???? Lots of maybes!

Even if this is the case, i would still run. That's not a good habit to get into , washing boat with the bungs in. I would bet there is rot in that boat or at least developing rot.

As others have said run forest run!

[chop duster]

are they a self draining deck setup? if not you simply let the water out of the bilge?

[PADDLES]

Hi mate, there could be any number of reasons for water being in there (starting with a leaky or incorrectly sealed bung), but if it's a nice boat and a good deal i wouldn't be running away so soon like others have indicated. Just ask the seller what the go is with the water and why he thinks there's water in there at all. Get inside and inspect everywhere that the water is sitting whilst the boat is stood, check that there's no exposed timber structure sitting in water and that any screw/bolt holes in any water are sealed appropriately. As for a fuel smell, well check all the tank and tank fittings for leaks, sometimes a little fuel may spill when a filter is changed or a fuel line replaced and then this residue makes the bilge stink a bit and also gets into any bilge water, a plastic tank will give off a fuel odour too (my whittley does this). Definitely check the tank all over if it is metal and has been sat in water as some crazy galvanic cell type corrosion can occur with dissimilar metals like say an alloy tank with a brass pickup sitting in salt water (i've learnt the hard way).

[honda900]

is it possible the boat may have been out in the rain and he as only just pulled it back inside?

My yalta (same) has a plastic tank so metal not an issue. I have a plumbed bait tank that leaks abit of water when moving and th appart from that, I have had a bung with a crack in the plastic / rubber washer. Should be no water in it at all.

You will get a petrol smell at the back of the boat as that is where the vents are just in front of the motor.

One thing I would definately check is that when you pull the bung out, is the hole where the bung (through the hull) is sealed, mine is not, meaning if it sat with water in it (my bungs always out) for a long time you may develop some rot.

just some thoughts.

Regards
Honda.

[Fed]

Has yours got upper & lower bungs Honda, if that's the case then shouldn't the lower bilge be fully sealed and not take in any water at all even in rain?

[Jarrah Jack]

I would still run as fungal spores don't need a lot of encouragement and some rot will always turn into an expensive problem down the track. The thing is you can never be sure and with the boat market how it is there should be better alternatives.

[four_button_arnie]

Very odd, there should not be any water laying at the bottom of the bilge....Maybe the seller is a few beers short of a carton and leaves the bung in when he washes the boat!!!

Even after going to the reef for 2 days the only water I get in the bilge of my Yalta is when Ive poured water in (bucket/deck wash) to clean the floor... After ive cleaned the boat and let it air for a couple of days I mop up any water residue left in the bilge....

Josh

[bigjimg]

Reading some of the posts,sounds like some are confusing where the water is.It is in the bouyancy chambers,not the bilge.Bilge water would not be too much of a worry,but getting into the bouyancy chambers is another matter entirely.Unless large deck plates are cut into the floor to allow inspection and facilitate air flow to dry out properly then the unthinkable will eventually happen.If done properly with quality stainless deckplates and raw edges sealed with resin then integratey of the chambers will not be compromised.Jim

[deckie]

I wouldnt look further at any rig that has been sitting with the bottom bung left in and subfloor water where it shouldnt be.
BUT maybe go thru a process of checking if u are still interested...elimination to track the cause.
Look for waterline marks along the hull to first establish if been moored off the trailer for any time....maybe it has been recently polished but have a good look.
Get a tall glass, open the bung and fill it. Hold it up and have a good look at the colour/content. Let sit to see if serious amount of fuel mixed with it floating. Excessive fuel can mean at least two issues are present, and possibly major work in confined spaces looking for issues with fuel lines or taking out underfloor tank looking for the problem, maybe getting tank tested, heavens knows what but shouldnt be serious fuel present subfloor. Resulting from a spill is best u can hope for but still means it has somehow gained subfloor access very quickly coz petrol is volatile and if had nowhere to go it evaporates relatively fast if exposed. If it pools above deck there would be an obvious fuel smell whilst in boat if it couldnt get fast access away via a hole/crack/leak somewhere...lift hatch over tank and get ya head and nose in there...if the tank is bone dry walk away or assume $...all just clues to try narrowing down.
Were the OTHER bungs in or out when u first saw it ? Why would anyone take out some but not the bottom bung ? Look for staining coming down from bung/ski hooks/ladder or anywhere screw fittings have been used. All clues to narrow it down as u go.
Look at gelcoat up underneath keel at very back..often hard to see unless get your head under there and look up. Look for obvious discoloration anything unusual compared to hull and also for any sign of previous repairs. Get underneath and look for cracks/stress cracking especially near chines, as well as any other issues. Shallow gouges/scrapes in gelcoat etc are normal, its significant problems you;re looking for and/or areas where bare f/glass are exposed. Keel line is never pretty and often very ratty about 1/3rd from front where most abuse, still shouldnt be significant exposed f/glass though. Gouges/scrapes just in gelcoat arnt the issue, its more looking for cracking or previous repairs/fresh looking gelcoat/amateurish work/cover ups etc.
Establish if its salt or fresh water..vital.
In the long term, if its fresh/w its likely worse.
If salty and not highly discoloured it could be anything from a leaky bung to a cracked hull. See if bung fitting screws undo too easily and/or if sealed properly, obviously would need permission/seller present, but if he wants to sell it he'll need to say ok, if he doesnt, walk away immediately coz thats a sign too. If bung holes are good and sealed you've already ruled out one v common cause.
If fresh water, i'd be walking away immediately on principle if it has been stored full of water where it shouldnt be...despite what people think salt water isnt really your enemy and rot spores will only thrive in fresh and rot is usually caused via f/w cleaning or rain getting access. For glass boats i reckon (apart from fittings) generally S/W is the enemy of your trailer, F/W the enemy of your boat.
Check deck for obvious damage and soft spots in particular, check deck edges where meets any verticals including bulkheads/ sidepockets/ hull etc, look for gaps in gel/flowcoat/small holes/unusual staining etc. Check joins at your feet at helm where cabin bulkhead meets deck, look for significant stress cracking can be a sign of serious abuse or issues and often shows up here.
If its fresh water have a real good look at any transom capping, especially where motor sits, look for gaps/lifting/damage and unsealed screws. Check any gunwhale cap ends on rear corners, often when tilted on trailer, rainwater travels down gunwhale rubber/cap and gets access here too. Check under bunks for water or water staining, also holes/cracks on bulkheads. Sometimes water can get in via a leaky gunwhale on the outside and run down inside walls. Check bowrail bolts if can get to them.
Lastly and often most important..IF the battery is deck mounted rather than compartment off the deck, check the BATTERY MOUNTS and PEDESTAL SEAT BASES...so common a dodgy install/lack of seal of battery mounts on deck down back. Often u can see open old screw holes into/thru deck (disguised by dirt so can be hard to spot) where old mount busted/changed and they just screwed a new one in with no thought for old holes.
Usually pretty obvious to spot ingress tho if significant , but if its major fresh water coming out that bung its probably very much odds on it'll be rainwater.... and thats a big killer, usually moreso than saltwater.

[honda900]

Has yours got upper & lower bungs Honda, if that's the case then shouldn't the lower bilge be fully sealed and not take in any water at all even in rain?

Mine has 3 bungs, 1 either side of the engine at a higher point of the hull and one in the lowest part of the centre of the hull. The deck is fully sealed, however the bilge area down near Pod area is open and not covered (where the centre bung is) so water can sit in there if you let it. There is a tunnel that runs the full length of the hull to the front of the boat (under the fuel tank), that whole cavety can hold water, (and pillies for that matter, had to dig a couple out).

Now there must be a cavety under either side of the fuel tank as well (hence the bungs).

this will show you 2 of the 3 bungs, the other one is on the other side same place as the right hand one.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l269/honda900_uw/IMG_0595.jpg



Regards
Honda

[WalrusLike]

Thanks heaps for the education Deckie..... That's gold in them there words.

[my v16c]

Thanks for all the helpfull advice guys.....someone else bought the boat .........if you look at Honda900's photo as a reference, the water was coming out of the bottom bung.
Apparently the boat had been pressure washed with the bungs left in?????????
I'll keep looking.
Cheers my V16c