Trailcraft Rear Inspection Port Warning

[JB]

This is a warning to all Trailcraft owners, there is a Plastic inspection port on the back transom that after substaintial use / or sun, cracks and lets water into the hull. (this is bad as trailcrafts have no bilge). Please keep an eye, or regulary check your transom port for damage. We were 13nm off fraser with water entering the hull and didnt even know! lucky the crak was not too bad, and when i got back i noticed about 4 stubbies full of water that drained out of hull. (hull cavity in a tc should be dry).

I will post some pics of the damage later.

Jason

[Somethn_Fishy]

Hey JB,

Thats some bad news - let me know how much a new will cost as I have a 6400 Sportscab. Not that mine is fractured.

Do you know how hard it will be to install an autobige in the hull? - for saftey sakes i've always thought about it. Better safe than sorry - you never know when you might run into something which punctures the hull.

Cheers Rick..

[CamH]

I know the one you mean JB, I've been keeping an eye on mine and so far it's OK. I replaced the two on the floor with alloy ones which wasn't cheap but paid for themselves by now after having to replace the old cheap plastic ones a number of times at about $30 each. Although I do have a bilge pump on mine.

[Big_Kev]

You should inform Trailcraft in writing if only to enable them to make an adjustment to the build spec installing better ports or redesign and prevent this from occuring on future model.
Keep us informed about the response if you do.

[familyman]

I would be careful putting a pump under the floor of a trailcraft as the floor is sealed and to put one in you would need to provide an exit point for the water.If you put this exit point above the waterline then the floor is no longer sealed.If you hit something and hole the hull below the floor/sides joint the floor can now flood due to air escaping out the pump discharge hose. :o
Seek trailcraft's advice and recomendations as this will affect your warranty.
cheers jon

[JB]

Thanks all for the information, i think reel hard is right, a letter to trailcraft would not go astray on this matter. It does seem like a design issue. I have taken to wild marine today
to get a new one put on, i have thought about a bilge and will quiz trailcraft on thier thoughts.

Hoping it wont cost too much rick, only a 30 dollar part and some sealant.

Will keep post updated with cost and response from t/craft. (maybe i'll send them the bill ;) )

Jason

[MJ]

My Trailcraft Profish 535 was fitted standard with a bilge pump. Won't be any warranty problems there. Any pics yet Jason?

[CQ_Fisher]

I am sure that i read something about the trailcraft rear inspection ports being dodgey in F&B magazine months ago. I'll have a did through my old issues and let you know.

Cheers
JD

[JB]

No i bloody forgot to take a pic! , sorry about that. I'll try to get the old one off wild marine before they throw it out


Jason.

[CamH]

Mine also came with bilge pump fitted. The plastic inspection ports fitted from Trailcraft themsleves are no worse than any replacement ones you get from anywhere. The issue is that they use plastic ones and not aluminum ones in the first place.

[JB]

Yours came with a bilge fitted hey? Thats interesting. Where abouts did you buy teh boat from? Is it an auto bilge?

Jas

[MJ]

Jason, from Cunninghams marine. Auto bilge with manual overide switch.

[CamH]

JB, same as MJ says.

[fsh00]

g/day all,

looking at buying a 475 profish 2nd hand any of u guys got any comments to make about them? good,bad any thing at all? any modifications some pics of ur setups would be really appreciated ;) ;D

cheers pete.

[JB]

Bastards, i got mine from c/hams marine, but i guess i was to early in the run to get a bilge fitted. Bugger.

Anyways here are some photos of the cracked one.

[JB]

another

[JB]

The thing just fell apart when we unscrewed it.

[JB]

I notice that the blue fin boats i saw today also had one on the transom, i guess the issue isnt them being used, but more so used on a boat that does not get a bilge fitted to it as standard.

Anyways my gripe for the day.

Maybe i can convince t/craft in a letter that thier boats should have a bilge standard as a saftey aspect, that or they need to upgrade these ports to stainless or alloy.

Jas

[sjp]

is there a reason to have an port there in the first place ,i assumed that with a sealed hull the trapped air was`your safety bouyancy and a 6'' port at deck level reduces the safety somewhat,i would look at sealing it off and not with plastic either

[JB]

Yes it is kinda needed , tis the only way to get to the motor bolts i think??

[peterbo3]

JB,
Was the outer section of the port pop riveted? If it was it will crack as the first rivet will tend to hold the threaded ring at a very slight angle to the alloy plate below as it is tightened. Subsequent rivets will force the threaded ring flat with stress being placed on the ring & the resultant cracking as shown in your pics.
These rings should be bedded down onto a gasket or a non-reactive (with alloy) sealastic using SS bolts & nyloc nuts. They need to tightened in the same manner that you tighten your wheel nuts to ensure equal loads throughout.
I experienced a similar problem early last year with the rivets after one trip but no dramas with the bolts.

[jibby]

HEY THERE JB IF YOU WANT A NEW OUTER PART MADE OUT OF ALLOY I MIGHT BE ABLE TO TURN UP ONE AT WORK FOR YOU JUST GIVE ME THE DIMENSIONS OR THE OLD ONE AND I WILL SEE WHAT I CAN DO.JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL I AM AT REDCLIFFE.

P.S. THANKS FOR THE FRASER INFO. ;D

[nickg]

First post so hello folks. :)

I've got a 2002 c/console and replaced the transom/well port after 18 months or so. There are also two more in the floor that I keep an eye on.
http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/1870/console22uv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Another issue with c/c's is the loom enters and exits the floor through boxes, inside the corner of the transom and under the console, so the hull is not airtight, only "sealed". I suppose the theory is if the hull is opened, the floor becomes the hull -and hopefully these boxes or conduits are high enough not to flood.
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/2402/console18uj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Been really happy with the rig so far but it seems stupid using such fragile fittings on these boats when everything else is heavy duty and I'll be swapping over to alloy ones.
http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/5364/roller7yh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Cheers.

[suzi]

I have a 6.4 Sportcab. You will find that the deck is fully welded but there is a breather pipe coming up from the bilge and vents under the gunnel. There is also a rather large box section that is open for fuel hose etc to pass through which runs into the transom locker.
I guess the deck is sealed enough to let the water out of the scuppers before it ever gets high enough to get into these other points.
No problem with my inspection points as yetbut boat is stored under the house.
My boat came with a plate welded in the bilge below these inspection ports for the bilge pump. the drain hose I ran up through the box section with the fuel lineand out through the transom locker exiting high up on the starboard side. Fitted pump with separate float switch.

[stickhead]

JB,

I am a proud trailcraft owner. I have a 595 sportscab. Fortunatley i do have an auto bilge pump in the stern of the boat. Although i totally agree that the plastic inspection caps could maybe be repositioned or something. I have noticed that alot of boats do have them.

Tight Lines

[saltfish]

I have a 570 Sportscab.The inspection port is slightly different to the one shown,it has a full cover lid.Looks like BLA part no. 174230 in their catalogue.I also fitted an auto bilge pump but ran the outlet hose up through the port rear quarter and out the side.

[Tunzafun]

Mine came with auto bilge and manual overide as well.... also from C/hams. No problems with mine yet.

[dnej]

I view with interest, the material that has dis intergrated, on your cover parts.

I have had the same problem with the same looking material, used in the cigarette type socket. This was also fitted to aluminium, and cracks appear after 3 weeks. I am using the correct type of screws, that were recommended.

I have written to Sweden , and had replacements sent to me & fitted, and stiil have had the same problem. Been through 3 now. Also had the same problem, same material on a base for a rocker switch.

There appears to be some reaction with the aluminium, as I cleaned down the areas thoroughly, before fitting.

Even, tried keeping the materials separated with Sika, but to no avail.
Got me stuffed, and the manufacturers as well.
David

[wayne_cook]

i've had 2 tc's replaced at least 5 caps.
I run a manual bilge pump plus a auto one mad if you don't.
Don't worry about breather hull has one where fuel hose passes.
pic 1 outlets for 2 bilge pumps.
pic2 inlet for deckwash plus baitpump pickup and scoop

[wayne_cook]

pic1

[Tunzafun]

Well Guys guess what,

Went out to give the boat a checkover ready to go out tomorrow, tried to unscrew the inspection port to check the bilge and bingo, it fell apart in my hand #>:(. Luckily BCF had one in stock as it was after 5pm and my dealer had closed #:). Lets see how long this one lasts? #:-/

Ross

[The_Walrus]

Sounds like a design fault that should be rectified asap.

Makes you wonder at the UV rating of the material.

Luc

[suzi]

does anyone know if they can be bought in Alluminium rather than the plastic one?

[suzi]

Tunzafun,

has your boat been stored out of the weather or in the sun? it would be interesting to see how old these things are before failing.

[suzi]

OK so it got the better of me I checked mine externally they looked fine.removed one and found it was fractured all the way around on the inside edge. Probably would have come apart if it was stood on.
My boat is 18 months old 90 Hrs and is parked under the house when not in use. ie it has not seen a lot of sun. These insp ports should do a lot better than that. If They can be replaced with an alloy type I will go that way.

[Tunzafun]

Jason, from Cunninghams marine. Auto bilge with manual overide switch.


Ditto for mine and bought from the same place. Have rep[laced it twice in eight years.

[banksmister]

Tunza
Go to your local plumbing shop [not rip off reece] and ask for a BOLTED TRAP SCREW has 3 or 6 screws in it [used on sewer drains in your yard] it will last a lot longer and is a little bit bigger
ps you can get one with a brass top

Regards Darren

[Tunzafun]

Thanks Darren,

I will do that. Last thing you want is for it to let go outside!

Ross