draining the console

[DonMacN]

Folks,

Just about to fit a new jockey console to the boat - using sikaflex and lots of s/s screws as covered in a couple of other threads I found.

However tried searching for the answer to my next question, but without success.

If the console is glued and screwed down, how do you deal with the water that inevitably gets in? ie from under the seat; from through the front hatch when it's raining and you need to find the 'whatever'; from through the hole that the loom/fuel pipes enter/exit? There's always going to be something getting in.

One suggestion someone had was to put in some small drain pipes at the back. Obviously though they would let water in too if the boat gets some in - again pretty much a certainty with diving.

Assuming water will always get in, is it just a case of accepting that and figuring out how to let it drain effectively??

There's a slight complication with the recessed fuel tank and the depth of the 'flange' round it (have had to cut out most of a sealed box covering the tank to allow the new console to fit over it) but the top of that's still 9cm clear of deck level.

Any considered wisdom??

THanks

Donald

[slimtim]

Water will get in you're right but if its in any quantity its through bad design or an extreme situation. When I made my console I was going to include a small drain hole at the back with a removable bung which would allow me to drain out any significant water but under normal conditions would not allow any in.

As it happens I didn't add it as a feature but I have not found I have needed it anyway. If a little water gets in, it drains to the back and I just sponge it out. The only way a significant amount of water would enter would be if someone poured a bucket of water through the open seat hatch or my boat flooded catastrophically and water came up through the under deck conduit (I have a hypalon tube that is designed to reduce this risk as much as possible so it would have to be a pretty bad swamp).

Hope that helps,

Tim

[DonMacN]

Tim,

Thanks. I was doing the sponge thing with my old console (it had been modified by someone who hadn't used their grey cells too much).

But this time round there won't be good access down to the back of the console where the water would collect. Also, because the cables don't go under the deck, I think it's quite likely water would get in through the 'loom' cut out.

I had thought of the removable bung idea though, but even if I ground down the plastic flange it fits into, it will still be about 1cm clear of deck level.

I don't suppse it's essential to have this completely dry, but I'm trying to anticipate and deal with all sorts of other things, so why not this!

[slimtim]

Thats the thing, I was able to design and build my own console so I have tried to minimise the ingress of water as much as possible. All cable entry points are sealed as much as possible and are also as high above the deck as I could get them.

You could put one of those round twist hatches in the back of the console. That way if it fills up with a lot of water it will empty it fast and you can also get your hand in with a sponge. I was going to do this too as a way of clearing spilt petrol and petrol fumes from the console, but again I didn't have time

[Nos4r2]

I drilled a small hole in mine and put a stainless drain tube the width of a biro in at the lowest point, leaving it sticking 10mm into the console and a couple of mm up as it's less likely to get blocked by small bits of debris.It takes a while for water to get in there through it-but it deals easily with the small amount that gets into the console.

[DonMacN]

cheers guys,

Tim - thanks again, but (not that you'd know this) part of the reason I'm doing this job is to move the 'centre of gravity' of the boat a bit further forward. The old helm was too far back for 4 divers & kit and the boat was too stern heavy. So.. the new console will be pushed as far forward as possible and will be up against the fuel tank - even if there were a hatch, there wouldn't be space to get a sponge in there.

Nos - thanks too - that's the sort of solution I'd considered, but I was just wondering if anyone else had taken the same approach

To be honest, i've considered both the 'hatch and sponge' and 'drain' options, just looking to see if there's any consensus, or any other good suggestions