inspection hole and bilge

[newribman]

Hi all my first post, so a quick hello!

I have owned a rib for the past 2 years which is kept on water for the majority of the year but regularly causes me problems with water getting into the hull and slowing the boat down. Unfortunately there appears to be no easy way of draining this water without trailing or beaching the rib!

I have decided that the easiest way to drain the water will be to install a round inspection hatch to the rear of the boat with a bilge pump inside. But before I go making a hole in the deck I thought I would check and see if this would be a good idea or could I risk doing serious structural damage to the deck?

Thanks for the replies in advance.

[martini]

Hello and welcome!

I don't think you will cause any structural problems, the only 2 points I would make are

a) make sure theres no structure underneath where you decide to put the hole. You dont wont to get half way round with the jigsaw and then find you have to start again somewhere else! A few smal test holes should confirm this.

b) you need to figure out how to run cables to said bilge pump. I've know idea how your boats rigged so can't help with that.

Another thing to think about is how to make sure you will have battery power to start the motor when your boats been sat on the mooring for a month in the pouring rain with your pump going flat out!

[Downhilldai]

What RIB is it?
Are you able to stop the water getting in there? Prevention better than cure.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by newribman

Hi all my first post, so a quick hello!

I have owned a rib for the past 2 years which is kept on water for the majority of the year but regularly causes me problems with water getting into the hull and slowing the boat down. Unfortunately there appears to be no easy way of draining this water without trailing or beaching the rib!

I have decided that the easiest way to drain the water will be to install a round inspection hatch to the rear of the boat with a bilge pump inside. But before I go making a hole in the deck I thought I would check and see if this would be a good idea or could I risk doing serious structural damage to the deck?

Thanks for the replies in advance.

What's the rib? Someone may know where it's best to put the hatch.

[newribman]

yeah thanks for the replies so far they been great.

The rib is a valiant vanguard 490.

I am pretty sure I have worked out how to run the cables to the bilge. The drain on the battery is a slight concern but as I'm planning to operate the bilge mannually I cant see that being a major problem (when I go to use the rib just flick the switch drain the water and then out I go is the plan)..

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by newribman

The rib is a valiant vanguard 490......

Do a search on here for Valiant. I'm sure there have been previous cases of water flooding into the void beneath the deck. You may find a solution in earlier threads.

[Tim M]

This is a problem I suffer from too. It would appear the bungs that seal the bilge well from the hull leak over time. I have tried sealing, plummers tape etc but they still leak. If you have a bilge well you can simply leave the bung out and install an auto bilge pump.

Do you have a bilge well? If not, as you say you may have to make a hatch and install something in it. The only other solution is take the main bung out just as you are about to set off, and after a few minutes going at speed the hull will drain itself out. I have done this a few times when my bilge pump has packed up.