Weed Hatch

[AlexK91]

Good Morning

 

I'm having issues with my weed hatch that I've not had before.

 

Went out the other day on the boat and after the trip my bilge area had quite a lot of water in it. I put it down to beaching myself and when using the gears to move forwards and back and water came over the top where it was shallow.

 

So I decided to investigate I went out again yesterday and left the engine cover up...I found that when o increase the revs water is coming in through the top of my weed hatch. When I took the weed hatch off I noticed that the water level was right to the top where before there was about 8" of air. I'm going to reseal the hatch as don't believe it actually has one but does anyone know of this will solve my problems and why there's so much water in the hatch now.

 

Thanks

[matty40s]

Your boat is sitting 8" lower than it should be.

Sounds like you have taken a large amount of water on.

You need to get the water out of your bilges quickly, before a vent or skin fitting become submerged.

Use thick 3M tape or similar to seal the weed hatch and make sure it is tight.

Run engine in gear to test the seal.

[AlexK91]

Thanks..i actually pumped all the water out from my main bilge area yesterday but I had already closed the weed hatch so I will check it again when back after work.

[AlexK91]

If the water level hasn't gone down on weed hatch. Any suggestions where I may have taken on water? Or what else might cause it?

[matty40s]

You may find some water has run through the bulkhead ( wiring holes or other) and may be under the cabin floor.

8" is a lot to go down.....how long is the boat??

[AlexK91]

It's a 36ft long narrowboat.

[Dinz]

Mooring ropes tight could cause both issues?

[David Mack]

If your weedhatch lid is unsealed (or poorly sealed) and the water level is at the top, then water will seep in if the boat gets any lower in the water, and the boat will sink.

 

If the water level in the weedhatch really is 8 inches higher than normal then the boat will be sitting very obviously deeper in the water.

 

With the list problem you also have I am minded to agree with Matty that you have a LOT of water under your cabin floor. If you don't have an inspection hatch into the cabin bilge, now is the time to make one!

[mross]

From outside does boat look down at the stern?

[AlexK91]

Hi David

 

I don't think my weed hatch does have a seal on it in all honesty (only bought boat not too long ago and its never been an issue until now so will definitely be sealing it)

 

I'm going to check properly today to see if its sitting any lower in the water. I'm not sure if it is 8" its probably less. the water in the weed hatch only came up a very slight amount and now its almost to the top but not quite there. When I'm not moving no water is seeping in but as you say if that is the case and I do get lower then yeah it probably will.

 

I don't believe I do have a a hatch into cabin bilge. How would you go about that? Where's the best place to have one?

[system 4-50]

How old is your boat?

[AlexK91]

It was built in 1991

[chubby]

From what I understand you will want to create a hatch as far back in the cabin as you can and as close to the rear bulkhead as you can .

Essentially, its a case of taking up the flooring and making a hole big enuff to be able to see into the bilge and big enuff to be able to get any water present out be it by sponge & bucket or a wet / dry vac .

Others can give more details as you need to be careful where u cut & how but basically this is what now must be done to really see how much water is present .

Your boat will " lean " backwards, the stern will normally be deeper than the bow . Any water under your flooring will naturally run the stern , although this can be a slow process due to all the ballast , often stone slabs present , this is why your inspection hatch must be as far back as possible .

All sounds quite urgent so whatever actions you choose to take i reckon you need to crack on - don t overly delay finding out whats going on .

Good luck

 

ETA : different boat builders follow different practice . My boat is a Liverpool Boat Co and it has a full height bulkhead at the rear of the cabin space completely seperating the engine bilge from the cabin bilge . My comments above are based on this layout , so check that your cabin bilge & engine bilge are seperate spaces .

I think , but don t know for sure , that seperating the two bilge spaces is common

& you must must get that weedhatch sealed asap .

cheers

Edited January 4, 2017 by chubby

[AlexK91]

Tanks chubby

 

Ok that makes sense to do it there. Just got to think how to do it as at the back I have fixed steps inside the boat with storage in. And the walkway is down the middle of my boat with a bed either side so I could always make the inspection hatch in one of the under bed storage places as can get to it easily but out of sight. Yeah going to start looking in how to do it this afternoon. And hopefully on next days off can crack on and get it all sorted out.

 

I knew having a boat to live on would be a challenge but didn't think it would be this soon. Learning every step of the way.

Mine has a full bulkhead you can't see onto the cabin bilge at all from the engine bilge so yeah they are two completely separate spaces so there might be a small hole water has been getting through.

[koukouvagia]

 

I don't think my weed hatch does have a seal on it

 

A very effective method of sealing is weedhatch is to use a cheap exercise mat link

 

 

 

[lulu fish]

This might be a daft thought, but... How many people were stood on the back deck when you checked the weed hatch? Did you have an extra friend with you when you checked and found the water to be higher in the hatch?

Edited January 4, 2017 by lulu fish

[AlexK91]

Yes there was me an my dad...but there was another person and a dog at front of boat. sAnd when I checked it when bringing boat down to my mooring there was two of us on the back when checking and its never been that high before. Even with people on the back with me.

[LEO]

It's a 36ft long narrowboat.

 

Hi,

 

Might be helpful if you could provide details of the builder and send a picture of the stern (Cruiser or trad?) and the stern bands (colours at the back),

 

L,

[AlexK91]

Hi Leo

 

Ok ill do that later when I'm back. Might give some more help.

[Scholar Gypsy]

Would be useful useful to know: how high is the upstand on your weedhatch?

 

By that I mean the vertical distance from the horizontal plate (called the uxter plate), that should be just under the waterline, and the top of the flange, on which the weedhatch sits.

[chubby]

For instance , theres water in my engine bilge from after cruising . Not much but it comes thru the stern gear , drip by drip . After cruising i turn the greaser tap and the water ingress stops .

If i find water under my cabin bilge ( i had to make an inspection hatch too in the past )!then i KNOW its got nothing to do with the water in the engine bay as theyre seperate spaces .

Any water under my cabin bilge must be coming from elsewhere and the process of elimination as to the cause starts with this in mind .

People may make your need to find out what's wrong appear urgent because it may well be urgent if your boat is now sitting significantly deeper than before . If you have skin fittings in the sides for emptying the sinks and the shower then these holes are likely to be lower too and may be closer to the waterline than you would want .

Have a look - do the skin fittings look closer to the waterline . ?

Theres no need or use for panic as such but do try to assess the situation asap , make a plan and crack on . It may be a gradual process getting lots of water out the bilges if its present but theres no alternative. Ive had to do it myself and its a chore ...... welcome to boats !!!!

[Ray T]

AlexK91, just being curious is "Primrose" the boat which was at Ventnor Marina for a while?

[GUMPY]

When we bought Loddon we "found" two to three inches of water under the cabin.

Cut a 5" square hole under the carpet in the gangway with a jigsaw aquavaced the water out. Added some 1x1 supports and now have permanent hatch.

Not seen any water there since.

Edited January 4, 2017 by Loddon

[billh]

Are you "using" a lot of fresh water from the tank? For using read losing- could be a leaky valve or pipe fitting at the water tank, possibly frost damaged, leaking into the bilge at the front and running under the floor to the stern.I have seen this more than once on newish boats. As a new owner you may not yet have a handle on your domestic water consumption. " well, I have to fill it up every couple of days" is a good clue.

Bill

[AlexK91]

AlexK91, just being curious is "Primrose" the boat which was at Ventnor Marina for a while?

Hi Ray T

 

Yes I believe I did get it from Ventnor Marina.