Subject: Checking your seep holes for blockage (new or old boats)
There are many seep holes in your boat. For a new boat it's a prudent thing to check as many as you can find. I mention this for new boats especially as there can be manufacturing left over debris (fine particles, debris from cutting port holes, door ways, openings, etc) that will exist and as much as the factory will attempt to clear it all up, it inevitable that some will remain. These debris pieces will eventually find their way to the seep holes some of which are small and some larger in diameter. The debris can cause blockage and if water that normally would flow through the seep holes can be blocked and the water backs up and lingers in unsuitable storage areas such as in the base of the cockpit side lockers, causing stored items to become wet and moldy.
The easiest way to unblock seep holes is to use a piece of wire from a wire clothes hanger.
If debris finds its way down to the bilge and in the vicinity of the bilge pumps it can clog the pump's actions. So checking for debris build up in the pump area is also a good thing to inspect at times.
I have a 3 month old R29 CB and the seep holes are very generous at being 3/4" to 1" in diameter. I have already noted there's debris sticking out from a few of these holes already.
Some seep holes are hidden and not easily found. For example, I had a small seep hole blocked at the aft end of my R-25's starboard locker and I kept seeing a full inch or more of water at the base of the locker. I mentioned this at one of the RT meetings and it was Andrew Custis that knew there was a very small diameter seep hole hidden at the aft end of this locker that allowed water to flow down to the aft bilge. Andrew used a wire from a hanger and with his upper body disappearing in the aft section of the locker, to find the seep hole and clear it for me. 😀 This is when I decided to alway carry a wire hanger as part of my tool kit. 😱
There are many seep holes in your boat. For a new boat it's a prudent thing to check as many as you can find. I mention this for new boats especially as there can be manufacturing left over debris (fine particles, debris from cutting port holes, door ways, openings, etc) that will exist and as much as the factory will attempt to clear it all up, it inevitable that some will remain. These debris pieces will eventually find their way to the seep holes some of which are small and some larger in diameter. The debris can cause blockage and if water that normally would flow through the seep holes can be blocked and the water backs up and lingers in unsuitable storage areas such as in the base of the cockpit side lockers, causing stored items to become wet and moldy.
The easiest way to unblock seep holes is to use a piece of wire from a wire clothes hanger.
If debris finds its way down to the bilge and in the vicinity of the bilge pumps it can clog the pump's actions. So checking for debris build up in the pump area is also a good thing to inspect at times.
I have a 3 month old R29 CB and the seep holes are very generous at being 3/4" to 1" in diameter. I have already noted there's debris sticking out from a few of these holes already.
Some seep holes are hidden and not easily found. For example, I had a small seep hole blocked at the aft end of my R-25's starboard locker and I kept seeing a full inch or more of water at the base of the locker. I mentioned this at one of the RT meetings and it was Andrew Custis that knew there was a very small diameter seep hole hidden at the aft end of this locker that allowed water to flow down to the aft bilge. Andrew used a wire from a hanger and with his upper body disappearing in the aft section of the locker, to find the seep hole and clear it for me. 😀 This is when I decided to alway carry a wire hanger as part of my tool kit. 😱
