Drain hole

[aussie]

Hi all,
As our R27 has a generator the weight causes the boat to list slightly to Port. After going out for a cruise the swim step ladder recess stays full of water causing the ladder to rust 🙁. Would it be ok to drill a hole in the recess to allow the water to drain?
Cheers
Peter and Ronie B

 

[knotflying]

If it is listing that much have you considered redistributing some weight to balance it out better? You probably won't take all the listing out, but enough to mitigate your problem.

 

[aussie]

Its not listing than much guess its just wash form the waves and the water settles at the inner edge of the ladder recess.

 

[Boatagain]

I had a grenerator installed this past winter on my R25 and now have the same listing-to-port situation. I haven't thought to check the swim platform ladder recess, but now I will. I can't imagine that drilling a drain hole would hurt anything.

When I took my very first test ride with the salesman (before the generator) I was dismayed to see the swim platform submerge at anything above idle speed. 😱 Even trimming does not get the platform completely out of the water. I can't help but think that the dragging swim platform robs several knots at semi-displacement speeds. I guess the stern down/bow up/listing-to-port attitude is inherent to the boat's design, with the batteries, generator and any passengers carried on the port side.

How big of a job is it to move the batteries to the starboard side and where do you place them? Any other ideas to correct the situation?

 

[Captain Steve]

Have you tried using the trim tabs to "trim" it back to level?

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

We store our spare anchor, tools, power cord on the starboard side. In addition our dinghy is mounted so the outboard is also on the starboard side. It all helps.

Jim F

 

[Osprey]

Caution is required with respect to drilling a drain hole through the swim grid. The grid structure is fiberglass over plywood. Drilling a through hole would allow water to enter the plywood - not good. You would have to figure out a way to seal the plywood to prevent water penetration.

 

[aussie]

Thanks all for your help think I will have to try to sort it out without drilling a hole 🙂
Cheers
Peter and Ronie B

 

[Stevan47]

Hi Peter & Ronnie: Glad to see you have 'surfaced'. haven't heard from you for a while. Hope you are both well. We must do coffee and lunch some time down your way in the near future. I was talking to Michelle and Craig the some months ago and there is still chatter about organising a regatta on the canals/river one day. A bit of a 'naval review', sort of thing. Be good PR for the Ranger Tug world and a bit of a write-up in the 'local rag' for us. I look forward to that. WRT your ballasting/trim issue: on what side is your fresh water tank? I had a thought - maybe if you could ballast using liquids (reduce fresh water level), that might ease the problem? Your thoughts? Kind regards, Stevan.

 

[Scuffy]

I would drill the hole a little bigger than what you want to end up with then under cut the wood a little more under the fiberglass with a cutter on a Dremel tool. Then epoxy the hole shut and let it cure. Redrill the hole centered in the cured epoxy. That should prevent any water intrusion into said wood.
D.D.