Is my boat gonna sink??

[bobgaudette]

Ok Guys/Gals,

Just bought a 2004 Maxum 2900Se. Was in engine compartment the other day working on the batteries and I noticed I could see daylight in the bottom of the boat. To me that was very concerning, because why should I see outside the boat through the bottom of it? Sounds like a great place for water to get in and sink the boat. I crawled under the boat where I saw the daylight and there is like a metal cap attached there with openings in it. Like a vent cover. Can someone explain what I am looking at and why it is open??

[shrew]

Welcome aboard 'bobgaudette'!!!

It's difficult to say without a picture. I suspect you're seeing the airvent. I suspect there is a similar opening with a hose attached to a blower. The blower would discharge air out from the engine compartment. You find find a hose that goes from the lower part of the bilge to the blower, then a discharge host to the vent. The vent you see light coming through would be the one to allow air in to feed the combustion engine.

[bobgaudette]

If it to allow air in for the engine, why is it below the water line. It is almost smack in the middle of the bottom of the boat.

[shrew]

A picture would be helpful.

[bobgaudette]

I agree, and thanks for helping. At work today. I will take one tomorrow when I get home and post it.

[dannyrayz]

I've got a 2005 with twins. Grab a few pics and I'll compare with mine. There are two water valve intakes for the cooling systems and a transducer for depth that have the grates/ strainers in the area your talking about, but those are self contained and don't allow light in.

[shrew]

Originally Posted by bobgaudette

Ok Guys/Gals,

...... there is like a metal cap attached there with openings in it. Like a vent cover.

Is it made of bronze? It almost sounds like a seacock, or a throughhull strainer for an A/C pickup with a screw-on ball valve where the ball valve is missing. An I/O or OB would intake water through through the lower unit. An inboard, generator or A/C would intake through a through hull with a seacock.

Does your boat have a generator, Inboard engines or Air Conditioning? I would assume it is the pickup for one of these and the hose and/or ball valve is missing.

[mrt214]

Ok you should never see daylight coming from below the waterline. If there is light there will be water and that is never a good thing. I suggest you investigate this a lot closer. the only holes in the hull should be the water inlets for the head and air conditioning and cooling water for engines. Is there a hose on the inside connected? Like others have mentioned if the boat is out of the water take some pics of the outside and the inside.

[mrt214]

Sounds like a water inlet and the vent looking screen is for large debris so as not to clog.

[Kevlar7r]

We're not talking about the drain plug, are we? On the transom at the back, center of the boat?

[Phillbo]

It would be sunk by now if we were.

[Kevlar7r]

Originally Posted by Phillbo

It would be sunk by now if we were.

Unless it's on a trailer.... which is the assumption I'm working under....

[shrew]

Originally Posted by Kevlar7r

We're not talking about the drain plug, are we? On the transom at the back, center of the boat?

That was my next thought as it is the only thing left besides A/C, Genny, or engine intakes.

Originally Posted by Kevlar7r

Unless it's on a trailer.... which is the assumption I'm working under....

I am also operating on the assumption that it is on land, either on cribbing and jack stands, or a trailer.

[RxPad]

Is it in the bilge or cabin area? Probably a seacock. If bilge, engine or genset, if under the cabin, A/C.