No wash out drains
 

Am I the only 31 thunder cat with no wash out drains in the hole boat. My boat is a 99

If you do decide to add your own, Be carefull on the port and starboard side of the cocpit towards the rear. The gas tanks are mounted right underneith, while I spent time in the factory I have seen an abundance in some cases of the tanks put in with too much foam, and the tanks rise as the foam did to where the the top of the tanks were rubbing on the underside of the cocpit floor. In some cases so bad, It would not allow the deck to sit down properly. Just an FYI. Check your Clearance.

The old owner Klym, NEVER put drains in any of the boats? Too much money for him I guess. LOL The 31's also have a problem of collecting water under the floor just as you enter the cabin where you first step down. Take a 2" hole saw. Enough clearance. I will bet you have water under the floor in the cabin as well. Just cover with an inspection plate. At the end there were so many complaints he used to put bildge pumps in that area. Being you have a 99 you may already have them there, I know he did not do that for every 31 that left the factory. If you have a inspection plate already there you most likely have pumps in that area. ( I would check to make sure they are still operatable.)

Cruzzin

I know what your talking about, But there's no inspection covers anywere . My boat is store in my garage, And never had it in the rain , lucky for me . last weekend my buddy's were making fun at me because of the rain coming an me running my boat back into port. That sucks, going to try a fix

you are gonna have to do the pumps. I try to ream out the drains where they were plugged by the gas tank install foam but could not get a drill to snake past all the problem areas. My 31 is from 1997 and had over 1500 pounds of water trapped in front cabin and sponsons. water comes in from cleats and rub rail screw holes so plug the holes and buy gasket and drain kit for your popup cleats- the water will kill your speed and mildew your cabin.

I have 1994 30 awesome also with no drains any where, not even in the transome. The cabin has had water standing in it more than once so you're saying I've probably got water under the floor of cabin and cockpit also. I was always concerned about this. I don't have any inspection plates

water trap
 

yes- unless your boat has been in the Shara desert since 1994 you can bet there are hundredsif not thousands of pounds of H2O trapped in the sponsons and under the cabin floor decking. You need to cut inspection holes to see and drain the water. the holes need to be just inside the cabin next to the doors. under the cockpit are the gas tanks so probally no water there. you do need drains in the transome and I never saw a boat without them-

Do you mean right where you step down into cabin ? how big a whole should I drill ? Do you know if this is all one section from gas tanks forward. Can shop vac it out ? I always wondered if water could be in this area I keep under covered slip in summer and carport in the winter but a couple of times while i've left it for work the cabin has filled with water.thanks for info everybody thinks its crazy that it has no drains

take care!
 

yes, inside where you step down is the spot. use a 3 or four inch hole cutter to make the hole but be sure to buy a cover plate with base to screw it into at the marine supply house and a pair of pumps and auto floats to put into the spaces you will find full of water. you can siphon out the water with a garden hose or pump it out. probally too much for a shop vac. There is access to the sponsons from the forward hatch cover plate on the bow bulkhead inside the cabin. remove the cover and pump out all the water then put caulk on the rub rail screw holes and drain kits on the deck cleats. Use clorox to kill the slime growing there. I also have the inspection plates just outside the doors but that space there is small and only holds a few gallons. this is just in front of the gas tanks. Try smaller holes first to get the idea where you need to place the cover plates and get strong thick one to take te weight when you step down on them not the light flimsy ones- Good Luck !!

YEP! Its a Must do thing for the awesome 31
 

cut the holes just inside the cabin right where you step down. use garden hose to siphon both this area and the sponsons. you need to remove the bow bulkhead cover plate inside cabin to get to the sponsons. buy heavy duty cover plates and at least two automatic pumps and install them. use calking on the rub rail and drain kits on the deck cleats to slow down the water intrusion. use clorox to kill the mildew and slime spores. in front of the gas tanks before you step down is another space full of traped water . it only holds a few gallons but wise to get rid of it anyway. be sure to use heavy duty inspection plates so as to bear the weight when you step on them. Good Luck!!

Thanks for info not sure of my ability to do this but like I said I had feeling something wasn't quiet right like a little extra trim on port and boat not as light feeling in water. This is the boat hot boat tested in 1994 I 've had 10 or 11 years 500 hours Thanks again

can some one post a pic of exactly where you are cutting holes, on my '95 when you step down into the cabin that is the bottom of the boat, I'm thinking newer models may have a sub floor (this is where the H2O is getting trapped)

I wondering the same thing I know when you take out the marker lights there is space but where does it stop and could there be water under the center bunk I know the rub rail has places where water could get thru in front

no no!!- there saying just before you open your cabin door

I believe you are all talking about cutting a circular hole in the step down area in the cockpit liner. The area directly before you enter the cabin thru the door.

Mine had inspection plates (both starboard and port sides) just inside the cabin doors in the cabin area. Below was small bilge pumps with hoses routed to the hull side exterior. Same goes for the front sponson area just in front of the cabin/front storage area bulkhead.

What James has wrote is what you should do to prevent most water intrusion from the front sponson area. I have witnessed when storing the boat outside, overnight without covering the bow deck area, in the morning the underside of the bow deck sweated in only the forward storage area in front of the cabin. I believe this was limited only to that area because the cabin area deck has carpet attached to it. Since I keep my boat in a garage enclosure, I have only seen this occur when doing an overnight while boating. Keep in mind that no rain had occurred during these overnight periods. Enough condensation was present to have some water in the lower sponson area's. I may try attaching some carpet (glue) to a small area on the underside of the bow deck in the front storage area, to see if this helps in preventing this condensation problem. Any others seen this problem?

As for the Transom area, that is very strange not to have any drains (manual) in the transom. Mine (like most I believe) has (had) one installed in the lowest portion of each sponson/transom area. I have noticed some AO's had a manual drain installed in the center tunnel area of the transom. Mine had originally installed (factory) a bilge pump in the center tunnel area just in front of the transom. Dump hose was routed to the lowest portion of the starboard sponson. Sorry, but that just had to GO!!!
I installed a "third" drain in the transom like the AO's that I have seen. The only reason that I can believe water would be in the center tunnel area (engine compartment) would be:
1) Washing down the engine compartment
2) Having the boat out in the rain and water getting around the hatch and into the engine compartment.

Am I missing a third reason?

Factory bilge pumps in the engine compartment sponsons where too small (my humble opinion). Those have been replaced by much larger ones. Routed to the same factory dump spots.

Hello Randy, I have the subfloor installed in my cabin area. Therefore, I have the factory bilge pumps under this subflooring just in front of the cabin door position. I have (not there originally) installed inspection plates in the step down area of the cockpit liner (just in back of the cabin doors).

I can post some pics of this installation.

I just pulled my inspection cover everything dry as a bone still has dust from work. I have fridge on one side and a sink on the the other side with the water tank in sponson.There is another small section on up where lights are,can't get to it. the screws (1 3/4" )2 were broke off part of the way left pieces had to pry top ones out rounded off . I wonder if you could hinge the top of cover and secure at bottom ( velcro or shorter screw ) make it it easier get to. I'm holding up on floor drilling I don't trust my ability. yes you're right I get water in the center after rain or washing boat I installled some hoses to catch some of it and run into bilge the rest I shop vac out . I think I have have some where the orginal price sheet showing the drain plugs were an option. I'm second owner should have had them put in when motors were pulled (duh again ) preocupied with other issues

I would really like to get a copy of that price sheet. Wonder if there was any literature or sales brochures ever made? Having the drains as an option. Can you believe that?

What "small section on up where lights are,can't get to it" are you referring to? What James said about the very front storage area (in front of the cabin area) and the water intrusion is correct. If you don't have them already installed, get those drain cups installed on the bow deck pop-up cleats. Make sure the Nav lights are also sealed too. Put some sealant on the front center U-bolt too.

Drilling those circular holes is really no big thing. I recommend the 4 inch inspection unit. Your local Home Depot or Lowes should have a 4 inch hole saw. Again, I will try to get some pics of the inspection covers and the bilge pumps.
Many more upgrades to my boat over what the factory had originally intended.

I will try and find it was just aprinted sheet of paper with standard equipment and options I'm a pack rat still have 94 hot boat issue with it in it

I was wrong cockpit drains were on the option list but I do have color brochure with standard equipment and available options engine options graphics etc.

here's a pic of my cabin floor, there is no place for water to get trapped here

I've also added a snap on access cover to the front as well as jump seat that are velco & snaped down to allow access to the front sponsons for moisture checks