Just got through cleaning the bilges all the way up to the Bow of the boat. What a mess Oily water and crap. Can't clean under the Cockpit yet. I guess i will flush a bunch of water and cleaner through there with the bow tilted real high. Drain it out the staern and then put plugs in bow and the engine bay to keep water out of there.

Does anybody Plug the drain holes back in the engine bay to not allow water and oil to get up front. And if so what do you use to plug the holes? A regular size Rubber Drain plug doesn't fit.

I assume the only reason for these drain holes all the way to the bow is to drain back any water that might get in bow area from rain or spray?

Yes thats why there there.

Any trapped water will have the oportunity to penetrate
and seep into the the balsa.

Do not plug the holes.

I would hit it with awlgrip like this to seal it up.

Cleaning the bildge is the worst!!!! You get into spots sometimes that you can barely get out of!!!

Being on old bilge rat I have learned a few things about cleaning them:
Keep up with it, don't let it get bad, use Greeze Off to clean up. Use a squirt of lemon fresh Joy regularly to slosh around and to keep it fresh and clean. Attach a parts cleaner brush to the end of a wooden pole to get the hard to reach areas. if you have a failure and it makes a big mess throw a towel in to block the forward hole.

Knot Right why not plug the drains once you get all the water out? I assume when you say Balsa you mean under the Floorboards of the cockpit area. When you say don't plug up are you worried about moisture in the Balsa? What about plugging the drain from the engine bay and leaving the drains open in the bow area so there is air getting into the area underneath the Floorboards of the Cockpit?

Yea no kidding about the hard to get into area. Lucky i am not any bigger.

What did you used to do about your drain holes?

I am trying to prevent Oily crappy water getting up into the Bow area bilges and for that matter underneath the floorboards in the cockpit area.

are you worried about moisture in the Balsa? Absolutely BIG Daddy water will find any lil hole and wick thru the glass and wett the balsa and she'll delaminate .... Peter always said if you rnse out the bilge jack that trailer up as high as you can get it and wipe it down till she's DRY

Running Hot is right, further there shouldn't be oily crappy water in there in the first place. Get it clean, keep it clean and dry.

These rot from the top down any imperfections or slight
pinhole in the bildges will let puddle water in.

Sometimes former rigging holes such as wire SS clamps
or any old screw holes will allow the penatration.
This also includes the tunnel aswell.
Moisture (mostly rain water) gets in there and it begins
to rot the balsa.

The balsa is located in just about all the bottoms.
Todays Endgrain Balsa is impregnated and shows much better
rot prevention The older ones is what slurps it up
like Monica lawinski.

4 out of 5 of these boats I looked at failed the moisture
test.

Thats why I hit it with the Awlgrip.
The picture above is Dave Scotts old 46 he is the one
who gave me the idea.
1) it completley seals the Kevlar, Eglass or Carbonfiber.
2) it is impervious to Oils and Solvents.

Please do not plug the holes any traped moisture
will be there for good.

Ever notice when you first launch ur boat after comming off the trailer when you get on plane all of the water
drains right back to the bildge.

Clean it, paint it and be done with it!