Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

My 23 CC is an '89 built by Tracker. They have eliminated the 4 rectangular vents in the hull. How is the bilge vented without these vents? I just had a fuel spill into the bilge and realized that venting is an important issue with internal gas tanks.

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

OK, let me ask this differently. How can I vent the bilge on my 23 CC SC??

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Paul

If I'm not mistaken the inner liner is still the same and has the raceway where the original venting took place from the outside? If so you could cut through outside as the old hulls or install a vent in the raceway inside under the gunnels.

I've shown you a possible area with black tape in the picture [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...lback/vent.jpg

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Capt. Chuck,

Thanks for the photo and response. I don't have any areas as wide as the one shown on your pic, but I think at least you have given me a place to start.

Anyone with a newer boat, or someone who has sealed the original vents should be concerned. I had a defective fuel guage which caused me to pump too much gasoline into the tank without getting anything out of the overflow. There was a leak at the sending unit at the top of the tank, and 5 gallons of gasoline went into the bilge over a 24 hour period. Fortunately this happened while the boat was out of the water and I could drain the bilge into a bucket.

But, this is still a very large problem if the bilge is not vented. I shut the batteries down, cut open the gas tank hatch and left everything open for 2 days.

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

blizzard- are there any vents in your console??? There are 4 in mine- 2 in the front in addition one port and starboard on the console itself. these in addition to the 4 on the hull. I cannot believe there are not any hull vents at alld. The way I read the cg requirements they are mandatory. (i know we went through this before). Anyways I'd be scared as hell, sounds like you have done the best you can- not even a bilge blower on that boat??? Thats unreal- anyone else have a boat that doesnt have a blower on it??? (another law that was effective around 1980 I think, for all i/o's and ib's) please be careful- craig [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Blizzard,

I have the same model and year as you. I am 1/2 way through this restoration and at the point where I have replaced the fuel tank and have yet to replace the panal that covers it. The old tank was foamed in and soaked with gas. The fill hose was cracked and leaking, as was the sending unit, as you indicated. I see no means of venting it, as the tank was in compartment between the stringers with bulkheads on each end and only 1" open space on top.

There are the raceway accesses on either side, but that hardly would be considered a vent.

I installed the new tank via the Pascoe method so there is some air flow under the tank. I addition, I drilled 1" diameter holes in the front and back bulkheads as well as the bottom ply to encourage drainage (water or gas). All that was primarily an excersize to keep the wood dry.

There is still no means of positive air flow. I've never seen an outboard boat with a blower. My 2003 Whaler is basicaly the same design.

You bring up an interesting subject and I'm not sure what I'll do about it. The default, of course, is to do nothing and just be sure that all the fill and vent hoses are well connected, the tank is properly grounded, etc. I'm moving the batteries to the cooler space under the front space to keep weight forward and isolate them from the rest of the boat.

I would not like to cut holes in the boat to add vents, but will be following the thoughts that this thread will inevitably evoke.

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Sorry i didnt realize it was an outboard, thought it was an i/o- still, i think any boat with a below deck fuel tank should havea blower. I hope you guys figure it out, thats scary.

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Five boat has a very good point - the tank is baically sealed in its own area on both sides and in the front. However, in my boat I can see the aft end of the tank by looking under the baitwell located just behind the tank.

I think what I will do is to put an electric blower and in/out vents at the stern with an air hose going in a far as I can get it. This will be possible on my boat because the transome has been filled in. But, I would also like to vent the front end by pulling air from the front to the back. Five Boat, do you know if the front of the tank goes all the way to the aft edge of the big forward compartment, or does it end at the front of the console?

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Paul,

Here's some before and after:

http://www.foodmachinery.com/SeaCraft%20008.JPG
http://www.foodmachinery.com/SeaCraft%20002.JPG
http://www.foodmachinery.com/DSC04191.JPG
http://www.foodmachinery.com/DSC06332.JPG

Now that I look at it, there is enough "breathing room" to draw vapors out of there if you were to install a blower. Although it defies convention, I would consider venting to a spot inside as compared to cutting a hole in the hull. I would also consider a smaller vent like a 4" square s/s flush mount.

IMO, I feel the back bulkhead (bottom image) is important to improve hull integrity as there isn't much lateral support in the area.

Let me know what you decide...

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Does anybody know the year they did away with the vents? My '87 has them still.

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Well, it's either 88 or 89...

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

I have been thinking about this venting problem for a while and believe this is the best solution: Put a clamshell type vent on either side of the console, intake facing forward and exhaust facing aft. Put an electric blower on the exhaust side and run the ducts thru the top of the hatch over the fuel tank, inside the console. This puts the vents in the middle of the tank area and puts the clamshells in a place high enough to reach air (I do not have room on the aft deck).

My only concern is whether this will allow salt spray to get into the top of the tank and accelerate tank corrosion. The tank on my boat is ok, I guess because the boat was a fresh water boat that was trailered and kept inside.

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

I don'think I would be too concerned with a bilgde blower on an OB. They put them on i/o's and gas ib's to avoid back flash threw the carbs. It's has nothing to do with venting the fuel tank. The SC's have the vents in the hull to dry out condinsation. With the lack of foam in the hull condinsation will collect.

If your constintly finding fuel in your bildge venting should be the least of your worries.

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

No, I am no longer finding fuel in the bilge, but it would seem to be a good idea to have some source of clean air flow.
Am I being over cautious?
Why did the older boats have the 4 vents?
Why were they discontinued? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Paul,
Looks like Finster answered the question about why the vents were there - to keep bilge condensation to a minimum, not necessarily to vent gas fumes. Not sure why they were discontinued.

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Paul

With the outboard I would leave the blower thing out. I just don’t think its warranted …. It could even bring trouble. Venting the bilge (with vents only) … that’s for you to decided

While I don’t like the vents in the sides of the hull, I will most likely leave them (or place the forward vents inside the liner like in Capt Chucks picture). I had every intention of glassing them over ….and several here have done just that. In a conversation I had with Mr. Potter I point blank asked him what they were there for and as Finny and Scott said “to have air flow in the hull” and included reasons that were logical to leave well enough alone…Why they were stopped I have no idea (but SeaCraft was under different ownership at that point).

If I even think there is a fuel issue in the bilge …I’m not going to start flippin switches that turn electric motors on in the bilge !!!

Just ask Finster about gasoline fumes in the bilge !!!! [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Nah, that was just a quart or so of harmless premix from a rotten fuel fill. The accual fire ball came from the exaust. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] (boy did those guys look scared [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]) Needless to say we changed boats.

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Some guys came up today to look at my BW 16 Dauntless. They passed because they smelled gas inside the console.

It hade been covered with a console cover and full Mills mooring cover for 2 weeks. Whaler says that the poly tanks have a permeation rate of vapors passing through the plastic into the console/bilge, but at a rate below that of USCG requirements.

Moral - ventilate the bilge before someone sticks their nose in it...

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Yeah, but on that boat there's no bilge or air space to vent, am I wrong?
What did they think the tank was leaking?

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

A 2003 16 Dauntless has a 45 gal. poly tank under the deck. It shares air space with the bilge and the console. It has a vent in the console door and 2 vents behind the jump seats facing aft. If not covered alot, I feel it's sufficiant. Personally, I don't have concerns. But the Boys from Jersey, I think, thought I was trying to pull a fast one...

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

They didn't understand thats enharent for poly tanks? And they drove all the way up there only to turn around? Thats weird.
Well if they're going to buy a different 16 dauntless, they'd better make sure the console is covered for a good long time.

Stupid yuppies!

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

Otto .... They came up to you from down here and bagged on you ?? Hope you told them about the smell and the permeation characteristics of a poly fuel tank ...and if they looked at another (similar) Whaler they would find the same thing !! Cape Horn boats have that same issue ….and I'm sure there are others

I tell ya ... those NJ people ...THE NERVE [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].... HOSERS [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

You can see why someone would be conserned. That's the one smell you DON'T want to find. We'll, the smell of dog *hit in your cuddy might be just as disconcerting. Poly tanks are fairly new and we've all been trained from birth to be alarmed by gasoline or natural gas. I've installed a 8" dia. portable fan to ventilate that area and will run it every time I plug in the float charger for the battery.

Re: Bilge venting on newer 23' CC
 

but are there switches,or batteries inside the console that if a short were to develop the spark would be exposed to those fumes inside the bilge/console [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]?