Nasty Mat ~ Part II

[Razzman]

Some of you may recall the thread last year about the "Nasty Mat" in the center locker. Most of us have had issues with water in the center locker as well. We've talked about plugging the hole, etc. Well last year i'd had enough of that stinky mat and pulled it out, wouldn't you know it was glued in and it ripped the top coat off the 'glass in quarter sized spots!

So Saturday i'm in the boat and i get in there and look around to check it again as i know bilge water can't come in, the drain hole is too far off the bilge floor. Darned if i didn't find where the water was coming from and it was in front of my face all the time! It's the ballast pump hoses. It seems SC for whatever reason put hose clamps on the fitting ends but not where the hoses attach to the pump! Super loose they were too! GEEZ!

So while in there I scrubbed the compartment with alcohol and then applied three coats of Duplicolor Bedliner in a can. Stuff has a rubbery consistency, dries super fast and sealed all the spots where 'glass was showing. Now i can scrub the Nast Mat and just lay it in without issues!

[Razzman]

Well we decided to eliminate the problem all together. I rarely use the front ballast, in fact i've only used three times in two years! So i pulled the bag, pump, put the screws back in the holes, zip tied the wires/hoses up and pulled the front ballast fuses. If at a later date i need the weight I can just reinstall the pump and fuses.

Nobody in our crew needs any bigger wake than the LSV produces so it's redundant to have it taking up space. With our surf crew we have all the weight we need with the 750, in fact i get a better wave without using the front. So it's now a storage locker!

[jmvotto]

Razz,
I found that same thing but not in the ski locker, but in the drain channel under the kick plate in front of the drivers seat. I pulled my sub to run some wires and low and behold there is a channel than run under there to the rear of the boat. the engine area was completely dry but my driveway is slightly tilted toward the bow and it was full of water, the channel is slighly below the flow level adn it looks like the front ballast drain hose is run through it.

So the sub box that we all wanted to seal has (three openings), Bottom, ski locker and top..

My ski locker matt get crappy too, i need to remember to put the plug in.:mad:

Styrofoam chucks floating in the 2 inch deep water, from the sub hole cut out. shop vac came in handy for all the crap in there.

[New Guy]

Hey Razz do you want to sell your center bag? I really like the lip it adds but my bag went bad on me.

[Razzman]

Hey Razz do you want to sell your center bag? I really like the lip it adds but my bag went bad on me.

Naw i'm going to hang onto it for now. I've got a 14 year old grandson that's getting better and i may need it.

[cab13367]

Razz,
I found that same thing but not in the ski locker, but in the drain channel under the kick plate in front of the drivers seat. I pulled my sub to run some wires and low and behold there is a channel than run under there to the rear of the boat. the engine area was completely dry but my driveway is slightly tilted toward the bow and it was full of water, the channel is slighly below the flow level adn it looks like the front ballast drain hose is run through it.

So the sub box that we all wanted to seal has (three openings), Bottom, ski locker and top..

My ski locker matt get crappy too, i need to remember to put the plug in.:mad:

Styrofoam chucks floating in the 2 inch deep water, from the sub hole cut out. shop vac came in handy for all the crap in there.

Joe,

I noticed that on my LSV as well - the drain hose is routed out the back of the center locker then makes a u-turn goes under where your feet would be when sitting in the driver's seat, thru the footbox, then out the top. It would seem easier to route it from the ski locker to the footbox via the hole on the left side of the footbox that is open to the ski locker. Maybe it would pinch the line when the bag is full?

Al

[jmvotto]

Al,

I thought that was weird as well.:confused:

Joe



Joe,

I noticed that on my LSV as well - the drain hose is routed out the back of the center locker then makes a u-turn goes under where your feet would be when sitting in the driver's seat, thru the footbox, then out the top. It would seem easier to route it from the ski locker to the footbox via the hole on the left side of the footbox that is open to the ski locker. Maybe it would pinch the line when the bag is full?

Al

[mmandley]

My locker always has water in it. Bilge doesn't pump all the water out. Then I leave the plug out and its still got water left. Back it up the driveway into the garage and it always has water in between the ski locker and V drive area. So im looking for ideas how to clean this easily and keep the water out.

With the long winter i was able to vac the water out and dry everything. First outing and the water returned of course lol.

[squeeg333]

I'm with you guys. I know there was a post on here in the past about a custom plug to fit the hole in the ski locker. At least that would prevent any additional water from getting into it. I am still trying to figure out how to make that pad not smell so bad. I actually left it outside over the winter, hoping that either UV rays, or whatever would make it stink less. But, I can still smell it. I would like to put it back in the ski locker, but, I don't want it to stink up my boat. Any suggestions on how to clean it better would be helpful. Bleach/water mix didn't work, simple green and water spray didn't work... any ideas?

[Razzman]

First off i don't think bilge water can get into that locker. The center locker drain hole is at least 6-8" off the bilge floor. If you got bilge water in there you'd have more worries than that so i really don't think plugging that hole is neccessary imo. I say this as i have the dripless shaft seal so very rarely have bilge water in the boat yet i always had water in the locker and a lot of it.

I took the nasty mat and soaked it in a tub of diluted simple green for 24 hours then high-pressure hosed it off and it did get the stink off of it.

[cab13367]

First off i don't think bilge water can get into that locker.

Oh yes it can! I have taken my boat and drove it up the steepest hill I could find in my neighborhood (we have lots here in Portland) and watched for a good five minutes while water drained out the plug hole. I looked at the front ski locker (which is completely empty - no mat, no fat sac) and there was no water in there whatsoever. Then I trailered it the rest of the way home and parked it in my level garage, opened the ski locker, and there's water in there. I think that the ski locker and the floor under the gas tank is the lowest part of the boat so water settles there.

I've been working on my ballast upgrade this week so I am intimate with the bilge area :). It is dry but there is about 1/8" of water in the ski locker.

[kaneboats]

I'd be tempted to soak it in vinegar/water for a while.

[squeeg333]

Oh that's right Razz, I think you mentioned that before. Soaking it in a tub of simple green... now if I can just sneak that past my wife and get the mat in the tub in the house.

[kaneboats]

Will it roll so you can put it in a 5 gal. bucket of solution?

[squeeg333]

Hmm, not a bad idea Kane. It'll roll. Might not be able to get the whole thing into a 5 gallon at one time, but could always do it in two shots. That might just work!

[moombadaze]

ok, what is the purpose of the stink mat ?

I removed mine over a year ago-its just sittin on the garage floor under the boat-the ski locker balast bag is just sitting on the floor of the locker, so far no issues doing this

[sandm]

I would guess it's to keep mold/mildew from forming on the bottom of the bag? the intent to allow water to flow around/through/under it and exit that area, but instead it turns into a bog cesspool of filthy water.

note to skiers.. since this area is not much use to store anything in if you are using the ballast, blowmold the largest tank you can and permanently mount it in the boat and hardpipe it in for good. keep the bags in the back as the storage is nice, but make the front/center "bag" a hardtank like some others to alleviate this issue...

[Razzman]

Will it roll so you can put it in a 5 gal. bucket of solution?

Yes you can, it rolls up pretty good.

[Razzman]

Oh yes it can! I have taken my boat and drove it up the steepest hill I could find in my neighborhood (we have lots here in Portland) and watched for a good five minutes while water drained out the plug hole. I looked at the front ski locker (which is completely empty - no mat, no fat sac) and there was no water in there whatsoever. Then I trailered it the rest of the way home and parked it in my level garage, opened the ski locker, and there's water in there. I think that the ski locker and the floor under the gas tank is the lowest part of the boat so water settles there.

I've been working on my ballast upgrade this week so I am intimate with the bilge area :). It is dry but there is about 1/8" of water in the ski locker.

That's just too wierd! I can't imagine how it does it! There's a pic somewhere on here that shows an LSV or Outback with the floor panel pulled up and you can see a clear shot of the drain hole way off the floor. It's obvious because the gas tank is only inches in front of the hole.

[jmvotto]

Take it to a self serve cash wash and spray the crap out of it :D

Let us know how it works.:cool:

[Razzman]

So i've been sitting here contemplating this and i wonder if there isn't another opening in the locker up front or somewhere? The gas tank is right in front of the drain so water can't rush through like a little tsunami and hit the hole. BUT if there was another hole that would explain it. I'm going to have to crawl in there with a light and look.

[cab13367]

So i've been sitting here contemplating this and i wonder if there isn't another opening in the locker up front or somewhere? The gas tank is right in front of the drain so water can't rush through like a little tsunami and hit the hole. BUT if there was another hole that would explain it. I'm going to have to crawl in there with a light and look.

Razz,

I'm going to have to pull the floor up to run new hose to the front bag so I'll take some pics.

Al

[jmvotto]

Razz, there is a channel under the footbox that runs into the stearn drivers side of the ski locker as well as the one equal to the foot box on the drivers side. It seems to funnel water that way and that contourred track may go to the bildge as well.::-?

[moombadaze]

I had the floor panels up at one time and there was lots of water under fuel tank-but the bildge under the engine was dry,sky locker was dry. could be where the mystery water is coming from

[Razzman]

I had the floor panels up at one time and there was lots of water under fuel tank-but the bildge under the engine was dry,sky locker was dry. could be where the mystery water is coming from

Go figure huh? You would think that they would make it as easy as possible for the water to escape out the rear plug hole. My home lake has an extremely steep ramp so when i hit the trailer i pull the plug before going up the ramp and go slow to drain as much as possible. Even then i'm leaking water all the way home!

[cab13367]

Go figure huh? You would think that they would make it as easy as possible for the water to escape out the rear plug hole. My home lake has an extremely steep ramp so when i hit the trailer i pull the plug before going up the ramp and go slow to drain as much as possible. Even then i'm leaking water all the way home!

I've tried the go slow method before but I found that u have to stop on a steep ramp or street for a good 5 minutes before water stops coming out.

Pulled the floor tonite and sure enough, there's 2" of water under the fuel tank. The drain hole from the fuel tank area to the ski locker is pretty much at floor level so that's why the water is draining forward into the ski locker. Note that the new boats have a second drain plug at about the middle of the boat so looks like they have now addressed this issue.

[cab13367]

I'm with you guys. I know there was a post on here in the past about a custom plug to fit the hole in the ski locker. At least that would prevent any additional water from getting into it. I am still trying to figure out how to make that pad not smell so bad. I actually left it outside over the winter, hoping that either UV rays, or whatever would make it stink less. But, I can still smell it. I would like to put it back in the ski locker, but, I don't want it to stink up my boat. Any suggestions on how to clean it better would be helpful. Bleach/water mix didn't work, simple green and water spray didn't work... any ideas?

Any reason why u want a mat in there? I took mine out the first time it got wet and never put it back. I'd leave it in if I was storing skis in there but if u have a sac in there, I see no reason to keep it in there.

[kaneboats]

Agree. As soon as I notice a stink, mine's going in the trash.

[moombadaze]

pull it out before it stinks-it will be dripping that stink water all over the place

[Razzman]

The mat is actually great if you were to put wet stuff there, it would allow the water to drain off and air to flow around the wet stuff. BUT with the water getting in it's a moot point! Part of the stink is obviously bilge water getting in and not getting back out so it ferments per se! When i pulled mine out last year it was oily so i'm guessing when i had it serviced they spilled oil and it polluted the bilge water. I'm pulling the boat out tomorrow, maybe i'll pull my floor up as well and check this sucker out!

[mk_deuce]

So i've been sitting here contemplating this and i wonder if there isn't another opening in the locker up front or somewhere? The gas tank is right in front of the drain so water can't rush through like a little tsunami and hit the hole. BUT if there was another hole that would explain it. I'm going to have to crawl in there with a light and look.

I actually got my whole left side & head down into the locker when I was running my amp wires to the other side. I had the boat in the driveway with the nose angled down so this allowed all water to run to the front of the the boat. I hadnt had the boat out since last year so there was no water in the engine compartment but when I leaned into the ski locker and put my weight on it I noticed a small upward flow of water coming into the front of the locker. So A) there is either a drain up there or b) the ski locker floor has a crack/hole in it & allows water to drain into a lower section of the boat. This tells me that it is going to be virtually impossible to get this water out & keep it from getting in there unless I seal that locker floor off some how. Bad design and no way to access it!!!

[kaneboats]

What if I install a hidden tube that goes right to the bottom? I wonder if I could suction it out with the shop vac. :idea:

[mk_deuce]

What if I install a hidden tube that goes right to the bottom? I wonder if I could suction it out with the shop vac. :idea:

Then my question would be how are you gonna get the tube to the bottom? Where I saw the water flowing from was all the way at the front of the locker & I couldnt see how big the hole was or put something down it if I wanted to. If you have another idea of how to access this lower section of the boat let me know.

[kaneboats]

May have to drill a hole.

[squeeg333]

I also don't really see a purpose for the bag, besides pading for if you do use it as a ski locker, or to help water drain off of wet things. Though, with the small lip that is before the hole in the locker, it still would prevent all the water from excaping. I like the pad in there, I just don't want it to be all stinky and smelly. I'll try to 5 gallon bucket trick this weekend and see if I can get it smelling fresh. I think I'm also going to try to plug the drain hole, just to see if that helps at all. If water is coming in from a different source, then, well, it's a moot point. But at least I can say I tried!!

[cab13367]

I actually got my whole left side & head down into the locker when I was running my amp wires to the other side. I had the boat in the driveway with the nose angled down so this allowed all water to run to the front of the the boat. I hadnt had the boat out since last year so there was no water in the engine compartment but when I leaned into the ski locker and put my weight on it I noticed a small upward flow of water coming into the front of the locker. So A) there is either a drain up there or b) the ski locker floor has a crack/hole in it & allows water to drain into a lower section of the boat. This tells me that it is going to be virtually impossible to get this water out & keep it from getting in there unless I seal that locker floor off some how. Bad design and no way to access it!!!

Someone else posted a similar issue a while ago. Water was coming up thru the bottom of his ski locker (as in, from under the mat) as there were apparently some small holes there. that sucks as I don't think there's any way for that water to get out.

[Razzman]

Someone else posted a similar issue a while ago. Water was coming up thru the bottom of his ski locker (as in, from under the mat) as there were apparently some small holes there. that sucks as I don't think there's any way for that water to get out.

Yeah i remember that one too, something about seepage from underneath i think. That's the biggest reason i rubber coated the locker after seeing bare spots.

[you da man]

I haven't had an issue yet with the smelly mat but I always remove my ballast bags and the mat after each weekend.

[kojack]

same problem here with the water. mine was under the ski locker area. Cut a hole with the hole saw and put a gaz cap like plastic cap. there was about 2 inch of water underneath there. water was seeping through 2 holes that are made from factory to inject the foam in the hull. Now i just have to unscrew the cap take out the shop vac and give it hell. works like a charm.

[mk_deuce]

same problem here with the water. mine was under the ski locker area. Cut a hole with the hole saw and put a gaz cap like plastic cap. there was about 2 inch of water underneath there. water was seeping through 2 holes that are made from factory to inject the foam in the hull. Now i just have to unscrew the cap take out the shop vac and give it hell. works like a charm.

just found out over the weekend this is what Im gonna do. I took the floor sections up that cover the gas tank to see if this would access the water and it would not. Cutting a hole is the only way to get to it.

[kaneboats]

Please post a pic of where the hole was cut. I love this idea.

[zegm]

We don't have the ballast bag for this locker but yes it was always full of water and yes that mat started stinking soooo bad! So the wife grabbed the mat and tossed it into the garage in a large trash bag. However, there was no damage to anything so I don't think ours was glued or attached in any way. Now we have more room for the kids skis we store there. Now if I can get a volunteer to take that moldy nasty mat and wash it for us as it was disgusting. Then I might let the dogs have it as a mat to lay out in the sun on! Heck, they would probably like it better if we didn't wash it! :)

[kaneboats]

Of course then they lay around on that thing and then jump up on your couch or your bed.

[csm]

I plugged my ski locker hole w/ one of those expanding plugs. Before doing that, my ski locker would eventually start smelling like the bilge water, and the bag got disgusting. Since plugging it, water still gets in there somehow, but not as much, and it is definitely not bilge water. The locker hasn't smelled all that bad since then, and the fat sac doesn't get as nasty.

I'm with everyone else on the mat. Mine was so disgusting, I just tossed it. I don't see a reason for it sicne I just use the locker for ballast.

[jester]

This sounds like a nice little design issue. I have been thinking of plugging the ski locker hole also but my only dray back is if i take water over the bow it will then be trapped in the ski locker. I will also toss my mat now that i know everyone else has.

[zegm]

Of course then they lay around on that thing and then jump up on your couch or your bed.

Yeah your right, good thinking, I will leave it in the garage! :)

[eddieb]

I removed mine yesterday. I am sick of having to constantly clean it. I store my waterskiis in the locker. So I need to put something else down. I have some seadeck materal left from doing my trailer steps. I was thinking of putting some of this down. Any thoughts.

[zegm]

I am wondering why you need to put something down in there? Our locker is smooth without any glue or anything so I just put the skis in there as is and everything has been fine.

[squeeg333]

I tried soaking mine this weekend, as Razz has suggested, in a diluted mix of SimpleGreen and water. Left it in a bucket for 24 hours, and it still stinks. Lame. That's pretty dissapointing. I really like it in there, just as a buffer between the ballast and the floor, but I suppose I may just have to cave and get rid of it...