Bilge venting on newer 23' CC

[ocuyler]

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

[Sleeto]

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.

[Finster]

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.

[Sleeto]

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]

[ScottM]

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.

[Scott]

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]

[Finster]

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.

[ocuyler]

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...

[Finster]

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?

[ocuyler]

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...