What are the little "Vent" ports on the aft bottom of the hull?

Budl1te

New Member
Jun 8, 2018
6
Boat Info
S24
Engines
5.7 Mercruiser
Hello,

My 87 s24 has two "inlets/outlets" on the bottom back of the hull, right at the water line.

"New Boat for me"

I have water in my battery compartment and nowhere evident that is could come from other than the "Vent" I did beach for a little while st that port was likely under water while I was beached. When I took the boat out of the water and pulled the drain plug, the water remained in the battery compartment????

The port compartment was dry. (There is a vint thing on the port side as well.)
 

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Thanks for your reply.

The Blower for ER is at the top of the boat on each side (aft)
 
I believe those “vent things” are your cockpit drains. If you were to wash down the cockpit water would exit these drain ports. Sometimes there is a rubber flapper as well to stop ingress of water when underway. My guess is that when you beached the boat the Drains were under the water level allowing water to enter and find its way to the engine compartment through a floor joint in the cockpit. This would especially be true if the boat was tilted slightly when beached.
 
Might they be plastic covers over through-hull deck drains? Take a look in the E.R. to see if there are drain hoses going to the same area. I am not familiar with your boat model. Hopefully, somebody will chime in here to better assist you.
 
I believe those “vent things” are your cockpit drains. If you were to wash down the cockpit water would exit these drain ports. Sometimes there is a rubber flapper as well to stop ingress of water when underway. My guess is that when you beached the boat the Drains were under the water level allowing water to enter and find its way to the engine compartment through a floor joint in the cockpit. This would especially be true if the boat was tilted slightly when beached.


That is my thought. The flapper type thing. I have seen them on Jet skis but not on a boat, at least not one of my boats which have all been older.

There are screws on the covers that I can remove. I will ask a parts place for the parts.

They are very high up so a lot of water would have to be there in order to drain out, they are above bilge line. I would think that much water would put those vents under the waterline and be useless but, as I think about it, if it rains and the boat is not covered, or a cooler full of water leaks, or I washed out the floor with a hose they would drain out those without a problem.
 
Might they be plastic covers over through-hull deck drains? Take a look in the E.R. to see if there are drain hoses going to the same area. I am not familiar with your boat model. Hopefully, somebody will chime in here to better assist you.

No hoses. I am thinking it is more for rainwater from the deck floor to vent out. (maybe, given their location)
 
I believe those “vent things” are your cockpit drains. If you were to wash down the cockpit water would exit these drain ports. Sometimes there is a rubber flapper as well to stop ingress of water when underway. My guess is that when you beached the boat the Drains were under the water level allowing water to enter and find its way to the engine compartment through a floor joint in the cockpit. This would especially be true if the boat was tilted slightly when beached.


I re-read your post. Cockpit washout seems the best description for what they are for. I will search that, my flaps on that side are likely shot.

Thank you.
 
I believe that model did have a self bailing cockpit. But those covers don't look stock - someone probably put them over the thru-hull. However, unless there's a leak (from thru-hull to hose to cockpit floor drain), if water enters them it will not leak into the boat. The water will simply go into the hose and right back out.

If the thru-hull fitting is pretty close to the height of the cockpit floor, then if there were enough weight in the back of the boat (or it was bached at a high angle) the water could flow back into the cockpit, though. But you'd notice that because your feet would be wet. They do look pretty close to the water line - you may indeed have a flapper.
 
Those look like the standard scuppers for a late 80’s Sea Ray Sorrento.
That is exactly what they are. To Bud.... You need to take out the 3 screws that hold on the cover and under you will see a black rubber flap about an inch in diameter. They will get stiff over the years and lose there effectiveness. You need to replace the flaps. It's a 30 minute job. BTW They are called "scuppers" in boat talk.
Shawn
 

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