My flats boat was about 85% swamped last week due to a failed bilge pump while tied to my dock. I was able to pump it dry, but I know that a lot of silt ended up settling in the hull between the sole or deck, whatever. Is there any easy way to get rid of the silt? I suspect not, but all suggestions will be appreciated.
oc
1820 Action Craft
I had a ton of mud and sand collected in the bottom of my old boat from where it drains to lower bilage level, one day a herring flopped under it all the way to the front so the stench motivated me to clean it and the best I could do was spray it out with water while tilting the boat as high as I could with the engine trimmed all the way up, then I vacuumed as much as I could with a shop vac with some rigged up tubing. I found a beer can from the early nineties way before I bought it, the only thing left was stains.
Probably shop vac as much as you can out dry. After that you might have to flood rinse the hull with and repump with a sump pump or shop vac.
Cracker Larry is probably your best bet here.
First, Most, Biggest
Tilt the boat as high as you can. Open the most forward hatch that has access to the inside hull. Wash. Drain. Repeat. Leave hatches open to air out.
Tall Sail Marine
Be sure to drain all the fuel out of the tank be for running the motor!
Thanks for all of the input, guys!
quote:
I was able to pump it dry, but I know that a lot of silt ended up settling in the hull between the sole or deck, whatever.
It might not be as bad as you think. Most flats boats are almost completely foam filled and there isn’t much if any empty space under the sole.
Like Loopervet said, about all you can do is tilt it up and keep flushing it out. Make sure to clean the area around the fuel tank real good, don’t want any corrosion there. If the tank vent went below the water, the tank almost certainly has water in it too.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
Thanks, Larry. The tank vent was well above the water line but I have cleaned it anyway as a precaution.
oc