Hot water in the locker

[seadoomichael]

So I'm out cruising today with the family, I pop open the ski locker to grab the bumpers and their is about an inch or two of water in there. As there always seems to be actually - until most of it drains out on the way home to the garage - I assume thats normal. Should I assume that?

Anyway, I noticed that the water was rather warm if not hot today - as was the ski locker itself. Those of you with C180s, does this happen to yours as well? I assume the water is getting heated in the engine bay then sloshing up into the ski locker. It just seemed a little odd to me.

I'm kinda annoyed at the amount of water in the locker. Both during and after we're done boating. My tubes and stuff are gonna get moldy.....

 

[CypherAZ]

So I'm out cruising today with the family, I pop open the ski locker to grab the bumpers and their is about an inch or two of water in there. As there always seems to be actually - until most of it drains out on the way home to the garage - I assume thats normal. Should I assume that?

Anyway, I noticed that the water was rather warm if not hot today - as was the ski locker itself. Those of you with C180s, does this happen to yours as well? I assume the water is getting heated in the engine bay then sloshing up into the ski locker. It just seemed a little odd to me.

I'm kinda annoyed at the amount of water in the locker. Both during and after we're done boating. My tubes and stuff are gonna get moldy.....

We have the same issue with our C180. If you stick something thru the hole in the ski locker you'll notice the water drains out into a low point in the engine bay. This equalization of pressure on both ends isn't allowing the ski locker water to drain out into the engine bay like it should. And then to top it all off the bilge pump is mounted like 1/2" higher than the top of the low point that the ski locker drain hole goes into........design flaw.

I think i'm going to remount my bilge pump lower into the hole, but for now I get a bucket and a cup out and goto town on that water.

 

[Scott0321]

Water in ski locker

Yes I have the same issue on my Speedster 200. There is always water in that. I cleaned ou the drin hole as well and it seems to help a little. I'm actually thinking of drilling two more holes along that channel for "drainage"

Anyone see any issues in doing so ???Same diameter as what is there but I figure one on either side of the factory hole should be more than enough to let that excess water to drain off to the back of the boat.

 

[rexsteiner]

Go ahead and try and tell us how it works. But as someone else stated and I no I have before the pump is higher than the locker. And yes it is a design flaw.
You should first determine where the water is coming from if its not from splashing or dunking the bow it may be a leaking carbon seal.

There's a fitting called a duck bill fitting. It goes in place of a drain plug to drain the bilge as you drive. I hd a post before to see if anyone had experience with them weather on a ski or a boat but never got any hits.

 

[McnuttTM]

Did you have any luck with the hot water in the locker problem, I have the same issue with my 2005 180 Challenger and want to get it looked after.
Thanks
Trevor

 

[seadoomichael]

Did you have any luck with the hot water in the locker problem, I have the same issue with my 2005 180 Challenger and want to get it looked after.
Thanks
Trevor

I have lived with it and so far no issues. Let me know if you get it dealt with.

 

[moosehead]

SDM, I had a similar issue on a Speedster 200. Turns out it was an odd problem in that a hole had worn in on of the exhaust mufflers (loose mounts) which leaked hot water into the bilge and ran up into the locker.

You probably already ID'd the problems correctly with the high bilge pump and drainage, but it also is worth a check to make sure you aren't taking in excess water somewhere, exhaust system or otherwise.

 

[rotinaj]

My 2008 C 180 does the exact same thing. I have used my shop vac to get the water out but after going through a rain the locker was full again. If anyone knows of a fix it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JThomasLambert]

Same issue here. Sometimes uncomfortably hot if I try to clean out the locker right after a day on the water. It has actually stripped the wax off paddles after almost 3 years! I can drain most the the water with the manual bilge pump but the auto trigger is set too high.

 

[seadoomichael]

Rock the vote!

Please vote in my poll regarding this issue if you haven't already:
http://seadooforum.com/showthread.php?t=35173

Thanks!

 

[timhood]

The only time I've had water in the ski locker is when I've had water over the bow--the carpet soaking kind. By design, that locker is intended to get wet, if necessary, so only items that can be wet should be stowed there. In a perfect world, it should drain back to the engine area and then out of the boat by either the pump or when you pull the drain plugs. Not all of mine did, however, so I need to check to make sure nothing is obstructing the drain path from the locker.

On outings where no water has come over the bow, the locker is bone dry.