Disconnect battery during storm to disable bilge?

[scooper77515]

Got another storm coming, and I don't want to haul it back to work to hide it in the garage.

Can I just disconnect the battery so the bilge won't run?

I have the top on, and put the pole in to put a tall point in the middle, so most of the water should run off (not like last time when I left the pole out and the water pooled in the middle).

Without the bilge running and the plugs open on the back, shouldn't the boat be able to empty out faster than the thunderstorm can fill it to a dangerous level?

I can even jack up the front of the boat a little more to put more angle on it.

What do you guys think?

 

[JPX]

The boats have 4 plugs? 2? In either case, that nickel sized hole would need to be able to move BIG water during a TX thunderstorm. They'll catch up eventually, but you will fill the boat for a while during the thick of it.

 

[scooper77515]

My boat has 2 plugs, nickel sized with the screw-in plugs. It also has a much larger hole with a ping-pong ball one-way valve for draining the cockpit and hull.

I currently have the boat on my driveway, with the tongue about 6" higher than the back.

Depending on how bad this storm may be, I might take the boat to work anyway. The garage at work is large, steel, and there is no chance of damage.

Plus, my parents live ON the beach, about a block off the water on a small barrier island (surfside village, TX). I may need that space in the driveway for them to park their car if they come to my house to "hunker down".

My house is newer, about 40' above sea level, about 20 miles inland, and we have a large generator for just this sort of thing. After getting stranded on the freeway for 14 hours trying to evacuate Hurricane Rita a couple years ago, we decided to make our house hurricane proof, and we will now come here and hunker until we know it will be too dangerous to stay. Then we can hop in the truck and head north toward higher ground, AFTER everyone else has cleared off the freeways.

Of course, we could keep the boat here and use it to evacuate the house if the water gets too high...:hat:

 

[scooper77515]

So, would the 4-6" incline be enough for my boat to drain quickly?

In case I leave it...

It would be very easy to raise it another 2-12" in a matter of minutes...

 

[robin savell lloyd]

If your cover is installed correctly you should not have any water in your boat. At least mine does not and we have been geting rain allmost every day. :cheers:

 

[scooper77515]

I have the cover on but with the bimini top rolled up and laying on the back, it creates a low spot right over the rear seats.

I just went out and put the spare tire under the "5th wheel" and lifted the front up another 4".

We have a nice rain-band coming in in a couple hours, and I think tomorrow morning I will take the boat to work and "hide" it.

They are expecting gusts of 45-60mph tonight, and the storm is still way down south and east of New Orleans...

 

[robin savell lloyd]

I just read were a nother member cracked the back engine compartment lid and that solved his problem that you are having I do not know if it will work for you so good luck Robin :cheers:

 

[scooper77515]

Do you mean to just prop up the engine lid a bit to raise the cover a bit?

Hmmmm...that might work, if I put a 2X4 under it, or something....