The “Fix” for the Engine
We needed to come up with a solution to keep the engine from getting flooded again. The problem is the exhaust pipe is close to the water coming off our stern. Because we have so much additional weight on the boat, our stern is sitting much lower, causing the exhaust pipe to regularly go under water. Its OK for this to happen to a degree, but when there are big waves also hitting our stern, it forces the water higher into the exhaust system, and eventually reaching the engine itself.
So we had to stop the water from coming in. You can see the bright orange object in the photo above. This object is an emergency foam plug that was designed to plug a hole in the boat It’s a standard emergency item to have on board. It is made by Forespar. It was a perfect fit for the exhaust pipe. But we needed a way to keep it from getting knocked out by the waves, So Chris took a large zip tie and put it around the plug and then attached small lines to each side which we then secured to the boat. So far it is holding great!
Now we have to remember to pull it out before we start the engine, and put it back in after we shut it off!