2003 X9 almost sank on first outing of the year

[Brian_Wilson]

Took the boat out for the first time in 8 months. Made a few dozen passes when a noticed the bilge light come on but didnt hear any water running out the side.

I popped the engine cover an found a full bilge. It turns out some opportunistic wasp built a nest of grass and mud 6" long in every port hole for the bilge and ballast tank drains. I found a piece of tubing to bypass the bilge but soon after I emptied it it filled right back up.
I was also taking on alot of water from somewhere deep in the back of the boat under the fuel tank. I called it a day and headed home.

Today I finally got the fuel tank out and both of my ballast tank pump housings had broken nipples on them allowing lake water to flood the bilge.
http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/1494/photo1xul.jpg
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/33/photo2aj.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/507/photo3nl.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/826/photo4sp.jpg/

[Brian_Wilson]

Moral of the story is plug your ports during storage.

[AZX9]

Tht sucks. My last outing somehow my ballast would not overflow. I'll have to check to see if something filled the holes.

[Lumbergh]

Scary! Glad that had a happy ending...

The list of crazy things that can happen to a boat seems endless sometimes.

[02ProstarSammyD]

Very lucky and scary! This is why I get freaked out with outdoor storage during summer. Catch 22. Plug the boat up and risk the cover collapsing or coming off in a storm.......or risk critters coming in. I've settled on a piece of painters tape over the plug hole during the week

[gatorguy]

Originally Posted by 02ProstarSammyD

I've settled on a piece of painters tape over the plug hole during the week

That's a really good idea. Kind of like in 'Nam when the guy would put rubbers over their rifle to keep the mud out, but they could still just shoot right through it if needed.

[Brian_Wilson]

Found another nest in the ski locker ballast tank drain. This thing smells like it looks.

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/3874/nestv.jpg

[Brian_Wilson]

For those keeping score thats 4 plugged ports
1 bilge drain
2 ballast tank drain
and 1 ballast tank overflow.