old Haines Hunter rear floor construction query ## outcome posted at thread end

[uripper]

Have recently acquired a 1989 Haines Hunter 560SL. Like most boats of this era it has 3 longitudinal floor sections – 2 outer buoyancy compartments and a centre storage compartment for fuel tanks etc.

Unfortunately the rear of the centre compartment is raised (where bilge is) so there is opportunity for water (& fuel) to find its way from the boat floor into the cavity below it – just above the keel. That makes me nervous. In the pics attached the main tank is pushed forward to reveal the ‘problem’.

Am contemplating modifying the rear end of the centre compartment so I can get a bilge pump to the lowest point of the hull. Maybe also installing air-tight inspection plates at the rear of the buoyancy compartments. Just have a burning desire to be able to physically see this part of the hull.

Before any drilling or cutting, am trying to work out where the under-floor cross members /supports /knees etc are likely to be.

Any advice, experience appreciated – thanks in advance – MalM.

[pilchardjones]

photos not there mal?
steve

[uripper]

photos not there mal?
steve

sorry - forgot too attach - Doh!

[FNQCairns]

They will be to either side with a full or part height center one as well, they could also be just to either side with no center stringer but thats a more American build type.

Why not cut the entire square out an leave no standard bilge, the bottom of the boat will be the bilge.

When like this if you take water over the bow etc the water will find it's way fast into the deepest portion of the boat and act as ballast until pumped out, the upshot is it will take a LOT more water to turn the boat turtle, more seaworthy as water at deck height sinks boats.

cheers fnq

[uripper]

When like this if you take water over the bow etc the water will find it's way fast into the deepest portion of the boat and act as ballast until pumped out, the upshot is it will take a LOT more water to turn the boat turtle, more seaworthy as water at deck height sinks boats.

cheers fnq

Thanks FNQ - that makes sense - MalM

[FNQCairns]

Thanks FNQ - that makes sense - MalM

The thorn is the center section will no longer be a sealed compartment, they almost never stay airtight in real life, but to me with big enough bilge pump/s the option of stabilty/drivability with X amount of water aboard compared to already clinging to the upturned hull works, each to their own I guess, when it is all said and done.

good luck

cheers fnq

[Hagar]

A common problem on a lot of hulls . The cross frame at the rear of the fuel tank bay adds some strength to the rear of the hull so would not take it out completely . Unlike some hulls the rear bilge floor looks the same height as the fuel tank cavity. If you want to be able to drain the tank cavity why not just cut three scallops out of the bottom of that frame ( both corners and the centre ) where it meets the floor of the tank cavity and everything will drain to the rear when under way . Make sure you glass any mods you make . You will still have the frame for the fuel tank to rest against . The down side of this will be that the bilge water will slosh forward into the tank cavity when the boat comes off the plane and probably at rest also . That's one of the reasons the bulkhead was there to begin with . Everything is a compromise .

Chris

[death_ship]

just put a bung in the lower compartment and seal it off, the amount of water this area holds will be bugger all and you wont notice the weight especially if the tank is a bit empty, my haines is like this and bugger all water gets in. it wont disappear into the bottom of the boat that way

[slacky]

mmmmm!!!!!! very interesting

[mangomick]

mal
Is this the 560 you bought with the pod conversion on the arse end?
I've gotta say that I agree with Hagar and I agree with slacky
You can always put some sort of one way flapper valve in to stop the water sloshing back onto the fuel tank. In reality how much water are we really talking about though.

[Spaniard_King]

If the floor aint soft I would be trying to find the leaks into the bottom section of the hull and fix them. They seal this compartment for a reson so IMO it should be left as is.

[uripper]

Thanks for the ideas guys - heres more info .... The raised bilge bay base at the transom is approx 55mm higher than the fuel bay floor in front of it. (see diagram attached).

Both have a centreline keel chamber immediately below them that drains through the lowest transom bung. The centreline keel chamber appears to have 2 floor bungs floor - one at the aft end of the fuel tank bay and another forward in the cabin (pics attached). The upper centre bung-hole from the bilge bay is obscured by the pod it drains into.

My primary concern is that if water (or fuel) enters the keel chamber (for whatever reason), there is currently no way to drain it while the boat is on the water. To measure its quantity, I have filled this chamber, then drained it - approx 50 litres. Thats potenially a swing of 100kgs bouyancy below waterline !!

Some good news - had her on the water for about 5 hours yesterday - not a drop came out of the bouyancy chambers and only a dribble from the centreline keel chamber - probably deck water /spillage.

Still have a burning ambition to cut into the raised bilge section (maintaining as much structural integrity as possible) to get a bilge pump to the lowest point of the hull.

Your thoughts ???? thanks again in advance - MalM

[uripper]

more photos to help explain current configuration

[uripper]

bump .............

[uripper]

Firstly THANK YOU to those that responded here and so many others.

Had Peter McCullagh (Grand Marlin) help with the refurb work.

Pete used the new Johnson deck wash system via a tap/manifold arrangement to insert a hose into the lower keel chamber near transom wall to act as a bilge (very clever idea).

Cut 4 inspection plates into the rear floor - found centreline keel chamber was not draining properly due to fibre crap etc from recent transom modification and 20yrs of sand /dust etc getting in though cabin floor bung hole.

Other things learned -

• The rear bilge bulkhead was not original
• There is a centreline longitudinal stringer under the fuel bay
• Both outer under-floor floatation chambers also have longitudinal support stringers
• The underside of the floors are not sealed in any way - bare timber (bit dissapointing, though seems very common)
• The transom wall is now 45mm thick (no misprint) after partial transom replacement /strengthing to accomodate new pod (2yrs ago) with the original 25mm wall as dry & as good as the day it was built (very happy about that)
• Replaced lower centre transom drain plug with larger version to get a better look inside + there was some evidence of dampness courtesy of broken-down sealing around the bung (which wasn't original)
• The sidewalls are 11mm solid glass !!!!!

As Pete said - they dont build them like this anymore

More than happy to try & help out anyone who has similar queries /challenges

MalM