Supra SSV Bilge Question

jgates · Outlaw Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 158 City: Rome, NY

I'm a new owner of an 03' SSV and have been experiencing some difficulty with the center bag due to the fill and drain connections. Twice now the fill connection to the bag has popped off while filling it and another time it was the drain plug at the other end of the bag. Each time it has filled my storage area with lots of water (I better start paying closer attention). Am I over filling it or is trapped air the culprit? Is there a way to burp it if it is? Secondly and of greater concern is my inability to get the storage area to drain into bilge. It eventually drains however it's real slow. I have already taken off the floor board above the gas tank to see how fast it was draining (hardly at all) and to see if I put a rod through the drain hole in the center bag storage if it would come through the drain hole in the gas tank area of the bige. The rod wouldn't come all the way through and was bumping into something solid like a fiberglass wall. You would think that the bag storage area would have an unobstructed quick drain into the main bilge but apparently it doesn't. Can someone who has an understanding of the Supra bilge constuction please comment? Thanks Confused

Also, anyone ever put an additional drain in their bilge? My buddy has one on his Avalanche (factory install) right near the bige pump and it's pretty slick.

D. David · Criminal Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 71 City: Henderson, KY

jgates: Other than the bilge problem how do you like your boat? I had a problem with my connections leaking at first and filling the locker with enough water to be a pain. Then water would appear to be gone, I'd put the boat in the driveway then water would come back forward from the bilge. I got the problem corrected by cutting the metal bands at the connections off and putting on hose clamps. I really had to tighten them down to stop the leak. I also did this on the back connections. Be sure to wrap the clamps with enough electrical tape to cover any edges that could cut your sacs though. I then plugged the drain with a nylon hose connection that had a groved end on 1 end and pipe thread on the other and screwed pvc cap on the threaded end. I think its for 3/4" hose. It fits in the hole perfectly and can easily be removed to drain if needed. Put in the 1000 lb fluid concept bag and you can easily burp it and it complete fills the locker. Makes for a nice wake.

jgates · Outlaw Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 158 City: Rome, NY

D.David: As far as my opinion on the boat, the jury is still out. Living where I do hasn't provided me the opportunity to make a decision as of yet. With regard to water draining back into the bag locker, that is also happening with me but is no doubt a result of the bow bilge area being lower than the stern in the water and on the trailer. Your ballast connection rework is a bit difficult to invision however, a picture might be worth a thousand words. I'm not too sure what you are refering to by the medal bands. A shot of your locker bilge drain might help as well. Thanks for the reply, at least someone is listening. JG

Kyle95 · Outlaw Joined: 03 Jan 2004 Posts: 108 City: Appleton

Yeah, I too have an issue with my bilge. It doesn't seem to work right either. I haven't had any problems with my front bag detaching but the other day when I was cleaning my 03 SSV I unhooked my back bags and forgot to reattach the one on the left. When I went to fill my bags a bunch of water went into the engine compartment and the bilge didn't seem to drain it. We had to pull it out of the water and drain it from the back. Other than than the problem with the bilge I love my boat. We have been going since march here in Wisconsin and I always get great responces from riders and fellow boat owners(the mastercraft owners seem to get upset when they found out how much I paid for it). One questions for you guys, does your bilge light on the switch stay on all the time too? I will post on the supra page to see if they have any awnsers.

Kyle

jgates · Outlaw Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 158 City: Rome, NY

Kyle 95: My bilge light doesn't illuminate unless I depress the rocket switch. Yours being on all the time makes me wonder if it's constantly running and if it is, that may cause it to fail which could explain why you said it didn't pump your bilge.

Another reason why your bilge didn't pump it out could be that when the boat is sitting still while in the water, the majority of the bilge water is forward of the bilge pump and closer to the forward bag locker. Yesterday we had my engine cover up when starting out of the hole just to see how much water would move aft and sure enough quite a bit did. This may also explain why the forward bag locker doesn't drain very well. I'm fairly confident that the lowest part of the boat is well forward of where the bilge pump is. The forward bag locker may be designed to drain slowly so not to allow too much water all at once to get int the engine bilge. I have contacted Skier's Choice about the hull construction and will post what they have to say...JG

Kyle95 · Outlaw Joined: 03 Jan 2004 Posts: 108 City: Appleton

Thanks keep me posted.

Kyle

jgates · Outlaw Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 158 City: Rome, NY

Kyle95: That would be a rocker switch vice the "rocket switch" Embarassed

I've yet to have one of those installed! Laughing

jgates · Outlaw Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 158 City: Rome, NY

Kyle95: That would be a rocker switch vice the "rocket switch" Embarassed

I've yet to have one of those installed! Laughing