Ski locker getting nasty water

atbspinner · **Joined:** Mon Apr 25, 2011 7:07 pm **Posts:** 38

I have a '98 Horizon 170. I'm having trouble keeping the ski locker area clean from the dirty water that flows from the bilge area in the engine compartment. I know the water will flow through that area and needs to but has anyone put something under the carpet to let the water pass but not to allow the carpet to get messed up? Is carpet supposed to be down there? I want to keep some extra life jackets in there but don't wany the mess. Thanks!!

PDACPA · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 10:05 am

Carpet in the ski locker? Not sure it goes anywhere but on the lid. Then again, my carpet has never been in the boat. Sitting on a shelf in the garage.

I keep my vests in the bow under the seats. Takes up a ton of space, but they are out of the way and for the most part dry. I keep the smaller 2nd anchor in the ski locker, five gallon bucket, some swim gear, and noodles as it always gets water in there.

Mine gets real dirty too. I try and wash it and the bilge out but it is a never ending battle.

mikebaker1975 · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 10:45 am

I would yank out that carpet.

Find an all rubber door mat that won't retain water instead.

To clean I would park boat on a steep incline and run a garden hose to locker. Plug hole in locker temporarily and fill. When almost full remove plug in locker and let her flush.

chrisvs · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 1:19 pm

I wasn't too impressed with the carpet being always wet in our ski locker as well. I picked up a box of these click together tiles, clicked together a mat from them then used the carpet as a template, and made a new mat from the tile.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/HouseHome/HomeDecor/Flooring/PRDOVR~0683000P/10-pack%252BMulty%252BTile.jsp?locale=en

They are a rubber material and slatted design (so water drains through them), so no worries about holding a smell, and simply hose it off when it gets dirty. Works like a charm, and a cheap fix.

Graham R · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 1:21 pm

The locker on my 245 Sundowner has a rubber mat in it;the lower face is flat with something like 1/2 holes in it. The upper face is raised around the holes, like a square mesh. It allows things to drain well, without sitting in water. I think it's on the FW parts website.

Graham

Edit; found it; it's easily cut to size and there are also some pieces to join them together

http://www.fourwinns.net/partbook/showpart.php?pn=030-1654&qty=2.0000&start=06/01/2002&stop=NA%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&mx=1

230 Mike · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 1:51 pm

I had my dealer price a piece of that when we bought the boat. I don't remember the price now, but it was beyond ridiculous. The dealer recommended I just buy a section of industrial type rubber floor mat, which looks identical to that FW part. I think I paid $15 for a huge sheet of it. It works great in the anchor locker to protect the inside of the hull from a bouncing anchor.

PDACPA · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 4:14 pm

Do you still get a dirty black "pattern" under them? Mine seems to just get this black dirt and since the locker and bilge have like a orange peel texture it gets the dirt in all the nooks and crannies. Mine needs scrubbing to get clean.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 4:25 pm

Me? I haven't looked under my mat since I put it in there, but I'm careful about not putting anything in the locker that isn't already clean, and I don't get much water in there at all.

Walt · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2011 5:04 pm

Mine came with common anti-fatigue matt in the ski locker. My last boat had carpet in the ski locker, and I replaced with the same as the FW. I just added the same to my cooler storage, engine comp storage, and a few others. It cost me about $30 for a 3'x4' piece, and cut it with a box knife.

ridepate · **Joined:** Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:56 pm **Posts:** 220

Great ideas on the pads. Mines been Line-X'd at some point in it's life.

atbspinner · **Joined:** Mon Apr 25, 2011 7:07 pm **Posts:** 38

I like the snap together tile stuff. Thanks for the replies!!

studio945 · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2011 8:37 pm

My new h180 came with a carpet inlay for the ski locker which i quickly removed, use the space for storing wet items (lines, vests, ropes, fenders) only. The locker stayed very clean until i took the boat in for the 20 hour service when the mechanic changed filters, oil, etc. As part of that process, oil was spilled into the bilge. Not a lot (or so im thinking now) but enough so that water accumulating in the bilge gets oily, the oily water sloshes from the bilge forward into the ski locker and anything inside gets slimed. The bilge on my boat is difficult to access so i havent been able to really clean out the oil spilled during the 20 hour service. To prevent the oily water from getting into the ski locker, i took a wine bottle cork and plugged the drainage hole in the ski locker. The cork is a fancy deal the admiral picked up at some wine store a few years ago, nice handle with tapered cork. Fits and works perfectly and doesnt look too cheesy. The amount of water that builds up inte ski locker after a day out is minimal, removed easily with a towel during after use wipedown/cleanup. If it were much more water than that, id merely pull the cork while trailering the boat on an incline with plug removed.

azboater79 · **Posted:** Fri Sep 07, 2012 1:23 pm

I am a new Four Winns owner and was reading this post, can anyone tell me the reason that the engine compartment and the Ski Locker are tied together so water can flow into the Ski Locker?

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Fri Sep 07, 2012 2:38 pm

Actually, all the compartments under the floor are (in theory) connected from bow to bilge to allow any water to flow rearward and either be pumped out via bilge pump or drain thru hullplug. You can plug these holes to prevent water from flowing foreward, but just make sure to check the areas forward to ensure your not trapping water from flowing to the bilge.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Sep 07, 2012 2:47 pm

install an automatic bilge pump. water problem solved.

www.iFourWinns.com

Ski locker getting nasty water

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