It's been a year since I sold my flats boat. I'm having to remember all the things that used to be routine when cleaning up after a fishing trip. Some of you may already use a sump wick, if so, go find something more interesting to read, if you don't, read on. Most hulls have a low point where water collects adjacent to the hull drain. This is usually a sump. After a trip, and washing the hull, water runs out the drains, but some always collects in the sump, often hours later. This puddle is a great spot for mosquitoes to breed, algae to grow, or an unseen piece of shrimp to become botulism stew. Either way, bugs or toxic smell, that puddle needs to be eliminated. That's where a sump wick solves the problem. Get a very old towel, or one the wife won't miss... and rip or cut as many 2 inch wide wicks, at least 12 inches long, as there are drain holes and puddles... Half of the length of a wick is inside the hull in the puddle, half the wick hangs down outside the hull, if in the garage, over a bucket... Wet the wick completely before pushing the wick through the drainhole, gravity and capillary action will pull the water up out of the sump, down the wick, where it will drip into the bucket, or on to the ground... Overnight the problem is gone. Just remember to empty the bucket(s) the next day. We want to solve the problem, not move it. If you keep your boat outside, rain can cause the wick to wash out the drain. The cure for that is a big sinker tied to the end of the wick to hold it in the bottom of the sump. Lead doesn't rust, no stains in the sump. When it rains, the wick is already in place, so that when it stops raining, the wick is already wet and it will do its job without you having to do anything. If you have a threaded brass drain plug, it may be difficult to push the wick through. Fold the end of the wick over the end of a pencil, and use the pencil to push the wick through. Old T-shirts also make good wick material. When a wick gets old and nasty, or blows away while heading to the ramp, it's easy to replace. Sump wicks, cheap solution to a nasty problem.
No, not a genius. It's an old routine that was shown to me when I was getting started with boats. Back then, there were still many wood hulls being used and you needed to keep the interior as dry as you possibly could. I figured it would be a useful tip with all the false floors in the 'noes here in the forum. It sure makes a difference in the way a boat smells. Especially if you keep it in the garage. The wick will work with most hull puddles; livewells, transom splash wells, built in fishboxes and coolers, as long as there is a drain hole nearby.
Un-shore for President! (maybe you can figure out a way to wick out some of that soggy smelly stuff in DC) [smiley=z-respect.gif]
I've been doing this lately on my skiff. But I did it differently. I grabbed a t-shirt and just twirled it up. It works amazingly. The t-shirt probably takes longer though.
That would be perfect, stay out of the way, not ruin entire nations, and the Slipper would make a great Oval Office replacement. Netanyahu would love a tour of the NML.
You're gonna have to knock harder than that to get my attention Un-shore. I'm at work, not busy lookin' at boat porn.... : Another reason I'd make a lousy President, I can't lie and keep a straight face. That right there prevents me from being an effective politician.
I have an LT25 and the sump is rather large, and flat. I use an old bath towel, and I cut a narrow vee shape on one end to fit through the drain hole. The rest of the towel is spread out over the entire sump area, and it works like a champ. The smaller one I made first would not get all the water out because the sump is so flat. Kemo
