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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.
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.
