Question about what to use to fill a Pod

[the gambler]

Hey there everybody.
I have an issue with my Podded Double Eagle that i'm almost done outfitting.
It has a custom pod that the last owner put on it. He apparently didn't seal it properly when installing it as it's taking on water (just the pod, not the boat). Boat still runs great even with all the extra weight/water trapped in the pod but obviously not ideal. Was thinking about filling it with foam but am worried about the foam getting waterlogged. Any thoughts on filling the pod with something else? Ping Pong Balls? Empty sealed plastic bottles? It has a hatch on top for access....
Any thoughts would be appreciated...
Cheers!
James
aka The Gambler

 

[Filletandrelease]

Why not put a bilge pump in it?

 

[albernifisher]

If the motor isn't on yet why not take it off and reinstall it properly?

 

[fishin solo]

why not fix it properly?

 

[the gambler]

Sorry, should've given some more info.
We've installed the motor already. Made sure the mounting for the engine was water-tight. Uninstalling the motor and removing the Pod would be a pain.
I thought about putting a bilge in it but if its filling with water it'll run my batteries down pretty quick. I'll be keeping it in the water pretty much year round.
Mainly i'm looking for information on what would be best for filling the void without becoming waterlogged....
Again, thanks to any/all with any tips or information.
Cheers!

 

[cracked_ribs]

Assuming it's an aluminum pod, I definitely wouldn't foam it. You'd run into corrosion issues for sure.

If it was me I'd fill it with a hose, find the leak and fix it properly since who knows what problem you're ignoring while the boat sits there in the slip with water getting in, but otherwise maybe pool noodles and a bilge pump on a manual switch.

 

[scott craven]

Seal the edges where the pod joins the boat with sika flex.
Drill a hole at the back of the pod so the water can be drained.
use a rubber expandable plug or something similar to plug the hole.
(now the pod can be drained regularly)
I wouldn't try and fill the pod with anything, air provides buoyancy.

 

[ericl]

x2 on corrosion issues - FIX IT

 

[casper5280]

I would still take it off and fix it right. If you are mooring your boat this is a serious issue. Shouldn't be a big job, your only unbolting the motor from the pod. Everything else stays hooked up. I would make sure there was no flex in the transom, which may of contributed to the leak. As cracked_ribs said fill with water and find the leak and start from there. You start filling it with **** and then the corrosion starts, then you have a new problem. If you do the plug thing do it right and have a threaded bung welded in. The one Craven mentioned are fine,but are made to be fitted in a tube. the wall thickness of your pod would just cut into that plug and over time would also leak

 

[SteelyDan]

Some good advice a friend gave me back when I first started boating was to always think about any mods that you do to your boat. How long do you plan on keeping the boat? Eventually you will most likely plan on selling it and upgrading. Any mods you do will affect the value of the boat. If I was looking at a podded boat and the pod was filled with foam I wouldn' touch it. It doesn't take that long to unrig a motor. Take it off and do a proper repair. My .02

 

[Rayvon]

As other's are telling you,fix it . You can borrow or rent a cherry picker hoist to lift the main motor and leave all your cables etc. connected.Mask off the outside of the pod.Remove the pod,clean and rough up all contact surface's including the fiberglass,wash(wipe) with acetone.Sikaflex both pod and boat surface contact area and around any bolt hole's.Bolt it back on and you should be good to go.Make sure any top inspection hatch's are sealed and don't leak.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Take it off. Fix it properly.

 

[casper5280]

And the survey says. "

"

 

[triplenickel]

Maybe he just wants to gamble a bit instead of fixing.

 

[Reel Gone]

You’re on the water, not the best time to gamble. Please fix it

 

[the gambler]

Thanks for the feedback guys, figured taking it off was the best/only option.
Cheers!

 

[Sculpin]

Like everyone else posted. Fix it. You do not want to foam it. It should be dry except for condensation that can be drained with the pod's own drain. The air inside the pod is the "volume" or floatation.
Foam from the inside if not done properly is a corrosion issue with aluminum. Adding ping pong balls, pop bottles etc. isn't going to fix the leak. All your going to have is a bigger mess.

Sorry but this is a fact of life owning a boat lol. Speaking of which, I need to get on a few things with my time off...........

 

[Fixit]

I say fill it with multi coloured ping pong balls. Wait for it to get flooded, then film it as you open the access hatch! Reminds me of Bangkok Lol
Kidding...
I’d go the fill with water or pressurized air ( I’d say max 2 psi) and find the wet spot or where the bubbles are coming from, use some soapy water.

Seal it up with some 5200

 

[profisher]

What kind of inspection plate is on it ..plastic? If so that is where it is leaking.

 

[Wild Bill]

Could be one or multiple pinholes, it might have cracked when it was bolted up. Fill it with water and see if you can figure out where the leak is. You might not have to remove it to fix it, quick outside weld?
If you can't see a leak on a seam and figure its transom to pod attachment bolts, if the nuts are inside the pod remove the nuts, clean and sikaflex. Just tougher to pull the bolts out if they were sikaflexed, only downside to that is if water is leaking into the transom core.
Place to start at least.