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Water in Seats- how to make drain holes

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BucketsII

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So my seats take on water every time it rains and I have it uncovered. Since it is in the water full time it sits at an angle and all the water goes to the back of the bottom of the seats. One in particular takes on a lot of water. I plan on making some drain holes at the bottom (there are none there now). All is good with all the seats except one which is beside the side door. The outside is upholstered with felt and vinyl. If I drill holes on that seat I am sure to tear the vinyl. Has anyone run into this dilemma and if so, what was your fix?
 
Do you have some pics?
 
Drilling a hole in vinyl sounds like a bad idea, but if you must, run the drill backwards until you're through the vinyl. You'll have to push hard, but it won't tear. Once through, run the drill the other way again.
 
Keep your boat covered as much as you can. You won't be sorry in the long run......
 
Are you wanting to drill straight down through the deck or out the side?
 
I think it would be better draining through the bottom. Just my opinion.
 
Surprised it doesn't have drain holes. All mine do. Maybe you should check with dealer and look at a similar boat to see if it has them. If it does, you'll know where the holes should go.
 
Pretty sure our holes go out the side, not the bottom. All are out of sight from inside the boat.
 
Can you take pictures of your drain holes so I can see? Boat dealer just got out of Bennington and no longer has inventory.
 
Sorry, boat is still in winter storage at the marina. Someone on here likely has the same boat as you.
 
I would drill that one area out the bottom, I think all of mine are drilled through bottom right through the deck.
I want the water leaving the boat, not rolling all over my flooring.
 
Well if my seats are full of rainwater I will bet you my floors are too. My floors will dry with the sun but once the water is captured in my seat it will not evaporate.
Just feel that every hole you make on the floor is another opening for rotting of the plywood unless the drain holes had some sort of plastic fitting. I guess I should contact Bennington and see if they can send me a picture of where and how they need to be made.
 
It’s a marine grade plywood. It can be submerged in water. It’s what we use in retention ponds around here. I’d have to check, but I think mine are drilled in the corners, then maybe a some more spaced evenly around the trough in bottom of base.
 
Just a question, but why do you let it uncovered. Depending on the situation, that can void the furniture warranty. Is it a brand new boat?
 
Here in Florida we get scattered showers almost every afternoon in the summer. I uncover the pontoon for weekend use on Saturday morning and cover it back up on Sunday or Monday night. During that time we may get really hard thunderstorms that dump quite few inches of rain really fast. We have had to take 1/2 gallon out of that one seat each time. The storms do not last long and everything else dries up pretty fast. In Florida, with the high humidity we have year long, we use marine plywood and pressure treated wood for most outside applications. When you make a hole in it and do not prevent constant contact with water it develops moisture intrusion throughout the years. One of our center console boat's transom, which was made of marine plywood covered with fiberglass, was totally soaked with water from the tiny screws drilled for the fish sounder. This boat was only put in the water on weekend. Of coarse it took years but I really plan on keeping this pontoon for as long or longer. I guess we can drill down and insert a plastic fitting so the water can channel through without wood contact. I think that will work! Thanks
 
I recently bought a 2012 2275 GCW. One of the first things I did was to drill 5/8" holes in the lowest part of each seat. I drilled them on about a 30 degree angle towards the stern to minimize any water coming up while underway. I also did this to my previous Bennington, a 2001 model that I owned from 2005 to 20018 and I never had an issue with rot. I can't see how it would be an issue even in Florida. While the trim covers all the exposed edges of the plywood, the edges are not really sealed. If it doesn't rot from the edges, I don't see how about 8 small holes in enclosed spaces will do any damage.
 
You make a very good point. Did not notice that. I guess I will do as you and drill some holes through the floor. Like your idea of the 30 degree angle. Thank you for the information
 
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