TOPIC: Odd little hose...

with the deck off of my Sea Ray 600 at the very
front of the bow I found a clear plastic hose about
30" long and about 1/4" ID moulded into the glass just above the keel.
It had nothing on either end and just ran under the floor
and the outside end just terminates in space just below
where the bow light mounts. possibly a vent of some sort for
under the decking ?? has me a little puzzled.
Ideas ?? and should I glass one back in ??

Good guess on your part - it's an equalization tube. The idea was to prevent pressure build up or vacuum under the floor. This would occur especially when there are temperature swings. I'm not convinced that they are necessary. Many boat floors will slowly leak water or air to the bilge area, no matter how well they are glassed in. I have seen fewer boats without them, than with them. For what it's worth, it sure won't hurt having one in place.

Bruce is right. The hose is for pressure relief under your floor. Think about your hull as an air pump. when you hit a wave or rough water the hull is compressing/squeezing. That hose prevents the floor itself from the pressure and possibly cracking, usually around the seam edges. Unless you have some other way for the bilge to breath I would leave the tube in place. It is raised high off the floor to prevent water from flowing in...just in case water gets into your boat.

thanks for the input.. back in she goes !!