self bailing scuppers

[Billsseacraft]

I have ran into a snag with my self bailing drains. The drains on my boat go through the floor and out the bottom of my boat. The problem that I have is that the holes going though the bottom of the boat are around +1 5/16 of an inch and the 1 1/4 tubes I have got don't fit just right and at best seem cheap and flimsy. The other issue is that one side of the boat (from the floor to the bottom of the boat) is deeper than the other one side top to bottom is 4.5" and the other is 3.875". That is not the real problem the problem is the sloppy fit of the drains. I don't want to do the job half A@#ed. Ok, would anyone trust using a piece of 1" pvc pipe secured with an epoxy (West Systems). The outside dimensions of pipe are almost perfect to slide through the hull and into the floor of the boat. I thought that I could wet out all of the fits with epoxy and then leave the bottom of the pipe recessed and fill with the epoxy and sand flush with the bottom. On the inside I could do the same finsh technique as the bottom. I'm really lost I have thought about running the drains out of the transom but I would have to remove part of the stringers to do so, and also I would never be able to tighten hose clamps under the floor. I want to do this right, the thought of being 80 miles offshore and having my boat sink gives me bad dreams!

[JohnS]

Bill,
Personally, I would not use PVC for the following reasons. You could check with West Systems and ask them if they recommend using their epoxies to adhere to the PVC. I would do that first, before anything else. Rememeber boat hulls flex, they all do. PVC does not flex and cracks when stressed, especially if put in a binding position as this application would be. Additonally, I would think you would want to consider running the drains out the transom, just for personal preference. I am not sure of your exact boat though so if you could post a pic, it would help us all understand a bit better...

[Dave Hirshberg]

Bill,
One method is to clean out the existing holes and fill them with west system,decking putty,reinforced polyester putty or whatever you are most comfortable with, then redrill the holes to fit the 1 /4 brass drain tubes. Once flared those tubes are far stronger than PVC. You will have to clean out the holes first with a die grinder with an aggressive bit. and I would reccomend grinding out some circular grooves inside the holes to keep the epoxy/filler material from slipping out later-on.

[FELLOW-SHIP]

Ha Bill
Your scuppers go through I approx 3”x3” x 14” block of wood which fit’s between the deck and the top part of the hull these blocks of wood are glassed into the corner of the hull and usually run to the transom in length. If you were doing a transom job I would replace those blocks of wood if you are just re doing the scuppers some guys have drilled a larger hole than the scuppers pipe then filled in the entire hole with epoxy, glass, and filler then re drilled the hole to the correct diameter. You can buy the correct length (special order) from any good marine store they come in 6” length. Then after you re bore cut to proper length and flair out and seal. Personally I would not use pvc in there reason to be is you have deck then block of wood then bottom of hull. If any one of those units flex and brake your pvc pipe and the water finds access to the bilge area you could sink your boat.
FellowShip [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Scott]

Boston Whaler dealers carry /sell that exact piece of brass tube ....Thats where I found mine [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[Billsseacraft]

I think I have solved my problem. I spent some time this moring going through catalogs at a local marine supply store and found 1npt"x5" thru hull drains. These have the mushroom shaped part at the end that will go to the bottom of the boat and the nut will secure at the deck. The shop recommended that I use 5200 to secure. The outside diameter of the pipe is just over 1.250 this should fit almost perfect and be stronger than the plastic drains I had before. Thanks for all the suggestions I appreciate the help.

[Abe's Rocket]

i went to boston whaler as well

[flounder]

I have a 1975 cc redoing transome there are two drains in floor that go through the bottom of boat aft deck corners, I have not had this boat in the water ever are these floor drains/scupper drains I would think if left un plugged seawater would come in trying to understand what they are for was thinking of packing them out. any help please thank you stephen k

[FELLOW-SHIP]

Ha Flounder
You got to have a means to drain the water on the decks. This is the way Potter chose to use on the older SeaCrafts. There are a number of ways to improve them and if you go back through the old conversations you will find them all. Here is a cheep quick fix way I came up with called THE VORTEX.

http://forum.classicseacraft.com/sho...=&fpart=1&vc=1

Fellowship [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Scott]

Stephen

You are correct ..those are your deck scuppers ….BUT ….. Do not block them up unless you have an alternative method of getting rid of the deck water (through the transom etc). At rest (at the dock) no water should enter (provided the boat is not overloaded in the stern ) and allow wash and rain water to leave the deck i.e. a self bailing deck. While using the boat you can temporarily plug those holes to avoid wet feet …. Just don’t forget to take the plugs out when you bring her back to the dock and put her away for the night or even while running if you getting serious spray. Block those holes and that water will find the bilge …. And the batteries and pumps better be in good working order or else you’ll have a lot more problems than some wet feet!!! [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]