through hull drain tubes in the floor

[Bushwacker]

Are these wires meant ti last exposed like that for 30 + years. They've been working fine until now, and I haven't really messed with them at all.

I recently replaced my combo light on bow with separate red and green lights on cabin sides to make way for an anchor bracket. Nav lights don't pull many amps, so the original 1972 wires were fine and I just spliced the new lights to them. If you've been putting a lot of amps thru a wire it'll get hot and oxidize; then the insulation WILL get brittle and when you scrape it off the outside of the copper wires will be black; if they've been submerged in sea water, you'll see green copper sulfate. Any black or green wires should be replaced. I've seen than on trailer lights and bilge pump wiring, but not on nav lights.

Here's one link to some photos of the scupper repair I did.
leaking scupper repair I stayed with the original brass tubes to get max flow area. You can use schedule 40 PVC but you'll lose a lot of flow area due to the thick walls. I've been out in enough big seas that I decided if I ever took one over the transom, I'd want to get that water off the deck ASAP, so the more flow area the better!

[avian22]

Bush,

Thanks for the info. on the wires. Now I know what to check for. I don't think there is any black or green. So you just helped me prevent an unnecessary project.

Will def. go with the brass tubes. Got to put some tools together and get my head right about how I'll go about fixing. I like the idea of making the hole a little bigger so that I can unite the materials. I am still a "padawan" at best and all of these projects are firsts for me. But I learn fast. So we'll see.

Thanks!

[fishhuntNC]

Sorry my question was for avian.I just thought he was saying the cockpit drained into the bilge but I think he meens it drains out of the bottom of the boat.Ive gone and looked at previous post now and seen that other boats have been modified to do this(drain into the bilge).Is there a reason for this instead of just letting the water out of the boat. Also I was thinking(that tends to get me in trouble) that he said the cockpit drain was a brass truhull that he could not get broken free. And my scuppers are plastic had no trouble but I havent had them out to see if the wood in the transom was wet around them.Just 5200 around them.

[fishhuntNC]

Guess this is one of those differences I wanted to know about.My tracker hull has a different scupper setup than Avians boat or I guess all older models so now I'll shut up.

[Greno]

My 18 has no scuppers except the 2 in the motor well. The plastic ones behind the baitwell have been filled with 5200 and the hoses/tubes and wherever they went are gone. I have toyed with the idea of cutting flappers in the side of the hull at the floor to have some drainage, but as low as the thing sits in the back they would probably only work when running. I can't imagine scuppers that run through the bottom work all that well either.

Eric

[Bushwacker]

. . . I can't imagine scuppers that run through the bottom work all that well either. Eric

That's because your missing one small but important detail. There are small wedges attached to the hull just in front of the scupper tubes which create SIGNIFICANT suction. It pulls the water out much faster than just depending on gravity!

I think I had temporarily removed them for better access when flaring the end of tube, so that's why you didn't see them in photos in my old post.

Also, you don't necessarily have to buy an expensive flaring tool. I used some threaded rod, nuts & washers and some tapered sockets I had to get the flare started, then finished with ball peen hammer. Maybe not as pretty as using a tool, but it worked! One problem with those plastic tubes is that they will eventually crack if enough UV gets to them.

[Old'sCool]

I had replaced these on an older Whaler I had. A tow ball works great also. I had to "anneal" the brass tube by torch heating and quench in water usually twice. This prevents splitting when flaring.

[Greno]

I have no evidence on my boat that anything ever went through the bottom of the hull except the drain for the baitwell. I will search harder i guess.

Eric

[Bushwacker]

The thru-the-bottom scuppers may have been unique to the Potter models, about 1970-79. Not sure of configuration post-Potter.

[Greno]

mine is a 79. i know it had them at one time because the plastic thru deck fittings are ther but have no tubes or hoses attached and the fittings have been filled with 5200