Cockpit Drains

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

Wasn't it Eric and Susan Hiscock who had a canvas liner made for the cockpit, with a pick up handle on the floor so that they could do a quick dump.
There would be many variations on the theme.

Half a metre of water n a cockpit 1x1.5 m in size = 3/4 tonne of water.
Not easy to manhandle even a lot less than that.

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Half a metre of water n a cockpit 1x1.5 m in size = 3/4 tonne of water.
Not easy to manhandle even a lot less than that.

Yes, but makes a lot more sense than a five gallon bucket and a dose of panic.
Remember, this usually happens under bad conditions, and if you are concerned about the possibility of being pooped, you would have a plan in place.

[micah719]

6 tonnes to fill this centre cockpit brimful....hence the half-dozen 3" drains. If the sea is that spectacular, I've got other problems than bucketing! The lifting canvas thing....I can't see it working, unless I attach it to a halyard and have some decent puchase on it. Now, as a rapidly deployable canvas cover, it seems to show promise...thanks for the idea! Filed, for musing....

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by micah719

6 tonnes to fill this centre cockpit brimful....hence the half-dozen 3" drains. If the sea is that spectacular, I've got other problems than bucketing! The lifting canvas thing....I can't see it working, unless I attach it to a halyard and have some decent puchase on it. Now, as a rapidly deployable canvas cover, it seems to show promise...thanks for the idea! Filed, for musing....

I don't think you would get enough warning to deploy a canvas cover (remember too that it needs to be secure enough to take possibly a tonne of water over it).

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

I don't think you would get enough warning to deploy a canvas cover (remember too that it needs to be secure enough to take possibly a tonne of water over it).

This would be advanced precautionary prep, same as an early reef, checking harnesses, securing hatches, etc.
You are in "pooping" weather (both types) remember.

[micah719]

Perhaps deploy it when one notices the waves are getting a little high....and since I'll have a considerable amount of steel wire mesh anti-boarding netting aboard, I think I just found a dual use for some of it...reinforcing that canvas cover. Then again...I'll just strap in tight and enjoy the deluge.

[micah719]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

This would be advanced precautionary prep, same as an early reef, checking harnesses, securing hatches, etc.
You are in "pooping" weather (both types) remember.

You mentioned that already in your previous post....now I think I understand what you meant!

From Blue Stockings: Wasn't it Eric and Susan Hiscock who had a canvas liner made for the cockpit, with a pick up handle on the floor so that they could do a quick dump.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by micah719

Perhaps deploy it when one notices the waves are getting a little high....and since I'll have a considerable amount of steel wire mesh anti-boarding netting aboard, I think I just found a dual use for some of it...reinforcing that canvas cover. Then again...I'll just strap in tight and enjoy the deluge.

I remember one Bass Strait crossing racing on a friend's boat where successive waves washing over actually continually lifted up anyone in the cockpit. Water sloshed up ww pants and down into boots wave after wave. You would have to be a little masochistic to enjoy that. But then again I think we all had to be a little masochistic to be out there

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by micah719

You mentioned that already in your previous post....now I think I understand what you meant!

Touche'

[micah719]

Bass Strait? That's tending to the far extremes of masochism...hats off to you both!

The problem with exposure isn't so much being wet, but keeping warm. The saltwater sores won't kill as fast as the chill. Woolen long underwear. Not only stylish, it's practical!

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by micah719

Bass Strait? That's tending to the far extremes of masochism...hats off to you both!

The problem with exposure isn't so much being wet, but keeping warm. The saltwater sores won't kill as fast as the chill. Woolen long underwear. Not only stylish, it's practical!

Thermal underwear, I find woollen very itchy. It was the middle of summer but rugged up with balaclava, muffler etc.. One of those experiences that was a little like banging your head against a brick wall - it felt absolutely fantastic when it was over!

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

No seacocks if they drain above the waterline is a potential problem how? That seems fine.

If the drain for the cockpit terminates below the waterline, seems to me having no seacock is asking for trouble. A prudent person would close all below water thruhulls whenever the boat is slipped unattended.

Actually, the only thru-hulls I leave open are the cockpit scuppers when at dock, but then I am pretty obsessive about both doubling all hose clamps and making sure they are tightened correctly.

Of course, routing the cockpit scuppers either directly aft out the transom, as is the case in my steel cutter, or to a standpipe (not always easy to do) above the WL is another way to approach the issue.

[Boulter]

Hi:

I am giving consideration as to what to do about my cockpit drainage. The existing system is 37 year old 1 ½ inch gate valves and flexible tubing, 4 drains exit to two thru hull assemblies.

Everything I read suggests including this thread, is that this sort of drainage scheme is way under sized. I used the online calculation tool referenced earlier in the thread to develop an estimate of how long it would take to drain my cockpit through a single 1 ½ inch drain - about 8 minutes. Now, what I did is pretty crude. I estimated my cockpit volume, then I calculated the equivalent cylinder to match the tool which calculates for cylinders. I put in a length of 3 feet for hose length, and 3 feet for some other parameter, not even sure what it means, but it certainly isn’t the default 10 feet. Left all the other dozens of parameters to the default values. Out spits 8 minutes.

So for two 1 ½ inch drains maybe my cockpit drains in about 4 minutes. Maybe.

To restore this likely inadequate situation is going to be a pair of seacocks at $90 each, backing plates, silicon bronze screws, quite likely thru hulls, and presto I am likely at north of $400, for an inadequate solution.

Then consider a 4 or 5 inch diameter hard fiberglass tube. I like this idea except for a few issues. One, I am not convinced a rigid structure isn’t going to find a way of cracking in the long term. Two, I want it to not be there in case I have to shoehorn my body down there to fix something in the vicinity one day. Repairs are another reason it sucks to be a large guy around boats.

So what about a pair of barbed thru hulls of a substantial diameter? I have found 2 ½ inch bronze instances for about $90, and 2. ½ inches with the same crude estimate as above will drain in 3 minutes. A pair of these tubes has a figure of something like 1.5 minutes. Unfortunately, 3 inch parts explode in cost to around $200 each. Maybe there is something in Marelon somewhere, but parts start getting scarce over 1 ½ inches. Then there is the small matter that I have not found a source of flexible hose in these diameters. Surely it must exist somewhere. So for about the same money, I think I could eliminate two below the water line thru hulls, and about triple the rate of cockpit drainage. I could route the existing cockpit drains through the transom too, just to keep rain at bay, and do that last bit of drainage when the bulk is gone.

Anyhow, these are my thoughts if anyone has anything to add.

Cheers

Boulter

[Matt sachs]

My cockpit has 2- 3.75 inch steel steel pipes straight down thru the hull. I worry about young kids and small pets falling in....

[Chasing Summer]

Put hand holds next to the drain ... don't know about the small pets ... maybe a strainer.