Deck-Drainage Pipes Blocked and Rusting !

[SabreKai]

Originally Posted by McSalty

Yup! Something like that I'd love to have!
Unfortunately they only company specialized in "tube-Stuff" here in Mallorca (Tubosa) have never heard of something like that.

Any idea where I could find (search terms?) or order something like that on a flexible rod which does not need to be longer than 2m (~7' )?
I am not sure if rust-converter alone, poured down them drains, will do the trick? First any loose rust surely has to come off?

Again, I am aware that this is a temp-solution only, but due to "certain circumstances" (I got screwed big time with the purchase and now am running very low on funding!) I wont be able to afford drydock until next year.

Is there no hardware store there? I had to make one up to clean out the rudder tube on my old HO-28. Went to Canadian Tire, bought a round brass brush about 2 inches in diameter, welded it onto a length of 1/4 inch welding rod, and chucked it in the drill. Worked like a charm. The brush was a bit bigger than the tube ID so I nibbled off the extra with a pair of wire cutters. Then applied some grunt to get it shoved into the tube. Once that was done, I dropped a line with a weight down through the tube, and tied a sponge rubber ball to it. Poured in some Interprotec 2000 and pulled the ball up like a bore cleaning brush. That was the end of the problem. New rudder bushings and away we went.

Sabre

[ATC]

Maybe the use of a 'plumbers helper' (a.k.a. plunger) will dislodge the blockage in the scupper drains.

[s/vfootloose]

Mine plug up all the time. Lots of trash from trees at my dock. If I can't wash it thru with a sprayer on the hose I disconnect it from the T in the cockpit drain and blow it out. If it happens again try wrapping a rag around an air compressor hose and putting it in the outlet and blowing all the junk upward out the inlet.

[boatman61]

Go to a tool hire shop and get a commercial drill with a flexi rod... the sort they use for drain clearing.... it'll break down anything in there..

[Pblais]

Mine are plastic hose so I would not use anything too aggressive. I get mostly airborne stuff and the occasional seagull. Two smaller drains sit inside the edge of the foredeck hatch covers. A teak rim around the inside of the molded deck conveys water to both side aft corners where a 3/4 inch drains are located. Solids do collect over time and the dirt adds to make a solid clog. A 4 ft long piece of underground solid core copper wire slides around just fine and will break it loose near the bottom. the heavy plastic cover over the solid copper slides well. For sticks and stones they probvably need to come out the way they went in. I have avoided those. The other 4 drains are larger hose with very short runs. The deck fitting has a solid molded plastic plug that acts like a screen. Unless the trash buiilds up no much goes down that won't go out. For larger drains something like a 1/4 inch grid seems to work well on the larger drains.

If you get stain marks down the side below the scupper< insert a short section of small rope that will alow the surface tension of the water to hang on and drip from the end of the short rope. You won't get stains down the side of the boat.

I like the plunger idea but I can't fit one to get a good seal. I can using my hand get a partial seal on the foredeck drains but I usually get a little spray on me from the back pressure if I use the hose at the dock. The washdown pump cuts off if I try to use that.

For a steel boat where things are at right angles I can see that something a little more aggressive might be required. Using a little caution and adding a little paitience can avoid the problems from "too big a hammer". When the plumbing is just plastic hose and hose barb fittings with clamps you have to be careful.

[GordMay]

OSPHO converts* iron oxide (rust) to iron phosphate
Directions ➥ Ospho

Conversion Coatings ➥ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phospha...ersion_coating