Cockpit Drain Configuration

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Dennis.G

While I think transom drains are a good way to go on many boats, I would think again if you need to run hose across a locker space. You will be reducing usable storage space, and have chance of damaging hoses with items stored in the locker. Also, if going out the transom you want hoses with a good slope down to the discharge. As a lot of sailboat transoms sit up off the water some distance it is something to consider if you can get a slope that will move the water through the hoses.

It's a good point. I put two 3" aft drains in the first 31 footer I built (read too many bluewater books!) They were a PITA the whole time I owned that boat trying to use the Lazzarette storage... maybe the best answer is to simply replace your existing small drains with proper 1.5 dia drains.

[roverhi]

If you've ever had the pleasure of a fulll cockpit, you know that the typical cockpit drains take forever to empty the well. Remember, the cockpit is not only the footwell but everything within the confines of the seat coamings, cabin top, etc. that can trap water. On most boats, that's a whole bunch of sea water.

1 or two 1 1/2" drains aren't adequate, even for a small footwell. 2" or multiple 1 1/2" drains are way better. Cutting off the transom and leaving the whole rear open is the ultimate drain and still barely large enough.

[Cheechako]

Yeah, if I'm seeing his pic right, it's just a foot well and small wooden "coamings" open at the back... ? It probably depends a lot on how wet a ride his boat is. My Rawson 30 had a huge cockpit volume... probably 4 times his. I never got more than a splash in it though. Lucky me!

[osirissail]

Before you consider a single center cockpit drain to the transom do some calculating to see if it will drain when your boat is heeled over. You might consider two drains one on each side to the cockpit leading back to the transom through hull.

[otherthan]

[
]G'Day Steeve,

I'm also in favor of the transom drains. If it's feasible, use two bits of say 2 inch sched 80 PVC pipe, one from each corner of the well. Glass into the footwell bulkhead and the transom. If possible, angle them downward a bit to aid draining when at anchor.As mentioned above, put simple rubber flaps over the ends to discourage water coming in from wavestrikes astern. I'd remove the existing drains and through hulls, glass up the holes... an increase in overall safety.

This should reduce the drain time to well less than 5 minutes... and as mentioned above, the sloshing due to the boat movement will get rid of a lot of it without involving the drains... especially if you remove the coamings (although I am not so sure that this is a good idea, since it will let water that is running down the deck into the cockpit).


first your advice on pvc is exelent...then you clearly say how to glass the pipe and exatcly where...you knew there was a bulkhead befor the transom...good.
also remouving the old thruhulls and to glass up the holes is a wise thing to do for my intent use of the boat...neddles to say I will test the new drains befor remouving the old drains.
as for the coamings the new ones will be shorter and go from cabine to side, so water will be diverted off the ship...giving me kind of open deck cockpit surownded by 12in taffrail (like formosa)
I think this will alow easy drainage if needed but its more for the looks, we like to spread out on bean bags and sunbath in the cockpit.

pleas give me your opinion on how youd make this cockpit more comfy

Cheers,

JIm[/QUOTE]

[stillbuilding]

Originally Posted by jobi

thanks we can never get too much experience!!!!

I wanted to build a brige from the companionway to the start of cockpit hatches, and close it shut (watertight)

then glass an 8in dame to raise my companionway...this was my fi
rst idea to make the boat ocean going.

Installing a bridge deck will give you an extra safety margin as well as a comfortable place to sit when boat is self-steering. Bit of a dodger to stop the weather and a good book and your good. You do have to clamber up over which is a nuisance at times but not too bad. Reasonable trade off.

Your foot well is about the same as one I had on a previous boat. Only had 2 x 1.5" drains and it took forever to empty. Go for 2 x 2" at least IMO.

[stillbuilding]

Originally Posted by jobi

[

pleas give me your opinion on how youd make this cockpit more comfy

Cheers,

JIm

[/QUOTE]

The low coaming does not provide any back support. This would be a killer for me. Maybe fit in one or two proper helm seats for steering - can just be a suitable cut down plastic chair, one of those beach seats or something in wood. One of the America cup boats used a plastic chair only but not especially attractive I guess.

[otherthan]

The low coaming does not provide any back support. This would be a killer for me. Maybe fit in one or two proper helm seats for steering - can just be a suitable cut down plastic chair, one of those beach seats or something in wood. One of the America cup boats used a plastic chair only but not especially attractive I guess.[/QUOTE]

we have FatBoy bean bags for seating comfort...they provide exelent back rest in any position we want...we have medium and large size...these are full weather proufe and can be used on water, we actualy sleep on them hear in the yard beside fire camp...leaned against a taffrail they would make outstanding steering seats.

hears the taffrail I want to build

[Cheechako]

please dont remove the floor drains... unless you enjoy having water in there often...like everytime you wash the deck, or it rains a little or.... then you can track it below and make a wet slippery mess etc.

If you go with PVC or rigid pipe, there is a little risk of that rigid pipe setup cracking etc.... boats do flex and move! A couple of appropriate fittings and rubber hose may be more expensive, but a heck of a lot easier than crawling around in the lazzarette with fiberglass goo all over! If I were to do another one, I would consider going out the side of the footwell at the aft end and then angle back and down out the side of the hull.... that would keep the lazzarette open for storage.

[otherthan]

The original drains are 46old and cauld use a refit...so proper seacocks and larger drains will be benifitial...then I cauld run a 2 or 3in pvc strait from centre cockpit to engin well and be done with it...when underway the engin pit will have a cealed cover to prevent water intake.

what do you think?

[SabreKai]

I used to have some honking great drains on Espina. 2x6 tube welded straight from the cockpit wall to the transom. The ends were odd shaped so flappers wouldn't work there but a couple of wood blocks wedged in the inboard ends would keep the water out. Of course once they swelled up they were incredibly difficult to get out.

If Espie was floating level at the dock she would have water 6 inches deep in the cockpit while sailing as the stern would tuck under. I finally trimmed her nose down at the dock and that cut the water inflow drasticly. Of course with 2 12sq inch drains, pooping was not something I was ever afraid of.

I am considering doing the same thing to Sabre Dance as the existing drains exit in front of the prop disk and ever time I hit reverse I get a 4 foot jet of water up the kilt.





I never did get around to putting flappers on the ends, they were too weird in shape to come up with anything that would seal well enough. I did try Wooden blocks on lanyards, that worked fairly well till the block swelled up.