Cockpit Drain Seacock too tall

[cas206]

I recently acquired a 1980 Aquarius Pilot Cutter 24. The cockpit had two drains in the forward part of the well. Each drain has a hose that crosses over to a thru hull on the opposite side. When I got the boat, there was a metal elbow screwed on to each thru hull followed by a (frozen) valve and hose.

I thought I was doing right by putting a Marelon Seacock on each thru hull. The problem is that I now have an inch or two of standing water in the cockpit after it rains. The height of the seacock puts the top end above the cockpit floor So of course that inch or two won't drain. To make matters worse, there is a leaky access panel on the cockpit floor (problem solved right?!). Not! I plan to fix that leaky panel.

I plan to see (i.e. google) if I can find shorter seacocks before reverting back to the metal elbow configuration. Any advice on product or alternate strategy would be appreciated. I'll say up front, that I don't want to fill holes and make new ones. I'd like to make the drains work with the existing thru hulls.

cas

[Cheechako]

The Marelon were taller than the bronze? or you didnt cross the hoses?

[Svsilvergirl]

Hmmm , I've heard several schools of thought about crossing the cockpit drains. They are not crossed on my 1974 44f islander . If you have her healed over or in rough water , there us a little bit of water that bubbles up thru the drains. But if they are crossed and you take water in the cockpit , it can't drain untill the boat stops healing. Not sure there is a correct answer.

[Cheechako]

Yeah... depends on how much room below the cockpit and where the waterline is I guess. No biggy either way..... unless as above you're standing in water!

[Svsilvergirl]

First time we sailed across the straights of Juan de fuca , it was blowing hard and the waves were directly on the port beam. Water would get an inch or two deep on the starboard side of the cockpit. Was a little un nerving.........

[Wotname]

Am I reading this correctly; you have put the new Marelon Seacock in the hull to replace the frozen valve (and elbow) and then hose to the hole in the cockpit floor. Assuming you used the same pipe or nipple in the cockpit floor, then how is the new arrangement higher than the old?

Or have you fitted the Marelon Seacocks into the cockpit floor? If so, why as the seacock should be at the hull.

[chris07732]

My both 2" cockpit drains have a ball type "check valve" in the fitting under the cockpit floor. It appears that the "ball" check is simply a "spaulding" type rubber ball. Both of the check balls are so old, they're split and no longer perform they're function, I'll replace them before I put back in water this spring.

Don't all cockpit drains have similar feature to prevent what the OP is experiencing? And having the checks eliminates the need to cross the hoses?

[cas206]

Clarification: The old method was a 90 degree elbow on the thru hull. The top of the elbow is still below the cockpit floor level. The old frozen ball valve (not seacock) was then installed on the elbow (sloping downwards). Then hose was installed on the other end of ball valve. The hose traveled under the cockpit floor to the opposite side of the boat and connects to the drain fitting. I haven't touched hose or drain. Replacing the 90 degree elbow with seacock puts the top end of the seacock above the level of the cockpit floor. So water drains (boat floating level in slip) until the cockpit water level reaches the same level as the seacock top and then quits draining.

[barnakiel]

I am puzzled. An image perhaps?

Why not get rid of the elbows?

b.

[sabray]

Hoses still crossed that's common/okay. Some cockpit drains have these floaty balls as stops they can get stuck over time. Usually the drain grate will unscrew so you can check or clean these. My practice is to get rid of the floatey. I don't mind a tad of water coming up.if the seacock is open and drains when you dump water via bucket your okay get rid of float backcheck

[barnakiel]

Can I PLS inject two questions:

- is it acceptable to get rid of the seacocks provided top specs tubes / hoses are clamped to the thruhulls?

- is it OK to have the outlets on boat's sides (rather than in the bottom) (provided there is some slope so that the water drains when the boat is level),

???

b.

[cas206]

I tried to use an image host to post image and got an error. So I uploaded an image to my account and still got a posting error. cas206 is now tagged as suspicious and can't post.

If you can see my crude drawing under Photos, Maintenance and boat building, the left side shows the old method of thru hull, 90 elbow, valve, hose. The right side shows my current setup with thru hull, seacock, 90 hose fitting, hose. The old gear stayed below the cockpit floor (blue line). The height of the seacock in the new setup causes a sort of loop above the cockpit floor level. Water drains to the red line and then stops.

This happens in a static situation. Crossing or not crossing won't fix it. I need to bring the entire setup back down to below floor level. Need a shorter seackcock or go back to elbow and valve.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Can I PLS inject two questions:

- is it acceptable to get rid of the seacocks provided top specs tubes / hoses are clamped to the thruhulls?

- is it OK to have the outlets on boat's sides (rather than in the bottom) (provided there is some slope so that the water drains when the boat is level),

???

b.

I would say NO and YES.

[barnakiel]

OK now I see.

My ideas:
a) go back to the old set-up,
b) move the thruhulls under the cockpit.

b.

[HopCar]

I think you are on the right track in replacing the thru-hull mounted ball valves with flanged seacocks. How about using a Groco Flanged Thru-hull adapter with a Street Elbow screwed onto it with a ball valve on the elbow?
Groco Flanged Adapter IBVF
This is a much stronger setup than just screwing a valve on the thru-hull and it still keeps the low profile you need.