Cockpit drains flooding back while sailing

[gabosifat]

Hi All,

Has anyone solved the problem of cockpit drains filling the cockpit with water while sailing. The boat is an E35/3 & the outboard drains at the aft end of the cockpit on the leeward side backfill so there is about 4" of water right in the lower corner of the cockpit while healing .

Many thanks to all who reply.

Steve Gabbott
E35/3 Silent Dancer
Vancouver, BC

 

[Martin King]

Steve,
You might try routing the hoses so they cross-i.e. the starboard
scupper drains into the port seacock etc.

Martin

 

[gabosifat]

Cockpit drains

Hi Martin,

The cockpit drains are already crossed to the opposite sides. I thought of putting a high loop, but I don't think they would even work at all then.

Steve

 

[Steve]

Shut the seacocks ?

Same problem. Ours has a seacock on each at the through hull, so we close in heavy following sea and rely on the two that run below water line and under the galley sink. Don't typicaly take any water into the cockpit other then a malt beverage inccident....

Steve Amazing Grace 35-3 #159

 

[gabosifat]

Hi,

I was on board another E35/3 the other day & the owner had a solution to this problem. He had taken the crossed drains at the aft outboard end of the cockpit & uncrossed the hoses & included a one way flapper valve in each. So the starboard drain drained to the starboard side & same on the port side. The one way valves (don't know the brand but they looked very substantial. Anyway, he said it has solved his problems.

Steve

 

[jmoses]

Perko Scuppers

Perko makes a check-ball cockpit scupper just for this situation
(PERKO 0142002CHR). It's a chrome scupper drain with an intergral rubber check ball in the housing. It can be opened and cleaned out, fits 1.5" hose and is a bit pricey. But it works. I suspect GROCO or Buck Algonquin also makes a similar scupper drain.

Otherwise, a flapper valve or if you want to solve it correctly, re-mount the sea cocks elsewhere to prevent the problem in the future.

John M.

 

[Christian Williams]

Does anyone have crossed cockpit drains that actually work as advertised?

On the 32-3 it's hard to get any downhill on such long hoses.

 

[Rick R.]

I know my cockpit drains are kind of slow. I didn't notice it till I was washing the boat at a marina that had very high volume water at the slip. Made me concerned we could be in trouble if we took a wave.

 

[Christian Williams]

Maybe I'm beating this to death--

But in studying various threads, I cannot actually find anyone who says "My drains are crossed and they work well both when the cockpit is level and when heeled over."

It's an awkward job renewing or changing the above-the-waterline drain hoses, so I hope to hear a success story.

My boat currently splits the difference.

The starboard drain is crossed--but with a loop in it, as if to prevent water entering. Water always stands in the hose, although it can be blown out with an air hose. It drains neither heeled nor level, and might as well be sealed off. On the 32-3 it is very difficult to reach the seacock valve on this side, so no possibility of opening and closing as need arises.

The port drain is straight and works well for draining rain or wash water. But of course, it lets water in when heeled on starboard tack. The seacock is accessible, so it can be shut.

These compromises are all right--seal the starboard drain, close the port when heeling.

However, it cuts the emergency drain potential by half, since the only remaining drains are the two that drain below the waterline.

As the initial poster asked, has anyone actually conquered the factory drains issue?

One other thought occurs:

A crossed drain with a loop in it doesn't work for "normal" draining and appears useless.

However, if you took green water and filled the cockpit, looped drains would function until the water level dropped below the loop.

but, man, does that seem a ridiculously complicated justification....

 

[Rick R.]

Maybe I'm beating this to death--

But in studying various threads, I cannot actually find anyone who says "My drains are crossed and they work well both when the cockpit is level and when heeled over."

It's an awkward job renewing or changing the above-the-waterline drain hoses, so I hope to hear a success story.

My boat currently splits the difference.

The starboard drain is crossed--but with a loop in it, as if to prevent water entering. Water always stands in the hose, although it can be blown out with an air hose. It drains neither heeled nor level, and might as well be sealed off. On the 32-3 it is very difficult to reach the seacock valve on this side, so no possibility of opening and closing as need arises.

The port drain is straight and works well for draining rain or wash water. But of course, it lets water in when heeled on starboard tack. The seacock is accessible, so it can be shut.

These compromises are all right--seal the starboard drain, close the port when heeling.

However, it cuts the emergency drain potential by half, since the only remaining drains are the two that drain below the waterline.

As the initial poster asked, has anyone actually conquered the factory drains issue?

One other thought occurs:

A crossed drain with a loop in it doesn't work for "normal" draining and appears useless.

However, if you took green water and filled the cockpit, looped drains would function until the water level dropped below the loop.

but, man, does that seem a ridiculously complicated justification....

How do other boats with drains in their cockpits drain? Maybe we could copy them?

 

[Carefree Sailor]

Does anyone have crossed cockpit drains that actually work as advertised?

On the 32-3 it's hard to get any downhill on such long hoses.

I have an E35-3 and have never had a problem with backfill when heeled. My hoses are crossed and held high, next to the cockpit sole. Once on the other side, the hoses drop vertically to their respective seacocks.

 

[Christian Williams]

Say, that makes sense. Unsecured hoses tend to droop. But as you indicate, if initially bound parallel with the underside of the deck they'd have a straight run and then a gravity dive to the through-hull.

It's going to be a brutal install on my model, but I'll give it a try. In fact, not sure I can do it with the rudder in.

 

[GregB]

Blog it Sensei...

As I am right behind you, I look forward to your documentation!

Say, that makes sense. Unsecured hoses tend to droop. But as you indicate, if initially bound parallel with the underside of the deck they'd have a straight run and then a gravity dive to the through-hull.

It's going to be a brutal install on my model, but I'll give it a try. In fact, not sure I can do it with the rudder in.

 

[Christian Williams]

After a day under the cockpit, I'm upgrading the outboard drain hoses and the Whale pump hose. They're of a white, non-reinforced ribbed plastic which looks OK, but on close inspection is brittle and will crack with finger pressure. The inner hoses, which drain to the through-hull in the bilge (below water line) are green, and of much better quality. They appear still serviceable although apparently also original.

I've given up crossing the outers. ON my model, unlike the E35-3, there's no way to similarly route the hoses. Too much stuff in the way, especially the molded propane locker, and not enough room under there.

I could permanently close two seacocks, of course, but I guess I'd rather have four drains draining than dry feet.

If you happen to be considering this project, with its associated bilge pump hose considerations, this is a useful old thread:

http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?836-Back-Flooding-thru-bilge-pump

 

[markvone]

" My cockpit drain hoses are crossed and they work well all the time."

Christian,

Behold the E36RH cockpit drain hoses!

They are 2 1/2" diameter, they cross, they drain, they do not back flood. Here they are behind the 2 hull valves.

They work due to the cockpit height above the waterline and lack of any items in the stern.

Mine appear to be original - so as not to ruin that classic, old-boat resale value? New hose coming soon.

And, best of all, you can just crawl back in there from port or stbd, work reasonably comfortably and come out the other side!

Mark

 

[Alan Gomes]

Christian,

Behold the E36RH cockpit drain hoses!

They are 2 1/2" diameter, they cross, they drain, they do not back flood. Here they are behind the 2 hull valves.

They work due to the cockpit height above the waterline and lack of any items in the stern.

Mine appear to be original - so as not to ruin that classic, old-boat resale value? New hose coming soon.

And, best of all, you can just crawl back in there from port or stbd, work reasonably comfortably and come out the other side!

Mark

Mark,
I'm not sure what the two seacocks are for, but is that a PVC elbow in the aft-most one? If so, I'd get rid of it. For some reason Ericson thought it was a swell idea to use these on its seacocks, even for those below the waterline! :0 When I bought my E26-2 there was a PVC elbow on my head sink drain (below the waterline), and when I hauled out last summer I replaced it with a bronze elbow. (I also replaced the thru-hull itself, as well as the seacock.)

Nothing wrong with the Marelon valves themselves, though....

 

[markvone]

Thanks Alan,

Yep, thats a PVC 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 elbow in the manual bilge pump discharge hull valve above the waterline. I've also got PVC fittings in the Head and Galley BELOW waterline valves as well. I'm guessing Ericson used them to get hoses onto different size hull valves. All the nice Marelon elbows and tailpieces match the valve sizes so there is no easy reduction/expansion available with the Marelon fittings. I've not been hauled out since I bought the boat, so I've been getting by keeping the below waterline hull valves all closed except when needed. I'm planning a big haul out this summer to replace all the below waterline stuff. Can't wait to get it done!

Mark

 

[Christian Williams]

Wow. I believe you also have room for an additional bunk back there.

N'ce to have the drains exit the transom, instead of downward-facing under the overhang where they so easily siphon. And your original hoses seem much better quality than mine were.

 

[Bob Robertson]

I know my cockpit drains are kind of slow. I didn't notice it till I was washing the boat at a marina that had very high volume water at the slip. Made me concerned we could be in trouble if we took a wave.

Hi Rick,

We've never had a problem with water coming into our cockpit via the drains while sailing. We have had a problem with them draining slowly from time to time.
We fixed that problem by flushing them out using a high pressure garden hose nozzle. Lint, bugs etc. must accumulate in the hose and through hull.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[markvone]

Good from far, but far from good.

Christian,

The cockpit drains on the E36RH are 2.5 inches in diameter, so the hose choices are limited, my old ones are engine exhaust hose. Makes sense to go with high quality hose since a failure leaves a large hole in the boat very near the waterline and they should last a long time hanging out in the dark.

Here are the old hoses close up, probably original - yuck.