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I think my boat would have sunk ... ?

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Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1768 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/12/2002 : 13:42:08

I went to do some work on my boat this weekend. My boat is an older model, and the cockpit drains are the kind that drain straight down through the bottom of the boat rather than through the transom (I think they are called scuppers ... ?).

A previous owner plugged up one of the cockpit drains to make room for the steering mechanism of the Edson wheel. I thought I might be able to reinstall the drain, because I'd like to have more cockpit drainage. I crawled to the back of the quarterberth and took a look through the hole that was cut into the back when the steering wheel was installed ... there is no way to reinstall the drain.

I decided to check the plugged to-hull where the drain used to be connected. The previous owner had put a wooden plug in the hole ... WHICH FELL OUT OF THE HOLE WHEN I TOUCHED IT!<img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle> There was no sealer, hose clamp, bubble gum, or anything else to hold it in place. My boat would have sunk, right?

Now I need to permanently plug the hole. I am certain I felt threads on the end of the pipe. What would be the best way to plug it? I'm thinking about getting a threaded cap for the end, pounding a wine bottle cork into the hole where it exits the bottom of the boat, and glopping the whole thing with something like 3M 5200 ... 'anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

Buzz Maring, C-25 SK/SR #68, "Freya"

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Bill Holcomb
Admiral

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USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 08/13/2002 : 09:23:20

Hey Buzz,

I think that you have found another of the infamous Catalina to-hulls. So, don't pound anything into or onto that piece of pipe. If you want to permanently close that drain, the best "fix" is to remove the to-hull pipe and then fiberglass the hole closed. It is a small enough opening, that you could probably use straight epoxy with some cut up fiberglass fibers to make a permanent plug. West System epoxy has some great fillers for this. Their #403 filler is small fine fibers that you mix into the resin/hardener mix to create sort of a putty.

West System also makes a couple of repair packages. The #101 Repair Pack only costs about $10 and probably has everything you'll need except for rubber gloves............don't forget the gloves.

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/13/2002 : 09:56:46

Now I'd never want to be on record as disagreeing with Bill Holcomb, so, with all due respect, I'll just "add" a suggestion to his... I would overlap at least one small layer of glass mat, at least three times the diameter of the hole, on the outside of the hull after grinding off the gelcoat under the area of the mat. Then I'd put in Bill's "putty". Another glass layer inside wouldn't be a bad idea, either, but I'm more worried about the effects of pounding from the outside.

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette "Passage" in SW CT

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Bill Holcomb
Admiral

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USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 08/14/2002 : 09:56:40

Good call Dave. It sure wouldn't hurt to "cap" the plug on both sides.

Buzz, with the cockpit drains removed, how does your self-bailing cockpit stay "dry"????

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

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Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1768 Posts

Response Posted - 08/14/2002 : 13:40:04

Thanks Bill & Dave ... I was hoping some of the old salts would weigh in and give me some suggestions on this.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Good call Dave. It sure wouldn't hurt to "cap" the plug on both sides.

Buzz, with the cockpit drains removed, how does your self-bailing cockpit stay "dry"????

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Bill ... only one of the cockpit drains is disabled, so I do have some drainage. I would like to add at least one through-transom drain like the newer models have ... I might even disable the good scupper and go with two through the transom ... that project is down the road.

Thanks again!

Buzz Maring, C-25 SK/SR #68, "Freya"

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