Moving cockpit drains to above water line?

[patrickstickler]

Has anyone moved their cockpit drains above the water line, or considered doing so? I'm trying to reduce the number of thru hulls below the water line, and am considering running the cockpit drains out the transom, just a hair lower than level from the bottom of the cockpit.

I'll install the existing seacocks, just in case, though plan to leave them open unless some mishap requires closing them.

Being run to the transom should keep them usually clear of water even when heeled and also not affect drainage when heeled.

Eh?

[sailingdog]

It is hard to do this on a lot of monohulls, since the cockpit drains are often crossed to allow them to drain while heeled. When you're going a shorter distance to above the waterline, the drains can act to flood the cockpit if the exits are below the heeled waterline but above the cockpit's sole, which can happen when the boat is heeled.

[mitiempo]

I'm planning on adding a large single drain through the transom next haulout. My cockpit sole is 8" above the waterline. I will probably keep if to only a slight downward slope as I am keeping my 2 existing drains below the waterline. It will be as close to center as my outboard rudder allows. I will install a spring loaded flap over the exit to stop water splashing in. I am doing it because my existing drains are too slow.

[sailingdog]

Sounds like a reasonable plan for a good reason. However, given how low that cockpit sole is, I would plan on adding a seacock to the new drain, just in case.

Originally Posted by mitiempo

I'm planning on adding a large single drain through the transom next haulout. My cockpit sole is 8" above the waterline. I will probably keep if to only a slight downward slope as I am keeping my 2 existing drains below the waterline. It will be as close to center as my outboard rudder allows. I will install a spring loaded flap over the exit to stop water splashing in. I am doing it because my existing drains are too slow.

[mitiempo]

Dog - problem is there is only a few inches between the aft surface of the cockpit well and the transom.

[sailingdog]

Hmm.. that is a problem, and even if you could install a seacock, reaching the handle would be a real PITA.

[klem]

I have not done this but keep in mind that you will get tiger stripes on your hull from it. All of the stuff that gets washed out of your cockpit will end up somewhere on your topsides. Not a big deal but you would probably need to wash it every 2 weeks.

[Hartley18]

FWIW, I've just moved my cockpit drains further down on the hull..

There simply wasn't enough space below the cockpit as it was for the 2" hoses to cross-over and exit properly and not leave water permanently sitting in the hoses - and certainly not enough room to fit seacocks of any sort.

In my experience with different boats, unless you have around 6' of freeboard, the only above-waterline cockpit drains that will work properly are transom drains.

[Hartley18]

Originally Posted by mitiempo

I'm planning on adding a large single drain through the transom next haulout. My cockpit sole is 8" above the waterline. I will probably keep if to only a slight downward slope as I am keeping my 2 existing drains below the waterline. It will be as close to center as my outboard rudder allows. I will install a spring loaded flap over the exit to stop water splashing in. I am doing it because my existing drains are too slow.

MIT, for the boat in the pic you posted, I'd suggest TWO smaller, say 3" dia, straight-through above-water line transom drains, one in each corner of the cockpit, exiting either side of the rudder with flaps - not one large one.

Two reasons: (a) when the boat is heeled, the lower one does all the work, but if the boat is flat and the cockpit floods you're using both (twice the area) and (b) it's harder for two drains to get blocked than one.

You'll see this setup on many small racing yachts and fast sailing dinghies for the reasons above.

[mitiempo]

That's a possibility. But I am keeping the 2 original underwater drains as well and they can cope with a bit of water at any angle. The transom outlet is for quicker draining if (when?) the cockpit fills.