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Foredeck drain arrangement

PostPosted: Mon Jun 10, 2019 5:46 pm
by Malcbuchanan
My foredeck drains use flexible wire braided pipework to connect from the deck fitting to the hull side fittings These block fairly regularly as I thing the through hole size is only 10mm.
Does anyone have an alternative arrangement - preferably of a larger bore size...I guess garden hose and jubilee clips could be used !!
many thanks Malcolm

Re: Foredeck drain arrangement

PostPosted: Tue Jun 11, 2019 6:28 am
by erbster
Hi Malcolm. Yes, this is s design weakness of the boat. They do block easily, but are easily replaced (the rubber interior pipe perishes). Many complain about these, but few replace with a different arrangement. One boat I know had larger bore copper pipe fitted, but this is a non trivial task. I put bings in mine when the boat is on the trailer to prevent pine needles etc going in. I also find blowing the bottom end of the pipe usually pushes out trapped objects - the obstruction seems to be in the fitting at the top end. I guess you could try the arrangement you suggest; I don’t know of anyone else who has tried that.


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Re: Foredeck drain arrangement

PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 12:19 pm
by zimp
Zimp (SN 004, a SA build Capecutter) has drains with a diameter of about 1 inch. They made from tubes. These tubes are laminated to the hull. But it seems to me quite a job to install 1 inch tubes instead of the 10mm hoses. Zimp sleeps close to trees so sometimes I have to clean the drains by putting the end of a mooring rope through the drains.

Re: Foredeck drain arrangement

PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 2019 5:20 pm
by erbster
Evidently the deck moulding was changed over time- certainly all the Honnor boats (except one) have a fitting in a slightly different location and the narrow rubber hoses. I wish my drains were 1” and one day maybe I’ll bend some 15mm pipe


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Re: Foredeck drain arrangement

PostPosted: Fri Jun 14, 2019 6:51 pm
by Dennis
It only takes about one sycamore seed plus two pine needles to block mine. :(

Fortunately this only usually happens when the boat is ashore, when it is on it's mooring, or sailing it rarely gets blocked.

I can confirm that HM used standard plumbing flexible tap connectors for this purpose, they are nominally 15mm, but in reality have a bore of about 10mm dia.

A much larger drain (called "scuppers" on ships) would be great, especially when sailing into a heavy sea.

Re: Foredeck drain arrangement

PostPosted: Sat Jun 15, 2019 12:32 am
by erbster
I ha e rubber bungs for my drains when Aurora is ashore.


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Re: Foredeck drain arrangement

PostPosted: Thu Jun 20, 2019 9:25 pm
by Malcbuchanan
Many thanks to all for all the replies...I think I will start by replacing the existing flexi pipes like for like, ensuring no kinks, before considering anything more drastic. Really useful to know that there is no easy alternative - nothing worse than struggling with something and then finding out afterwards the easy fix !!!
Regards to all - Malcolm

Re: Foredeck drain arrangement

PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 3:26 pm
by Tony Treen
Same problem with everyone else with the drains blocking. Last season it came to a head, as went out to the boat (on a drying mooring) to find the anchor well full of water. High winds had blown Exe Estuary mud and sand into the well, rain had washed it all into the pipes, and the mess had set like cement. Poking and blowing had no effect, so had to bail out the well, and remove the wire braided pipes to clean them out.

So, a job this winter has been to fit a larger diameter pipe. What I ended up with was 1x 1/2" BSP plastic elbow, 1x 1/2" BSP plastic hex nipple, some 3/4" internal diameter (1" external) plastic pipe, and two jubilee clips for each drain. The elbow to the well fitting gives a better lead for the plastic pipe and avoids kinking. The pipe then simply pushes over the hull fitting. Note the 1/2" BSP - I learnt the hard way that to size BSP you measure the thread diameter and then subtract 1/4". I originally ordered 3/4", that being the thread diameter.

Checked by chucking a bucket of water into the well, and has worked a dream, even washing the bits of dirt (which are unavoidable where I overwinter the boat and take the cover off for access) through the drains, which previously would have immediately blocked.

Have put a photo up in the gallery - Wadudu Modifications