Scuppers...That Ain't Right

[bruce]

I'll respond, but I hope others will as well. The rubber flapper sealed kind of, and it was more to stop a heavy surge. The orientation of the flapper may help, but the design is still limited in effectiveness. The ball scupper has a floating ball that seals against a round soft silicon rubber flange, much more apt to stop a gradual rise in the water at the scupper, but will also be effective against a strong surge.

I'm guessing your drains are enough above the waterline so you don't have to worry about water routinely coming up the drain.

[Renae]

Hoping so, but not really sure.  I got into this project because I found more water in the sump than I was comfortable with after last sail.  For whatever reason I was getting more water up alongside the CB pennant, and I wouldn't say that I was having water up the drains, but I was having "non-draining", if that makes sense.  The through hulls look ridiculously low to me, but they're right where Hutchins put 'em, I suppose. 

I think I need to readjust my thinking to where the drains are on the cockpit floor, not where the external exit is.  I might sleep better at night that way.

[DanM]

FYI, on our 2011 SunCat, at the dock, we once had four good-size adults in the cockpit and were surprised to see water come up from the drains in the cockpit floor. Those flapper valves don't make a tight seal in a stationary boat. But the water drained right back out after we threw the guests overboard.

[Jim in TC]

The flaps come to us with the flap down (open from the bottom) and that makes best sense to me...they are not *real* stiff and flap up will leave them open at times just from gravity. Or am I not interpreting your question correctly?

Our 2006 came with the flaps partially open just, I suppose, from the age of the rubber. I reversed them and they shut pretty well now.

[Renae]

I just picked up some new ones from West Marine which are slightly different than the SeaDogs.  The holes match up though, so I'm hoping for the best.   The flaps are pretty soft on the WM valves.  Not so soft that they will invert with pressure, but they sort of hang 10% open out of the water, whether I reverse them or not. 

I suppose the best I can do is give them a whirl and go to ping pong ball types if I'm not happy with them.  In replacing them, I already found a source for potential water entry, so I should be better off than before.

Still, I'm almost positive that I'll end up adding a small electric bilge pump in the near future.  Luck favors the well prepared.

[bruce]

Have hope, that lose pipe had to be leaking.

I know of one case where a PVC drain pipe was split, but still firmly mounted. He was able to insert a thin-walled brass tube, bedded in caulk, to stop the leak. Moeller makes several sizes.

Someone else I know had a small but persistent leak, a couple of cups over a week. He finally saw drops forming on the scupper screws, that were long enough to pass through the transom entirely, and were not bedded well.

I haven't heard of significant water damage to the plywood core, but the potential is certainly there. At the drains, or the fasteners of all the gear hanging back there.

[Renae]

Epilogue:

I just returned from a week on Lake Minnewaska, during which my Suncat was at anchor for 6 days and sailed for several hours every day.  My repair was apparently adequate.  The bilge remained dry and she floated like a cork.

Renae

[bruce]

Good job. Glad it worked out!