drain plug thoughts??

[big papa]

I’ve noticed that the larger boats (non-trailerable) don’t come with factory installed drain plugs. Am I missing the obvious reason for not having a drain plug?

I just moved up from a 35 convertible. And when I bought the 35, the first winter I found water in the bilge almost up to the galley floor. Numerous gallons of Freezing cold water removal is painful. I broke out the drill soon after that.

Has someone here installed a drain plug in a 45 convertible. I’ve been scouting for the lowest spot in the hull. It might be in the aft section of the e/r. I’m not 100% sure.

Any thoughts thank you…

 

[MikeP]

Don't know the answer to the question but on a previous boat - a 36ft Mainship - I found that a drain that let's water out can also let water in…

 

[rsmith]

You need to stop the water coming in in the first place as it will freeze in the drain and limber holes and still accumulate. The only place it can come in is through the deck hatches when the drains fill with crap or ice. You need to make sure hey blocked the boat up on a pretty good angle so the deck drains out the scuppers and then you can either tarp the cockpit or seal the hatch edges.

 

[Boatsb]

You need to stop the water coming in in the first place as it will freeze in the drain and limber holes and still accumulate. The only place it can come in is through the deck hatches when the drains fill with crap or ice. You need to make sure hey blocked the boat up on a pretty good angle so the deck drains out the scuppers and then you can either tarp the cockpit or seal the hatch edges.

No way. Let the water run in and rinse all your stuff. No need to stop leaks.

 

[Colwyn D]

I have a similar boat 42C and keep it out and blocked when not using it. I had same issue with bilge slowly filling and factory installed garboard drain is useless being in the forward bilge quite high up. I had an unused transponder in the engine room bilge, about mid engine 12" off centerline so removed that and bolted a drain plug in it's place. Plug is 3/4 NPT and screws in from outside. I soldered a tab to the inside of the plug and crimped 18" of heavy mono leader to it with a large stainless split ring on the inside of boat. This means firstly I dont lose the plug and that it's hanging there for all to see when in the lift in case I forgot to screw it in!
Works well.

 

[jim rosenthal]

My 36C has a drydock plug located in the forward bilge sump, which we remove in the winter so she won't sink on land. I thought all Hatteras yachts had them. Evidently I am wrong.

 

[Finalee]

My 43 DC has the forward drain also.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Can owners of larger boats comment on this? Especially our members in the Great Lakes states who usually haul their boats and keep them indoors for the winter. There is no list specifically addressing this question- of which of Hatteras' yachts had drydocking plugs as OEM from the factory.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I don't have a drain plug. Up here most boats that are stored outside get shrink wrapped.

 

[saltshaker]

My '74 46C had one in the forward bilge. My 65C doesn't have one. Only time I had any real water in the bilges during winter layup was when my cockpit cover blew off and I had a few feet of snow in the cockpit. Snow melted and found it's way into the bilge.

 

[bigbill]

my '72 58' yachtfish has one in the forward bilge

 

[Colwyn D]

Anybody know why Hatteras put the drain in the forward bilge. Blocked level there is no way for water in the engine room or lazarette to find it's way forward. It would have to be above the level of centerline water/waste tanks.

 

[saltshaker]

Anybody know why Hatteras put the drain in the forward bilge. Blocked level there is no way for water in the engine room or lazarette to find it's way forward. It would have to be above the level of centerline water/waste tanks.

On my 46C there are limber holes in the forward bulkhead of the ER, one in front of each engine, lowest in the bilge. They have rubber flip style drain plugs in them. My understanding is that you would pull these during winter layup so the water could run to the forward bilge.

 

[31FlyCruzr]

My 31 has a drain in the forward bilge. The first winter I owned it, the marina where I stored the boat recommended I add a plug in the stern so they could block the boat with the bow high. This would let all of the water on the fore deck run aft and off the drains before the cockpit along the gunnel. He said this would be a big help with water penetrating the foredeck and rotting the core. I added the plug and now pull both plugs for winter storage. There is several gallons of water in the stern when the boat is blocked bow high and all of that drains out when I pull the plug.

 

[Jim saco]

I have no drains in my 42c. I vacum out the small amout of water that's left over after it gets hauled out. There should only be a few inches at most in your sump area's. The water that the float switch doesn't see or what the pump can't discharge. If there's more than that you'll need to clean out the limber holes. I wouldn't put a drain in mine. The low area's where the drain would be most effective are cored areas. There's foam coring in my keel and the transom in my boat. Both area's would present more trouble the it would be worth. Of course that my opinion. I'd figure out where the water is coming from and correct it. When I bought the boat the bilge areas were full of water and hadn't been cleaned or cared for by the po. That's the first area I attacked on her first haul out.

 

[Hatt-Trick]

My 36C has a drydock plug located in the forward bilge sump, which we remove in the winter so she won't sink on land. I thought all Hatteras yachts had them. Evidently I am wrong.

I have a 36 c II, it has a 3/4'' drain plug portside aft on the keel