Typhoon cockpit drains

[Harvey]

I have a typhoon and find that with three people aboard, water comes in the cockpit drains. I replaced the original seacocks with new bronze ones and end up closing them when three people are on board. Is this normal or did I do something wrong when I installed them?



fitz-riley@msn.com

[Chris]

Water comes into my cockpit via the seacocks whenever I'm sailing & the boat heels over, no matter how many people I have on board -- quite normal I think. On a day sail in calm conditions I'll close them while sailing. Just have to remember to open them when I leave the boat so rain water can drain out.

[Serge Zimberoff]

'Normal' but can be greatly reduced if not totally eliminated. First see what you are carrying aft that can be moved forward (or taken ashore because it never gets used). Then starting with the outboard, how heavy is it? Over 45 pounds w/fuel is part of your problem. Then the cockpit lockers...anchor? Tools? Finally remove everything else that doesn't need to go sailing all the time.
After all this is done see how it rides. It should take 4 people seated aft to have water coming in. If it is still a problem, a sandbag placed all the way forward in the cabin will cure it. This isn't an acceptable solution since weights forward and aft are supposed to reduce handling but the effect on a full keel boat is so small that it is preferable to having crew sloshing in water all the time (especially for those of us that like to wear socks).
For water when heeling the solution is to lead the hose from the seacock to the opposite drain. This is tight in a Typhoon but can be done if you are motivated.



serge@srtrop.com

[Neil Gordon]

>>... and end up closing them when three people are on board.<<

Except the drains are there so that seawater (aka "waves") that come on board has a way out of the boat. A cockpit full of water can be dangerous and I'm pretty sure you won't be able to open the seacocks under those conditions.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167



cdory28@aol.com

[Marino Curati]

I don't have seacocks; just scupper plugs which I keep closed even when sailing alone. Water always trickles in and gets everything wet. I'm not sure why the scuppers weren't put in the aft end. It's one of the very few things that I'm not happy with about the boat.

Marino Curati
Ty #74 Snug
Cleveland



mcurati@vision-design-inc.com

[Hal]

I have a typhoon and find that with three people aboard, water comes in the cockpit drains. I replaced the original seacocks with new bronze ones and end up closing them when three people are on board. Is this normal or did I do something wrong when I installed them?

When I have heard of this same complaint on other boats, some have suggested swapping the drain hoses. That is, putting the starboard seacock/hose to the port through hull and visa versa. This way the cockpit will still drain (hopefully) and the leeward through hull will he higher in relation to the affected drain, thus allowing less/no water into the cockpit.



ficadoor@aol.com

[John Hitchcock]

I use my boat for extended overnight cruising so I have a lot of equipment in the boat itself. I couldn't be bothered with trying to eliminate weight to cure this problem, nor did I want to crisscross the hoses because it takes up valuable storage space, nor did I want to close off the cockpit drains, because of the danger in that.
My first solution was to get some of the interlocking plastic squares that are sold at Marine stores to create mats. I then cut them to fit the cockpit which raises the level about 3/4 of an inch, just high enough to keep your feet dry. The mats were hard on my knees, when I had to neal down so I built some duck boards in their place using 1x2 redwood (I couldn't afford teak) and ripping the 1 inch to 1/2. Total cost of the materials including brass screws was about $50. The redwood blends in well with the teak and the finished product looks really nice.
Water comes into my cockpit via the seacocks whenever I'm sailing & the boat heels over, no matter how many people I have on board -- quite normal I think. On a day sail in calm conditions I'll close them while sailing. Just have to remember to open them when I leave the boat so rain water can drain out.



hitchcockj@earthlink.net

[Bill McMahon]

The fundamental problem is that that part of the deck is below the water level. Water seeks its own level, unless the opposite through-hull is out of the water (not likely), there should be no difference.



b4usail@aol.com

[Hal]

The fundamental problem is that that part of the deck is below the water level. Water seeks its own level, unless the opposite through-hull is out of the water (not likely), there should be no difference.

Bill; it is a bit of a brain teaser ain't it (scratch, scratch)? I think the difference is that though both through hulls are still in the water, the windward hole is shallower in the water than the leeward and thus with water finding its own level, there would be less water in the cockpit. I dunno for sure though (never done it).



ficadoor@aol.com