Scupper Drain Hose Material

[Stephen Heineke]

Since La Suavita (CD25) stays in the water year round I sometimes wake-up in the middle of the night after having a nightmare about my scupper drain hoses giving way and sinking her. There have been several suggestions about adding aft cockpit scuppers that drain above the water line and just closing the fore scupper through-hull valves when not under sail. That may be one of those "one of these days" projects, but for now I just want to replace my hoses and sleep a little better. What suggestions do you all have for drain hose material? Would automotive heater hose work? I don't know if it matters, but she is generally in fresh water - but some excursions to the coast are in her near future.

Thanks,
Stephen Heineke
s/v La Suavita CD25 #67
Austin, Texas



austex@attglobal.net

[Scott Ritchey]

I had the same nightmare, so I replaced the two main scupper hoses in my 1980 CD27 with 1 5/8 ID exhaust hose. This stuff is wire-reinforced and pretty tuff. Cannot say for sure about the original equipment hose, but it too was wire reinforced.

The old hose came off the seacocks easily, but stuck fast to the scupper fittings that are glassed into the cockpit sole. I used a dremmel tool to cut the old hose and wire to free it from the scupper fittings. I cut the new hose a little long so it wants to stay in place and used sealant (polysulphide) at the seacocks. I also added new, marine-quality hose clamps. Took a couple of hours with the boat in the water.

I would not recommend anything (hose or clamps) automotive for this critical application. The marine stuff isn't cheap, but you really don't want to see your boat riding low or on the bottom. Also, I don't recommend the proposed modification, which entails more holes in the hull. Better to just fix it right. As a half-way measure, you could close one of the seacocks, which theoretically cuts thr risk in half.

Cheers

Since La Suavita (CD25) stays in the water year round I sometimes wake-up in the middle of the night after having a nightmare about my scupper drain hoses giving way and sinking her. There have been several suggestions about adding aft cockpit scuppers that drain above the water line and just closing the fore scupper through-hull valves when not under sail. That may be one of those "one of these days" projects, but for now I just want to replace my hoses and sleep a little better. What suggestions do you all have for drain hose material? Would automotive heater hose work? I don't know if it matters, but she is generally in fresh water - but some excursions to the coast are in her near future.

Thanks,
Stephen Heineke
s/v La Suavita CD25 #67
Austin, Texas

RitcheyVS@aol.com

[Bill Brockschmidt]

Since La Suavita (CD25) stays in the water year round I sometimes wake-up in the middle of the night after having a nightmare about my scupper drain hoses giving way and sinking her. There have been several suggestions about adding aft cockpit scuppers that drain above the water line and just closing the fore scupper through-hull valves when not under sail. That may be one of those "one of these days" projects, but for now I just want to replace my hoses and sleep a little better. What suggestions do you all have for drain hose material? Would automotive heater hose work? I don't know if it matters, but she is generally in fresh water - but some excursions to the coast are in her near future.

Thanks,
Stephen Heineke
s/v La Suavita CD25 #67
Austin, Texas

Our scupper drain hose appears to be wire reinforced marine exhaust hose. The shop at our marina sells it by the foot, and West Marine has it in thier catalog, whether they sell by the foot or by the 10' piece is confusing to me. (page 231 in 2001 catalog) It is indexed as exhaust hose, not hose-exhaust.

Bill Brockschmidt
Dulcinea
CD28 #234



wbrocksc@friend.ly.net

[Kurt]

The absolute best and safest hose is USCG approved hose that has the year of manufacture imprinted every foot or so along its length. That way the age is easily determined and you'll know when to replace it. Try West Marine or Boat U.S.



kjlgpw@aol.com

[Stephen Heineke]

That brings up my next question...How often should the hoses be replaced?

Steve

The absolute best and safest hose is USCG approved hose that has the year of manufacture imprinted every foot or so along its length. That way the age is easily determined and you'll know when to replace it. Try West Marine or Boat U.S.

austex@attglobal.net

[Kurt]

Whenever you can't sleep at night from worry - replace it. Seriously, I suspect 5 years to be a safe life expectancy for your application



kjlgpw@aol.com