Water Drain Mod For Engine Hatch

[Carl C]

I know at least a couple others have done a similar mod. As it is, all water that hits the hatch, whether it be from rain, waves, climbing in or washing the boat, drains directly into the bilge. Not a good set-up if your boat is sitting at the dock in a downpour. Since that is a possibility at this year's AOTH I decided to finally do this simple mod that drains this water out of the boat via a through-hull opening. I already had an extra through-hull from my raw water pressure relief system which I no longer use. I just cut and flared two small pieces of 1/2" copper tubing. I drilled new drain holes and tapered the top so the copper drains would fit flush. I cemented them in with 4200 and filled the original small drain holes with epoxy. Using hard plastic tubing and PVC fittings I cemented together a simple drain system using two part epoxy. I still have to clean up around the drain holes.

[MOP]

Took a few years glad Carl followed my lead, up at 1k I watched both bilge pumps run their gonads off in a typical 1K rain storm! Bravo to you Mr Carl:yes:

2nd Edit the pumps were 1 Rule 750 and 1 Rule 1000, after the mod I watched the drains shoot out as much as the pumps.

[Carl C]

Took a few years glad Carl followed my lead, up at 1k I watched both bilge pumps run their gonads off in a typical 1K rain storm! Bravo to you Mr Carl:yes:

2nd Edit the pumps were 1 Rule 750 and 1 Rule 1000, after the mod I watched the drains shoot out as much as the pumps.

I remember you doing this. I wonder how much the 1/2" hose will flow. I have one auto bilge pump and then it's the manual bailing bucket.

[MOP]

I ran 5/8" to individual drains, in a multi bucket 1K rain it looked like both pumps were running maxed out. A couple of hours later I checked for water there was none.
I modded mine after a buddies boat sunk on his lift, he went out one morning lowered the boat and it kept going down. He hit the up button and blew the breaker, he climbed aboard cushions were floating battery was dead. If it had been on davits they may have given way, he had one heck of a mess on his hands.

[Morgan's Cloud]

This is a remarkably thoughtful AND practical touch that these boats ought to come with from the factory.
Otherwise , run the cockpit cover all the way to the stern over the engine hatch !


(you might recall me mentioning the XK19 that my brother bought back in the early 90's .. it came with these from the factory)