Self-Bailing Help

[biloxiriver]

Has anyone got any input/experience, pros/cons, etc., with adding self-bailing scuppers through a closed transom boat? Have a 21' CC I/B boat, all water drains into the bilge and is then pumped out. I took a good bit of water over the stern in some bad weather a couple of summers ago and have been toying with installing drain scuppers. Any thoughts?

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Self-Bailing Help

I put two small scuppers on mine, and made it so that I could plug them off with regular old 1" drain plugs if necessary... <br /><br />Pros, water goes out when moving forward... Thats a good thing cause it's a wet ride.. took a few waves over the bow... <br /><br />Cons, and i'm just going by the way mine sits in the water.. The floor is about an inch above the waterline at the transom.. I get some water comming in when sitting in a sea... not much, but a little.. <br /><br />Actually, now that i think about it, mine is totally different that yours now, and mines probably a bit heavier too... Yours has the full inner liner with the compartments in the transom, mine don't anymore.. Hummmmm. <br /><br />From what I remember, I think you could do it with 4 thru hull fittings (2 slightly modified for the inside to fit closer to the floor), a length of hose, and some creative engineering...

 

[biloxiriver]

Re: Self-Bailing Help

Yeh, that is the way I was thinkin' bout' doing it, but with a larger drain system. I also think my floor is just a bit above the water line, but will confirm that before doing anything - if I even do it. I do have two 1150 GPH bilge pumps in her. Since I have to run short hose sections I could also run the discharge out the stern just a little lower than the intake side. That could be a big help too. Thanks for the come back snapperbait, knew I could count on you.

 

[biloxiriver]

Re: Self-Bailing Help

By the way snapperbait---did you seal the floor access panels to the exhaust system? That is actually how most of the water drains into my bilge while running.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Self-Bailing Help

Yup.. Access is gone.. All I have are two 10" deck plates for access to the exhaust, steering, shaft log & stuffing box, and aft bilge pumps.. <br /><br />Here's a pic before I cut the hole for the deck plate over the shaft log and stuffing box..<br />

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Self-Bailing Help

BiloxiRiver, Scuppers are made to function in a boat that is built to be self draining. These type boats have floor that is waterproof, to keep water out of the bilge. If you want to convert your boat to a self-draining cockpit, you need to assure the floor is above the waterline, and seal access to the bilge, to keep the bilge dry. In the boats I have seen this is difficult to do.