Deck Drainage

Lance Jones · July 24, 2009, 12:55:17 PM

Has anyone ever enlarged the four deck drainage holes (2 per side) on the C-34 Mk1? The PO had enlarged one of them on my boat. Why he didn't do all four I'll never know. However, it looks as if he enlarged them and THEN epoxied the interior of the new hole. The new hole does not accumulate water or debris like the other 3 standard holes.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

Ted Pounds · July 25, 2009, 08:59:31 AM

Sounds like a good idea. However there is no glass reenforcement around those holes. When you say the PO epoxied the inside do you mean inside the boat? And if so did he/she add fiberglass? Anyway, if you decide to drill out the holes I would suggest adding fiberglass and epoxy on the inside to strengthen them. Just a thought...

Rick Johnson · July 25, 2009, 09:38:34 AM

Lance, I will admit that I have done that little project.

I bought some 1" fiberglass tubing from McMaster-Carr (3/4" I.D.). I plugged each drain with a 1/2" hardwood dowel. I drilled a pilot hole at the top of the dowel (right at the edge of the fiberglass). Used a 1" hole saw and was careful about stopping right at the inside edge of the toerail. Cut the fiberglass tube to be slightly short and epoxied it in place using thickened epoxy. I finished off with some gelcoat paste from Catalina Direct (Spectrum Gelcoat paste) and sanded everything smooth. The deck now drains a heck of a lot faster.

I was tempted to go with 1 1/4" fiberglass tube (1" I.D.). Looking back, I probably should have, but I'm happy with the results and the 3/4" opening does not seem to get plugged by junk nearly so much as the 1/2".

Cheers,

Rick

Ron Hill · July 25, 2009, 05:36:30 PM

Lance : Does it really matter how fast the scuppers thru the toe rail drain as long as they drain?

I have the 1/2" clear plastic tubes in mine (about 3 " long) and the important thing to me is that the draining is outside the hull and not running down the sides - leaving dirty streaks. Every so often I remove the tubes and blow out the junk that may have accumulated and reinsert them. A thought

Rick Johnson · July 25, 2009, 07:09:16 PM

Lance,

In looking at the boat today, I remembered that I decided not to go with the 1 1/4" tube because I would cut through the "step" in the toerail (see below). Not sure if the pictures will help, but here is the fiberglass tube and two shots of the new scuppers. I'm happy to have a faster draining deck, standing water around the freshwater fill and the waste pumpout always worries me.

Cheers,

Rick

Lance Jones · July 27, 2009, 06:08:36 AM

Thanks Rick and Ron.
I liked both ideas and may incorporate both into me finished project. Looks like one of those winter projects or no wind, late summer ones...

Cheers to you both!

horsemel · July 27, 2009, 05:09:32 PM

This is a great idea that I will have to consider doing. The small scuppers are not adequate and is one of two design features on the 34 I don't understand. (The other being the way that the cockpit seats are designed to puddle water.) On Lake Erie we have large, juicy spiders who love to make the small scuppers their home. We have to evict them every weekend so the deck will drain.
Mark Mueller

MarkT · July 28, 2009, 09:37:21 AM

Thank you for the photos. This is the next job on my list. I have a very annoying leak in the head which I have traced to the scupper. The solution to the leak will be to enlarge the scupper drain as described.

If anyone wants some 1" tube to do this job send me a PM and I will send you what I have left over. I know I will not need 5ft to do the job.

joe · July 28, 2009, 10:11:17 AM

mark, i had the same leak and fixed it two weeks ago. i used a wire bottle brush and also sandpaper to thouroughly clean the interior of the drain. a plastic ball point pen cap fit the drain perfectly. i epoxied it in the drain and the leak was fixed.although the drain is now slightly smaller, the problem is fixed. joe

Lance Jones · July 28, 2009, 02:18:06 PM

I guess living near the distribution center allows me to get the Macmaster stuff the same day. It is amazing. I too have the fiberglass pipe and will be starting the project this weekend. I'll document with photos.

Braxton · July 28, 2009, 04:14:30 PM

Once in the wee hours of the morning I ordered a pair of shoes from a North Carolina company. They showed up that same day in Seattle. I had apparently ordered early enough that they got the shoes on the Fed Ex plane that morning. From there, serendipitous connections between plane and truck got it to my door that same day.

Modern shipping is an amazing thing.