Clogged drain

Juan · August 20, 2012, 06:40:23 AM

Hi there:

the drain in my galley's sink is clogged, I think. When I was dishes, the water stays in the sink and only goes away very slowly (eventually all the water is gone). It has been getting worse during the last 4 months.

I guess something is clogged. The question is how do I go about it? Do I pour a product through the drain? Could it be that something is wrong with the seacock? (I check, it is open, so that is not the problem)

Thanks for the advice.

Juan

scotty · August 20, 2012, 07:12:54 AM

You can check the sea-cock by disconecting the hose and opening the handle. If you get a nice stream of water it is working. If not, take a wire (like a coat hanger) and gently run it through. I've done it (on the sea-cock for the engine) and have had a sudden flush of water - problem fixed. However, before I did that on your problem - have you tried using a plunger to try and unclog it? I would give that a try. Good luck.

Steve Sayian · August 20, 2012, 07:16:58 AM

I had the same problem a couple months ago.

I closed the seacock and disconnected both sink drain hoses then reopened the seacock with a bucket under the main hose and the water poured through removing the clog (it was the remenants of couscous we had the night before that got into the line).

Took about a half hour to fix. We now have a strainer in each drain to catch stuff before it goes down.

Jim Hardesty · August 20, 2012, 07:20:16 AM

Juan,
I wouldn't use any chemicals.(probably not legal) Go to a hardware store with your faucet strainer, you know the little fitting at the outlet. They can match you up with an adaptor to use a garden hose or barb adaptor, they can fix you up with a short hose. Then you can just flush the drain, one side at a time sealing around the hose with a rag and sealing the other side with a rag. Thats always done it for me. And it's ready for next time. If that doesn't work, I'm afraid that the next best is to dissamble the drain hoses. Just make sure you have a plug in case your seacock leaks.
Jim

Ron Hill · August 20, 2012, 02:55:38 PM

Juan : Why don't you just fix the problem of the clog and the slow draining at the same time!?!

Look in Projects and you'll see that a number of us got rid of all that hose under the galley sinks and re-plumbed with 1 1/4" PVC pipe to stainless sink fittings. A full sink to the top will now empty in less than a minute - with out filling the other sink!!

Bite the bullet!!

Stu Jackson · August 20, 2012, 04:07:48 PM

Juan,

That'd be this one:

http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Galley_Sink_Drain

stevewitt1 · August 21, 2012, 01:26:32 PM

My sink drains fast, the PO plumbed it to a macerator pump (the OEM macerator discharge thru hull is used for a water inlet to feed my deck wash down system) and then to the thru hull. Quite the GROWL when I drain the sink and I think I might get a few looks from dock neighbors or fellows anchored near me wondering what I'm doing. With water in one sink, hold your hand over the other drain and it about sucks your hand in.

I have to replace one of my drains as it has a piece broken that prevents the basket from seating and holding water so I thought, what the hey, maybe do the PVC change now too.

I just looked at that tech note for the sink drain and am still confused a little about the DW inlet. It was referenced to being used as a vent but I don't understand the need to vent as there are no traps in a boat due to no sewer connections. If it is connected to the ice box drain, isn't it higher than the drain in the picture and the hose looks to be going up in direction.

This will be quite the undertaking for me. I'd rather have a tooth pulled, than do plumbing. My typical torque specs: Tighten it until it breaks, then back it off one half turn.

Steve
visit us at: www.ocontoyachtclub.com

Ron Hill · August 21, 2012, 02:13:40 PM

Steve : Don't worry about the DW inlet.

I told Capt Al he didn't need it at the time he did it, but I'll guess that he didn't believe me that the sinks would drain beautifully with out it!??!
I also told him to change the 3/4" screw in barb on the thru hull to a 1" barb - he didn't do that either!! Never made any sense to me why you would use a 1" hose, neck it down to 3'4" barb that was connected to a 1" thru hull ??!!

Mine has been working just fine since about 1995.

mregan · August 21, 2012, 04:08:10 PM

I just fixed the same problem. I have a 1 gallon wet/dry vac I put over the drain opening and it sucked most of the blockage up. Then opened the seacock and did it again. The rest of the blockage came up. Only took a minute.

scotty · August 21, 2012, 06:04:12 PM

mregan - simple and effective. Thanks!

Stewartn · August 22, 2012, 05:06:28 AM

Just fixed this problem on Desiree, C34 MkII, #1472. Turned out to be some little, really tiny mussels, made a home in thru hull clogging up the drainage. Cleaned the the thru hull (not me-I had the bottom cleaning guy) clean the thru hull from the outside. Presto! She drains. Prior to this I tried: Raritan CP, Baking Soda/Vinegar, small plunger pushing and sucking, Fresh water dock hose flush, cursing and paying for a devine revelation. Guy with a stick, under the boat, only thing that worked. Now, what do we use, next spring, in the thru hull (Marelon) to avoid the growth? Bottom paint, pepper flakes in Desitin, ???