cockpit drain / self bailer?

[Bill1]

My westerly Nimrod has 2 cockpit drains (or are they self bailers?) they consist of a tube surrounded by a inverted "top hat" (I know a picture would help but I'm at work at the moment). When you push the top hat down a tube, closed at the bottom and the front but open at the back, extends about 2" below the boat just ahead of the transom. They work very well in clearing the water from the cockpit and when there's no one on the boat can be left open. However for launching from the trailer or when sitting in the cockpit when on a mooring they have to be closed to prevent water coming back up them into the cockpit. The problem is they leak slightly but annoyingly. Does anyone know if these are still made or suggest an alternative? Rather endearingly one is red the other green!

Thanks
Bill

 

[fireball]

They are self bailers as they are intended to work by the forward motion causing suction to empty water from the cockpit. Sounds like your cockpit is below water level (sorry don't know the W Nimrod design) and just above it when there is noone in.

Do they leak when they are in the closed position?
There are dinghy self bailers, but it will require fairly major work, and even they leak after a time.

 

[Bill1]

Thanks, yes your right they are self bailers when moving but cockpit drains when on a mooring! They are above the water line when there's no one on the boat hence they drain rainwater from the cockpit but when I add my considerable weight to the boat they are below the water line.
Yes I meant they leak when closed. I know about the rectangular dinghy self bailers
(I’ve fitted a few over the years) but they would not fit as well as the existing circular
ones. The existing ones are right in the back corners of the cockpit in sort of a channel
that collects the water from the cockpit floor.
If all else fails I’ll have to seal up the existing holes an try to fit some dinghy ones but
the hull is about 1” thick and I’m worried that the “scoop” bit wouldn’t drop below
the hull far enough.

Bill

 

[Searush]

Time for a little lateral thinking. Why should it matter that there is a little water in your cockpit from time to time? Why not make a set of duckboards/ floorboards to keep your feet out of the water? It a common way of dealing with water in small open boats. Or look for ways to reduce your all-up weight ( I mean on the boat rather than you - but then again, that's another possibility!)

 

[Bill1]

Thanks, yes that would work but the cockpit is fairly shallow anyway (a bit like a big dinghy) and I don't want to make it worse. Secondly if the existing drains didn't leak when closed the set up would be great and I don't like things that don't work properly!!
Your right about the weight in the boat (including me!). If I'm racing I take the outboard off and the anchor out of the cockpit locker and put them on the floor in the cabin then problem isn't so bad as this raises the stern out of the water. However this summer we (ie me and two children) intend to do a bit of "camping" on the boat. The kids would sleep in te cabin and me on a camp bed under a cockpit tent in this mode the outboard would be on its bracket hung off the stern and the achor and sudry other items in the cockpit lockers.
I'm trying to avoid wet feet in the morning!
Bill

 

[fireball]

Go to bed with your wellies on then! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Bill1]

No that would add even more weight to the stern!

 

[Searush]

Can you stow the anchor (& Chain) at the bow? That's where it was probably designed to go. It sounds to me like you're not correctly trimmed & that can affect sailing ability a lot!

The Nimrod is not a very heavy boat so moving the anchor & chain could easily solve your problem & make her point better/ reduce weather helm. That's what I mean by thinking laterally. Try to identify root cause before treating symptoms.

Sorry If you have already tried this sort of stuff - newcomer to the problem always thinks he knows the answer!!!
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[jenku]

Wouldn't the anchor best be on the bottom of the sea when they camp on the boat? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Bill1]

Again good thinking............but the nimrod does not have an anchor locker in the bow. i have thought about fitting a bow roller to mount the anchor in then lashing some sort of "box to the fordeck for the chain and octoplat rode. but at the moment it lives in a big orange bucket!
As I said right at the beginning the route cause is the self bailer / cockpit drains leaking, I think the next step is probabaly to remove one and see if it can be repaired. I fear though that after 30 years its just worn out (doesn't say much for me then!).

Thanks again
Bill

 

[Bill1]

I might be on a mooring! Anyway this thread was about my cockit drains lets not get on to anchoring!!

 

[fireball]

Yer .. but we've got to discuss your anchor to make sure you've got the right one for your drains.

 

[Bill1]

I'll be sailing up river from the sea, will I need a different anchor depending on the salinity of the water?

 

[Searush]

My W31' doesn't have an anchor locker either (it's an age thing!). I use a 35lb CQR which sits on the foredeck, hooked over the toerail in front of the pulpit leg. It is then lashed to the leg to stop it slipping overboard on passage. It could just be tied to the foredeck cleat.

Seriously, look at re-trimming. Where is your water supply stored? Could the fuel tanks/ battery go further forward? What tools/ spares do you have? Fitting a plastic hawse pipe to feed from the foredeck to a forepeak chain locker might be a better solution as the anchor is always ready for action that way.

I would guess that Nimrods were designed for the cockpit to be just ABOVE sea level rather than just below it - and they will have made allowance for the full crew (2 adults?) to be in the cockpit when sailing. What does she look like when afloat on the mooring when you leave her? I think she should look slightly bow down so that she levels off when you get in the cockpit. But then she ain't my boat /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif so you may do as you wish!! Only trying to help - even if I am now starting to annoy! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

If all else fails, take a look at the way the drains on some ribs work.... they have a flexible rubber tube attached to the outside of the drain hole, that lets water out, but collapses under pressure and doesn't let water in.... they can also be pulled up by use of a piece of string to take the end of the hose completely out of the water when required, ie in your case, when launching.... might be a much cheaper and easier way of achieving the same result

 

[Bill1]

Thanks once again and your right that trim is important, the trouble is the nimrod is a bit minimilist ie no water tank, no battery, no forpeak etc. (think wayfarer with a small cuddy!). The only heavy thing 9besides me) is the outboard which as I said i can remove sometimes.
I have put up with this for a few years as as soon as the boat is moving the self bailers work a treat and no water comes in, Its just the prospect of spending the night in the cockpit that has concentrated the mind!

Bill

 

[Bill1]

Thanks
I know what you mean the elephant trunk thing, it would certainly be a first! If necessary I'll bite the bullet and fit dinghy drains, its just that the existing ones seem to be the ideal solution if only they didn't leak!

Bill

 

[fireball]

This was the only image I could find .....

 

[seumask]

Could you prevent the leaking with any of the following ideas:
A thick grease, some sort of Bung in the top part, an even larger tube that can be put over the whole lot and hence "catch" the leak, Im thinking some sort of plastic Plumbing parts here.

 

[Searush]

Ahhh! A pivoting keel! You don't by any chance have the problem only when the keel is up do you?